“I See You as a Person”: Black Women Secondary Science Teachers’ Considerations for Teaching Science to Black Youth
Karin L. Mason
Citations
Abstract
Research indicates that students' interest in science declines primarily during secondary school (van Aalderen‐Smeets et al., 2019). Black high school students often feel "othered" in science courses, contributing to this disconnect (Archer et al., 2015; Corneille et al., 2020). The exclusion of minorities from the science curriculum and classroom conversations related to historical and current events, culture, language, and ways of knowing is a significant factor in the decline of Black students' self-efficacy in science (Jones & Donaldson, 2021; Mutegi, 2011). Teachers have the power to create a liberating and nurturing learning experience for students (Love, 2019. Through the lenses of anti-Blackness and Womanist Pedagogy, this qualitative case study explored Black women secondary science teachers' considerations for teaching science to Black youth. It examined how these considerations reflect their understanding of the connections between race, culture, and science curricula, as well as their conceptions of the nature of science. Curriculum was viewed holistically, including what is taught, what is omitted, how it is taught, and the intentional and unintentional messaging conveyed to students. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and artifact analysis. Findings indicate that the Black women secondary science teachers in this study do not approach teaching with colorblindness. They consider who their students are and what that means for science teaching and learning in context of the larger socio-political reality in which we live. They recognize the disparities that may exist for their students due to race and socio-economic status and how that affects science teaching and learning. As such, these teachers approach science curricula with some degree of criticality, utilizing Womanist Pedagogy to deconstruct anti-Blackness in science curricula.
