Meaningful and Authentic Representation in Schools with Bukky Yusuf

Primary Futures

Thought Leader and educator, Bukky Yusuf, brings insightful commentary on the existing challenges and potential solutions to create a welcoming environment for all students. Through a candid conversation, they explore the importance of authenticity, vulnerability and humility in fostering an inclusive school culture. Bukky also uncovers how unconscious bias can affect decision-making processes and perpetuate systemic inequalities. Following this, Bukky imagines a brighter future for education, where every individual feels valued, welcomed and included, and offers actionable steps for educators to start making a difference within their own schools.

• (00:40) - Bukky shares the positive things she is seeing within schools that bring her joy.
• (04:35) - Bukky and Ed consider how the pandemic continues to impact students and their education.
• (07:07) - Bukky considers the real-life examples of schools that have created inclusive environments for all students and how this benefits everyone.
• (27:36) - Bukky looks to the future to imagine how educators can work together to improve schools for all.
• (39:32) - Bukky presents some practical and actionable tips and strategies that teachers can implement in their classrooms now to ensure that students and staff alike feel welcome and included.

About our guest

Bukky Yusuf is an author, leadership coach, public speaker, trustee and Thought Leader with over twenty years of teaching experience. She has undertaken several leadership roles within mainstream and special school settings, centring around professional development programmes, quality first teaching and learning and effective implementations of Educational Technology.

Beyond the classroom, Bukky has a variety of Education Technology experiences, which includes participating as a judge for The EdTech50 Schools, BETT Awards and serving as an Education Board Member for Innovate My School. She was appointed by the Department of Education as co-chair for the EdTech Leadership Group. Bukky is passionate about leadership development and the need for diversity within education.

Connect with Bukky Yusuf

Key takeaways

• Embrace authenticity, vulnerability and humility to foster an inclusive school culture.
• Unpack and address unconscious biases that can affect decision-making processes and perpetuate systemic inequalities.
• Envision and strive for a future where every individual feels valued, welcomed and included in the educational environment.
• Listen to other voices and educate yourself to become a better ally in promoting diversity and inclusion.

Quotes

"I genuinely believe that there's more similarity between all of us than there are differences." - Bukky Yusuf

"When we talk about diversity, [...] there are so many different levels and layers of it and I think that they've got to think about how are they preparing these young people to co-exist in the global arena." - Bukky Yusuf

"I saw how the atmosphere and morale in the school changed when people felt seen." - Ed Finch

“Belonging, being valued, being accepted for who you are. I think that's really important, not just for the young people, but for staff as well." - Bukky Yusuf

Resource recommendations

Lyta. Media rich stories that you can use to bring diverse narratives into your classes.

Radical Candor. Blog, podcast and a book about a communication framework that you can use in your work.

BAMED Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Educators

Black Men Teach a community network for Black Male Educators

3 first steps to anti-racist teaching practice post by Omena O. on Hamilton Brookes blog

Teach Lead Coach Bukky Yusuf’s website

School pupils and their characteristics - UK government statistics

Agarwal, P. (2020) Sway: Unraveling Unconscious Bias. Bloomsbury Sigma

What will you take away?

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Primary Futures is brought to you by Hamilton Brookes, your loved and trusted place for quality lesson plans, materials and resources that you can use in your classroom.

To find resources that work for you and your pupils, go to the Hamilton Brookes website and browse ideas for English, maths, science and cross-curricular topics. You can find more information here.

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