I am because we are: Rethinking belonging in schools through the lens of Ubuntu

Perspective

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Published on: October 16, 2026

Inclusion

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ADAM KOHLBECK, DIRECTOR OF TEACHER QUALITY, CHILTERN LEARNING TRUST, UK; CO-FOUNDER, EDUPULSE, UK Key words Resistance identities: Identities formed in opposition to dominant or imposed identities Ubuntu: An African philosophy often summarised as ‘I am because we are’ Relational ontology: A philosophical idea that reality and identity are formed through relationships rather than existing independently Proceduralisation: The process of breaking complex professional practice into standardised, repeatable steps or routines Dadirri: A process of deep listening, stillness and attentive awareness in relationships with others The proceduralising problem The last 20 years have seen a significant increase in the amount of educational research being produced (OECD, 2023). With such an overwhelming amount of new knowledge becoming available, schools have looked to the wider education sector to help to translate this research into practice (International Publ

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I am because we are: Rethinking belonging in schools through the lens of Ubuntu

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