What is Identity Safety?
Identity safe classrooms are those in which teachers strive to assure students that their social identities are an asset rather than a barrier to success in the classroom. And, through strong positive relationships and opportunities to learn, they feel they are welcomed, supported, and valued as members of the learning community.
new book
Identity Safe Spaces at Home and School: Partnering to Overcome Inequity
This book provides the most up-to-date research on identity safe practices and how to ensure that they occur both at home and at school. Today’s schools serve students and families with a diversity of identities. While diversity enriches the school community, educators are becoming increasingly aware of the vast number of students subjected to identity-related adverse childhood experiences and inequitable practices. To mitigate the negative impacts of oppression on marginalized identities, this book shows educators how they can work together with parents and guardians to support all students’ well-being and success.
Book Features:
A practical guide for home-school partnerships that supports safety and a sense of belonging, value, and competence.
Research-based, home-school practices that support the positive identity development of pre-K–12 students.
Portraits of students, parents, educators, and others from racially, culturally, linguistically, ethnically, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, and impoverished communities.
Guidance for countering the harm caused by stereotype threats, othering, and identity erasure.
“A groundbreaking book that brings the Identity Safety framework to bear on all we do. It is both practical and insightful. But it especially brings into view the tremendous power that parent-school partnerships can have in overcoming inequity. There is no better time for this book to arrive.”—
From the Foreward by Claude Steele, Social Psychologist and Professor at Stanford University
Just Released: Purchase Here
“This compelling book combines up-to-date research with portraits of students, parents, and educators who share ways to foster positive identity development and achievement. The authors provide tools to engage families in cultivating student diversity as an asset and strength-based practices for promoting equity, agency, compassion, and belonging at home and at school. This book provides a valuable blueprint for school teams and family engagement partnerships focused on equity.”
Linda Darling-Hammond, president, Learning Policy Institute and professor emeritus, Stanford University
Belonging and Inclusion in Identity Safe Schools
Purchase here
Students of all backgrounds reach their full potential when they feel a sense of belonging and inclusion. When their social identities are valued as assets rather than barriers to learning, they flourish. This guide provides evidence-based strategies that support you as a leader in creating an environment that promotes identity safe students, who experience a challenging curriculum that respects their diverse social identities.
Features in the book include:
Guiding principles for student voice, equalizing status and cultivating acceptance across race, ethnicity, gender and other differences
Ideas and examples for anti-racist dialogue and activities for teachers and students that counter colorblind practices, stereotype threat and biases
Vignettes, and examples of identity safe practices for students and adult learning for staff, families and the community
Systems for student-centered assessment and data collection
Resources for developing equitable school policies and a comprehensive identity safety plan for your school
Praise for Belonging and Inclusion in Identity Safe Schools
“Belonging and Inclusion in Identity Safe Schools: A Guide for Educational Leaders is a timely and important book. For several years, the nation’s schools have been asked to focus their energies on raising student achievement. However, too often educators have ignored the need to honor, support and affirm the identities of the students they serve. For educators who serve children of color, particularly Black, Native American and Latinx children who are often subject to overt and covert forms of forced assimilation, this book will be an invaluable resource on how to create learning opportunities that make it possible for such children to thrive.~”
“Bravo to authors Cohn-Vargas, Gogolewski, Creer Kahn, and Epstein for their ground-breaking book on Identify Safe Schools for Administrators and Teacher and Staff Leaders! They provide much-needed evidence for educators to elevate and even inspire the equity, empowerment, and academic growth needed to wholly support all children to flourish in school and their lives.”~Debbie Zacarian, Director, Zacarian and Associates”
Praise for Identity Safe Classrooms Grades 6-12: Pathways to Belonging and Learning
Praise for Identity Safe Classrooms Grades K-5: Places to Belong and Learn
“In this timely, engaging, and needed book, Steele and Cohn-Vargas describe creative and captivating ways in which teachers can construct identity safe classrooms in which students from diverse racial, social, economic, and linguistic groups can learn and flourish.”
“This book should be in the hands of every educator who walks into a school. It’s clear and accessible, grounded in research, thought-provoking, engaging, and actionable and it fills a crucial gap in our resources for creating just and liberated schools.”
Watch Videos, Learn More About Identity Safety, and Buy Books: HERE
Interview with Identity Safe Teaching researcher, Dorothy Steele
This interview was first posted on niot.org. Thanks to Not In Our Town for filming this interview.
Activities
Activities to help understand the role Identity Safety plays in your classroom.
Resources
Suggested resources for teachers who would like to create Identity Safe Classrooms in their own school.
Contact Us
Please contact us for speaking engagements and workshops on identity safety.
“~Debbie Zacarian, Director, Zacarian and Associates”