Belonging in the Classroom With Zahara Chowdhury | In This Together Ep 12

Education consultant and author Zahara Chowdhury joins Becky Dawson to discuss the essential role of belonging in education. This episode explores how fostering a sense of community and validation for every student's identity is the foundation for academic and pastoral success. Zahara shares practical insights on diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDI), moving beyond "fitting in" to creating spaces where students and staff feel safe, seen, and heard.

The discussion delves into the power of appreciative inquiry, a strength-based approach that focuses on what is working well within a school rather than defaulting to a deficit model. Zahara emphasizes the importance of authenticity and "being real" with students to build deep rapport. From navigating the complexities of social media to the simple power of a smile, this conversation offers a roadmap for leaders and teachers to cultivate a genuine culture of belonging.

Takeaways

• Distinguish Between Fitting In and Belonging: Understand that true belonging allows students to remain themselves while being part of a community, rather than forcing them to change to fit a mold.
• Utilize Appreciative Inquiry: Improve EDI by centralizing and scaling what is already working in your classroom or school, rather than only focusing on barriers and deficits.
• The Power of "Being Real": Students value truth and authenticity; building rapport often starts with being honest about expectations and school realities.
• Foster Equitable Belonging: Recognize that every student has a different lived experience and may need different "belonging bites" or communication styles to feel included.
• Middle Leadership as the Pillar: Senior leaders should focus on supporting the relationship between middle managers and teachers to sustain a healthy school culture.
• Incorporate Simple Acts of Kindness: Small interactions like smiling and saying hello are powerful, low-barrier tools for nurturing a sense of belonging among both staff and students.

Sharing is Caring

Zahara recommends the book "Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World" by Uju Asika for its deep dive into lived experiences and practical advice on navigating multicultural and multilingual identities. You can also find more of Zahara's work in her book, "Creating Belonging in the Classroom".

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Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Zahara Chowdhury, EDI consultant and author.
• 02:33 - Defining Belonging: Why it is essential for student success and school culture.
• 05:34 - Fitting In vs. Belonging: Insights from Brene Brown on the pressure to conform.
• 09:24 - Equitable Belonging: Using the school uniform analogy to understand individuality.
• 10:57 - Innovation in the Classroom: How a sense of belonging leads to student engagement and success.
• 14:10 - "Tell Us the Truth": What students taught Zahara about authenticity and rapport.
• 18:44 - Navigating Social Media: The challenge of multiple "versions of truth" for teenagers.
• 20:34 - Appreciative Inquiry in EDI: Focusing on success stories to drive school-wide change.
• 25:11 - Multilingualism vs. EAL: Reframing language skills from a deficit to a strength.
• 28:10 - Collective Learning: Building a team environment in the classroom.
• 31:10 - Kindness as a Strategy: Simple interactions that foster community.
• 32:40 - Advice for Leaders: Walking the corridors and supporting middle leadership.
• 37:30 - Sharing is Caring: A recommendation for "Bringing Up Race" by Uju Asika.