Identity Safe Classrooms, Grades 6-12: Pathways to Belonging and Learning

Welcome to Identity Safe Classrooms!

In identity safe classrooms, students facing negative stereotypes or viewed as different are “seen,” accepted, and valued for who and what they are. Their identity is embraced as an asset not a barrier for school success. Identity safety is a research-based set of practices that counter the harmful effects of stereotype threat and allow our students to reach their full capacity for learning, foster positive relationships, and better appreciate the full spectrum of human differences.  

The second of a two-volume set, Identity Safe Classrooms, Grades 6-12, is a call for educators to come together and realize a vision of schools as transformative places of opportunity and equity for all students. Inside you’ll find:

• Design principles for promoting belonging and a welcoming classroom environment
• Compelling evidence from identity safety research on ways to mitigate stereotype threat along with counter-narratives that challenge societal biases about gender, race, and other differences
• Pragmatic strategies for student-centered teaching, including trauma-informed practices, that hold high expectations and validate each student’s background as a resource for learning
• Vignettes with concrete examples and try-it-out activities and prompts for self-reflection

Devour Identity Safe Classrooms, adopt its practices, and soon enough you’ll inspire in all of your students a greater sense of empathy and agency in their educational experiences.

“Dr. Becki Cohn-Vargas along with Alexandrea Creer Kahn and Amy Epstein show us the intersections between adolescent identity development, racial identity development, and social-emotional development so we know how to use the diversity in classrooms as our strength.”

--Zaretta Hammond, Author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

“Identity Safe Classrooms should be in the hands of every educator who walks into a school. It's clear and accessible, grounded in research, thought-provoking and engaging, and actionable, and fills a crucial gap in our resources for creating just and liberated schools.”

--Elena Aguilar, Author of The Art of Coaching

“The authors have done an excellent job showing how an identity safe classroom integrates the growth mindset in a secondary school. When students feel accepted and valued, when they feel safe learning from mistakes and encouraged to continually grow as learners, they can reach their highest potential.”

--Carol Dweck, Stanford University

Dr. Becki Cohn-Vargas is a leading scholar in identity safety, recognized for her roles as a school leader, curriculum specialist, and consultant. With a rich and varied career spanning over 35 years, she has significantly contributed as a Spanish bilingual teacher, principal, curriculum director, and superintendent in diverse rural, urban, and suburban pre-K-12 educational settings. She has worked in more than 150 schools across the U.S., leading strategic planning sessions and workshops. Dr. Cohn-Vargas co-authored the best-selling book "Identity Safe Classrooms K-5: Places to Belong and Learn," and "Identity Safe Classrooms Grades 6-12: Pathways to Belonging and Learning," and "Belonging and Inclusion in Identity Safe Schools: A Guide for Educational Leaders" and "Identity Safe Spaces: Partnering to Overcome Inequity." Her literary contributions also include book chapters, numerous articles, and the notable film "Our Family: A Film About Family Diversity," reflecting her commitment to promoting inclusive educational environments.

Alexandrea Creer Kahn, MAed, after earning her BA at UC Berkeley and MA in Education from Stanford University, started her career in education, working to support elementary school teachers and leaders to engage in the school improvement process. Over the course of her career focusing on educational equity, Alex has worked in several roles in K-12 and higher-ed including teacher, school coach, principal, and district leader, as well as lecturer for Stanford University. Recently, Alex coauthored the book Identity Safe Classrooms: Grades 6-12: Pathway to Belonging and Learning. Alex currently oversees the clinical practicum program for Alder Graduate School of Education as the senior director of Academic Programs. Alex's areas of expertise include school leadership, school transformation, teacher education, coaching, professional learning, and curriculum and instruction. A Bay Area native, Alex enjoys spending her time with her husband and two sons, writing, and spending time outdoors.

Amy Epstein, MSW, is the founding partner of Data for the People, working to transform data into valued and accessible information centered in the knowledge and priorities of those closest to a context, problem, or goal. She has worked as an administrator and consultant with many school districts, schools, foundations, and other nonprofit organizations to advance equity in education, particularly in the areas of evidence-based inquiry and dialogue, coordinated services/tiered support systems, data systems and processes, and assessment. Amy was a coauthor in 2020 of Identity Safe Classrooms: Grades 6-12: Pathway to Belonging and Learning. Amy lives in San Francisco, CA, with her wife, Liat. She is anchored and made joyous by drumming, singing, meditating, and spending time outdoors.