Chapter 2 - Science Teacher Talk
What can teachers do to help assure that all students, regardless of cultural background, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic position have the same opportunity to learn science?
Alexia Bultman
Try to make sure students of different backgrounds are included in discussion and group work. What works really well for me is to find something positive about a student and focus on that. Sometimes I will use their positive action as an example while talking, and it's amazing to see their faces light up.
Brian Davis
Teachers should provide students with opportunities to share their individual position related to their cultural, socioeconomic and gender perspective. I feel acquiring a thorough understanding of the students based on the above mentioned criteria allows the teacher to fine tune the science related topics being taught to better meet the needs of the individual students. This increases the relevancy of science, which I feel, increases the level and quality of science learning for all students.
Angela Gula
Teachers should vary instructional methods so that the content is easily related to the lives of the students in the classroom. One of the easiest ways to vary the content is by providing a multitude of learning experiences. Provide the content in written form, visually, through auditory means, and with hands-on experience. A one-size-fits-all example does not cut it. Make it part of your practice to have students provide examples of the content in their daily lives.
April McFarland
Teachers should maintain compassion and patience for all students during the school year. Teachers can also treat all students as equals, no matter the situation. Positive reinforcement can help students engage more in the curriculum and justify a means to succeed.
Michael O'Brien
Get to know your students the best you can. At the beginning of each semester I have the students complete a questionnaire asking them to describe themselves. Specifically I ask about their background, what their career aspirations are, their learning styles and what they want to achieve in the class. I also take the time during group activities to monitor the students' interactions.
With this information I get an idea of some of the potential differences that might exist. During the semester I watch for any potential problems that require changes in the composition of the lab groups, or have conversations with the individual students about anything that might be interfering with their or other's learning.
Elizabeth Petrie
All students need to be given a fair shot in the classroom regardless of the background from which they come. To insure that all of my students have the same opportunity for learning science, I make it a point to treat all students fairly and equally in the classroom. I do my best to give all of them the same amount of attention, to ask all of them questions, to informally monitor all of their progress on a daily basis, and to greet each one of them upon arrival in the classroom.
Henley Sawicki
I feel that every teacher has the responsibility to make his/her classroom a place where students feel equal. I think the teacher is where the equality must start; however, there are a variety of ways that students can feel they are being represented. One example I can share from my class involves an activity my students did every unit. I had my students write article summaries for Nobel Prize winners that corresponded with each unit. I made sure to include people of different gender, nationality, and religious background. If we had a student in class from that general area, they had the opportunity to share what they knew about the culture. I teach in a very diverse Magnet Program and have students who come from a multitude of backgrounds. I have found that this is a great way to incorporate a portion of their diversity.