Sense of belonging among refugee students in Costa Rican classrooms

This paper challenges the general claim that teachers are always central in the school success of refugee students (Engels et al., 2021; Ghasemi, 2021; Wubbels et al., 2006). A typological analysis based on the self-determination theory of Ryan and Deci (2017) was used to study how teacher-student interaction interplays with the sense of belonging and learning engagement of refugee students. In contrast to what studies from the Global North indicate, the analysis of the experiences of 15 refugee students in Costa Rican schools shows that teachers are less available and that refugee students may find alternative ways to succeed in school. Indeed, like other countries in the Global South, Costa Rica has seen a large influx of refugee students, and the educational system struggles in providing the appropriate support for the complex needs of these students. As such, teachers are not equipped to play a central role in the lives of refugee students. This study points out how important the role of peers is in successful engagement of refugee students in Costa Rican classrooms, more than those of teachers.