Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning: Insights From an Advanced Graduate Science Education Methods Course

• In Event: Culturally Responsive Schooling in Urban Education

Abstract

We employ a sociocultural framework, tenets of culturally responsive teaching, and cogenerative dialogues, in an advanced graduate science education methods course, to learn how to create classroom learning environments that provide increased opportunities for the engagement of urban students in science. Through participating in a simulated secondary high school science activity, the sharing of reflections, and whole class cogenerative dialogues, a deepening of understandings related to urban science classrooms became apparent. Three themes emerged, including (a) equity issues encountered with material and human resources, (b) the production of social capital, and (c) how science teaching and learning are mediated as a result of inscribing students. Results point to the value of developing and strengthening both a reflective and reflexive practice.

Authors

• Gillian Ursula Bayne, Lehman College - CUNY

• Wesley B Pitts, Lehman College - CUNY