About the Book
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.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1 What Is Belonging?
Chapter 2 The Challenges of Creating Belonging
Chapter3 Starting With Ourselves
Chapter 4 Understanding Individual, Intersectional Lives
Chapter 5 Creating Psychological Safety
Chapter 6 Creating a 'Safe Classroom'
Chapter 7 Having Brave Conversations
Chapter 8 A Values-Led School
Chapter 9 A Values-Led Classroom
Chapter 10 Safeguarding and Allyship
Chapter 11 Curriculum Reform
Chapter 12 Social Media Ix
Chapter 13 Reverse Mentoring and Peer Mentoring
Chapter 14 Advocating for Students in a Whole-School Context
Chapter 15 Conducting a Belonging and Behaviour Audit
Conclusion: Beginning the Journey
Suggested Reading List
Glossary
About the Author :
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, Schools Week and the Metro. She delivers training and consultancy in diversity, equity, inclusion and workplace culture. Zahara is an DiverseEd Associate and an anti-racism coach for schools with Leeds Beckett University. Zahara is also the chair of GuildHE's EDI Committee.
Review :
This book should feature in every teacher training reading list. Engaging and practical, Zahara showcases how achievable initiatives and the reframing everyday of actions can create belonging in the classroom.
In Creating Belonging in the Classroom, Zahara Chowdhury skilfully blends her personal experiences with professional expertise and a deep commitment to educational justice and seeing students flourish. Her authentic narrative makes this an illuminating and compelling read. Highly recommended as a practical guide for educators new to the subject of EDI or looking to enhance their practices.
A practical and heartfelt guide that helps teachers foster true belonging. Zahra shares lived experience, tools, and insights to navigate difficult conversations and build inclusive, trusting classrooms for every student.
One of the book's standout strengths is its exploration of psychological safety-a crucial component in ensuring that students feel secure enough to express themselves, take risks, and engage meaningfully in their education. Zahara adeptly discusses how educators can cultivate an environment where students not only belong but thrive.
Creating Belonging in the Classroom is an essential read for educators, school leaders, and policymakers committed to fostering truly inclusive learning environments. The book thoughtfully navigates the multifaceted nature of belonging, blending theoretical insights with practical applications that address both online and offline spaces.
I was so impressed by Zahara's breadth of research and her frank yet deeply empathetic writing style. It tackles everything from challenging racism and biases to creating truly inclusive and intersectional spaces in school settings.
A particularly valuable aspect of the book is Chowdhury's emphasis on the importance of conducting a belonging audit. She outlines a starting point and practical methods for schools to assess how effectively they are fostering belonging, offering a framework that enables institutions to start to move beyond rhetoric and towards measurable, impactful change. This is especially useful for educators and leaders looking to implement an initial evidence-based strategy rather than relying on assumptions about inclusion
This is essential reading for all educators at any level as well as for parents and caregivers. I'd recommend the book to anyone who wants to understand the concept of 'belonging' at a deeper level and why it matters not just for students and teachers but for society as a whole.
The book does not shy away from uncomfortable conversations, recognising that true belonging requires confronting biases, addressing structural inequalities, and fostering open dialogue.
Aimed at promoting inclusivity and belonging in secondary school, this book is a gem. Broken down into chapters that follow a meaningful discussion, Creating Belonging in the Classroom does not shy away from talking about the problem and how to address it. Social media, safety, vulnerability, accessible curriculums, the classroom and the school levels are all discussed in this book. As an educator and parent, I took away a lot.
I was so impressed by Zahara's breadth of research and her frank yet deeply empathetic writing style. It tackles everything from challenging racism and biases to creating truly inclusive and intersectional spaces in school settings.
Students need to feel welcomed and included, so fostering a sense of belonging within school is essential. This requires an ethos rooted in diversity, inclusivity and respect - free from bias, stereotypes and prejudice - while encouraging meaningful connections between students, staff and the wider school community.
Zahara Chowdhury's Creating Belonging in the Classroom explores how to achieve this. Although the title suggests it is primarily a classroom resource, Chowdhury makes it clear that belonging must be embedded across the whole school: in its mission, values and curriculum. This makes the book particularly relevant for school librarians, whose role in shaping inclusive collections and safe spaces is central to the process.
The book is structured around practical ways to build belonging through curriculum design, teaching practice, school culture, support services and parental involvement. It tackles challenging topics such as discriminatory behaviour, toxic masculinity, online misogyny and the impact of social media, offering guidance on how to approach these conversations confidently and constructively. Adopting an intersectional perspective, Chowdhury emphasises understanding individual experiences in order to cultivate empathy and psychological safety.
Readers will find valuable advice on bringing diversity into the curriculum, alongside practical tools such as a belonging and behaviour audit. The text is enriched with real-life case studies, clear tips, a comprehensive reading list, glossary and index, making it accessible and immediately useful.
Creating Belonging in the Classroom is a must-read for all professionals working with children and young people - especially for those responsible for diversity and inclusion within their school - and an excellent addition to any staff library.
A helpful guide to cultivating empathetic, inclusive classrooms.
I'm so proud to be holding Creating Belonging in the Classroom by Zahara Chowdhury - a book that puts real lived experiences at the heart of education.
This isn't just theory. It's written by teachers, for teachers - packed with practical strategies to make classrooms psychologically safe spaces where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
Zahara's commitment to having brave conversations about inclusion and connection is inspiring, and this book is a must-read for anyone passionate about transforming the culture of their classroom.
Bravo, Zahara! This is the kind of work that changes lives.
