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Sharpening the lens of culturally responsive science teaching: a call for liberatory education for oppressed student groups

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Abstract

Wallace and Brand’s framing of culturally responsive science teaching through the lens of critical race theory honors the role of social justice in science education. In this article, I extend the discussion through reflections on the particular learning needs of students from oppressed cultural groups, specifically African Americans. Understanding the political nature of education, I explore the importance of transforming science education so that it has the capacity to provide African American students with tools for their own liberation. I discuss Wallace and Brand’s research findings in relation to the goal of liberatory education, and offer ideas for how science educators might push forward this agenda as they strive for culturally responsive teaching with oppressed student groups.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Astor Services for Children and Families, Bronx, NY, USA

    Jamila Codrington

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  1. Jamila Codrington
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Correspondence to Jamila Codrington.

Additional information

Lead editor: W. Pitts

This is a response paper to T. Wallace & B. R. Brand, Using critical race theory to analyze science teachers culturally responsive practices. DOI 10.1007/s11422-012-9380-8

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Codrington, J. Sharpening the lens of culturally responsive science teaching: a call for liberatory education for oppressed student groups. Cult Stud of Sci Educ 9, 1015–1024 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-013-9543-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-013-9543-2

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