Culturally Responsive Science Teaching Jessica Thompson

Dimensions of CRST Recognizing our own and others’ worlds Teacher Science Students Developing relationships and forming an inclusive community Providing access to the culture of science and school through curriculum and instruction Critiquing, challenging, and changing the culture of science

Culturally responsive principles to draw on when designing curriculum Student knowledge Student experience Shared experiences Windows & mirrors Reversing knowledge authority Social justice Eliciting students’ ideas. Where do my students encounter this science idea in their day to day lives?

Lunchtime Science I. Prenatal health care & embryologic development (2 weeks) What advice should we give a friend who is drinking during pregnancy? II. Asthma & inner-cities (2 weeks) Why is asthma on the rise across the nation, including our Central district? Identities: mom, friend Identities: person in the community, friend 1. Shortened distance between science discourse and identity, 2. provided a type of membership and affinity identity, 3. modeled after a time of the day students do talk with others

Pitfalls Essentialism Portraying negative cases Basing lessons just on few students’ interests Only using culture/student’s identities as a “hook” upfront Curriculum in and of itself can not be culturally responsive

Forming an inclusive community Group work & status differences Position all students with knowledge authority Set up structures for all students to participate Involve students in evaluating group work

Resources http://courses.washington.edu/edtep586/

from Phelan, Davidson, & Cao (1991)

Which typology best characterized you in science class? (Costa article) What insights do we bring to culturally responsive science teaching? What limitations do we have? What do we need to pay particular attention to in our classrooms and in designing lessons?