A practical guide to having brave and difficult conversations, overcoming bias and challenging stereotypes to make your secondary classroom a safe space.

Now, more than ever, there is a need to have brave conversations and address the unspoken topics in what should be one of the safest spaces for children: the classroom. How then, do we create classrooms where teachers and students can have brave conversations? How do we create classroom environments where every student feels seen, heard and safe? How do we lean into the difficult conversations none of us really want to have, but our students need us to engage with? The answer is simpler than you think.

Creating Belonging in the Classroom provides practical examples of what belonging, allyship and inclusion really is. Drawing on real-life case studies and scenarios, this book breaks down the barriers that often come with tackling difficult conversations around race, religion, gender and more. This book will help you to encourage students to discuss a wide range of topics, protected characteristics and issues with nuance, critical understanding, compassion and empathy.

Zahara Chowdhury has over a decade of experience in the classroom as an English teacher, head of department and senior leader. She is currently the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Business Partner at Buckinghamshire New University. Zahara is also the founder of the blog and award-nominated podcast School Should Be, featured in the Guardian, Grazia, Middle East Eye and the Metro. She delivers training and workshops, and is an anti-racism coach for schools with Leeds Beckett University. Zahara is co-chair for the board of trustees for Solutions Not Sides and lead champion for the DEI platform Global Equality Collective.