Mothering and Daughtering During Dual Pandemics: Creating a STEM Sanctuary

• In Event: Let the Circle Be Unbroken: A Black Women's Literature Circle as Liberatory Space

Abstract

Mothering and Daughtering during Dual Pandemics: Creating a STEM Sanctuary

Objectives:
Historically, Black women like Nannie Helen Burrough, Mary McCleod Bethune, Marva Collins, and Corla Hawkins employed education as resistance to inequitable and racist education systems for Black children and families. The dual pandemics of the Covid-19 virus and American racial injustice drew attention to inequities across race and social class in STEM education. In this work, I discuss how a Black women's literature circle supported my reflection on practice and activism in the development of educational space for STEM learning that: 1) provided hands-on, inquiry-based STEM education for conceptual understanding (National Research Council, 2012), 2) centered the Black child, including their social and emotional well-being, language, histories, and genius (Paris, 2012) and 3) was grounded in culturally relevant pedagogies (Ladson-Billings, 2017).

Theoretical Perspectives:
This inquiry is grounded in critical race theory (CRT) and culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) tenets. Systemic educational barriers have impacted Black students' access and retention in STEM education. The percentage distribution of STEM degrees conferred to Blacks has steadily decreased from 2008-2018, from 9.3 % to 8.4% respectively. (NCES, 2019). CRT is used here to critique PK-12 STEM education aligned to two tenets, namely intersectionality and the ordinary nature of racism in STEM. Culturally relevant pedagogy disrupts the biases and stereotypes about race, ethnicity, and social class (Nieto, 2013). This inquiry operationalizes two tenets from CRP. First, students must experience academic success and achievement; second, for curriculum and instruction to be culturally relevant, they must challenge the status quo.

Methods:
This work is situated in Self Study of Teaching and Teacher Education (S-STTEP) and the use of autoethnographic methods, grounded in Evans-Winters' (2019) Black feminism in qualitative inquiry. It offers descriptions and reflections on the design and impact of three courses; Black History Through Science grades (6-8), Mathematical Patterns in Nature grades (K-2), and Math Games grades (5-8) and how the process of education served to empower the community and be empowered by those who were served.

Data sources:
While most of the world was reeling from the Covid- 19 outbreak, we recognized that we had another pandemic we were womaning, racial injustice. Narrative in data collection, analysis, and reporting of findings is intended to produce a counter-story to the mainstream narrative.



Results:
Through reading, reflection, and dialogue, this Black women's literature circle created space for Black women to exist as ourselves. We reflected on our experiences as mothers, daughters, sisters, and partners serving and surviving during the dual pandemics of racial injustice and Covid-19. Reading and reflecting on Black women’s literary works promoted ideas and scholarly imaginings of spaces free of racial injustice.

Significance:
Educational equity means every student has access to the educational resources and rigor they need in their educational experience across race, gender, ethnicity, language, disability, sexual orientation, or family income. A transformative model for Pk-12 STEM education centered on culturally relevant pedagogical practices was designed to promote racial equity in STEM education and, subsequently, the STEM workforce.

Author

• Theresa Y. Robinson, Elmhurst University