Culturally Culturally Responsive Responsive

Science TeachingScience TeachingJessica ThompsonJessica Thompson

Dimensions of CRSTDimensions of CRST Recognizing our own and others’ worlds Recognizing our own and others’ worlds

TeacherTeacher Science Science StudentsStudents

Developing relationships and forming an Developing relationships and forming an inclusive communityinclusive community

Providing access to the culture of science and Providing access to the culture of science and school through curriculum and instructionschool through curriculum and instruction

Critiquing, challenging, and changing the Critiquing, challenging, and changing the culture of scienceculture of science

Culturally responsive Culturally responsive principles to draw on when principles to draw on when

designing curriculumdesigning curriculum Student knowledgeStudent knowledge Student experienceStudent experience Shared experiencesShared experiences Windows & mirrors Windows & mirrors Reversing knowledge authorityReversing knowledge authority Social justice Social justice

I. Prenatal health care & I. Prenatal health care & embryologic development embryologic development (2 weeks)(2 weeks)

What advice should we give a friend What advice should we give a friend who is drinking during pregnancy?who is drinking during pregnancy?

II. Asthma & inner-cities II. Asthma & inner-cities (2 weeks)(2 weeks)

Why is asthma on the rise across the Why is asthma on the rise across the nation, including our Central district?nation, including our Central district?

Lunchtime ScienceLunchtime Science

PitfallsPitfalls

EssentialismEssentialism Portraying negative casesPortraying negative cases Basing lessons just on few students’ Basing lessons just on few students’

interestsinterests Only using culture/student’s Only using culture/student’s

identities as a “hook” upfrontidentities as a “hook” upfront Curriculum in and of itself can not Curriculum in and of itself can not

be culturally responsivebe culturally responsive

Forming an inclusive Forming an inclusive communitycommunity

Group work & status differencesGroup work & status differences Position all students with knowledge Position all students with knowledge

authorityauthority Set up structures for all students to Set up structures for all students to

participateparticipate Involve students in evaluating group Involve students in evaluating group

workwork

ResourcesResources

http://courses.washington.edu/edtephttp://courses.washington.edu/edtep586/586/

from Phelan, Davidson, & Cao (1991)from Phelan, Davidson, & Cao (1991)

Which typology best characterized you in Which typology best characterized you in science class? (Costa article)science class? (Costa article)

What insights do we bring to culturally What insights do we bring to culturally responsive science teaching? responsive science teaching?

What limitations do we have? What limitations do we have?

What do we need to pay particular What do we need to pay particular attention to in our classrooms and in attention to in our classrooms and in designing lessons?designing lessons?