Abstract
The continued underrepresentation of Black students in science education in Ontario has highlighted issues of social justice within the province, and the ways in which this impacts minoritized groups, curriculum design, and teacher education. Critics of a post-colonial education system that reinforces existing biases against certain groups have pointed to culturally relevant and culturally responsive pedagogies for enhanced student success. The lack of attention to Black history, experiences, and perspectives in science has resulted in the needs of Black student populations being underserved. This small-scale qualitative study examines the self-reported pedagogies of three purposefully selected, successful science teachers, effectively utilizing culturally relevant and responsive pedagogies to improve Black student engagement and achievement in Ontario classrooms. Responses from participants recorded via Zoom using in-depth semi-structured interview protocols, along with additional notes taken in informal conversations, were inductively and deductively analysed. Three major themes emerged: successful teachers of Black students practice inclusion by incorporating Black references and experiences in classroom teachings, actively work to build empowering relationships with students and their caregivers, and are life-long learners, motivated and committed to supporting the academic, social, and cultural needs of their students. In addition, our findings suggest that science teachers, regardless of race, can promote Black student success through being critically reflexive practitioners and adopting culturally responsive strategies. As a result, these success stories can inform broader school administration policy regarding diverse student populations, and improve science teacher preparation and education programmes in Ontario and beyond.
Résumé
La sous-représentation persistante d’élèves noirs dans l’enseignement des sciences en Ontario a mis en lumière les enjeux reliés à la justice sociale dans la province et les répercussions de cette situation sur les groupes minoritaires, la conception des programmes et la formation des enseignants. Les critiques d’un système d’éducation postcolonial qui renforce les préjugés existants à l’encontre de certains groupes ont mis l’accent sur des pédagogies culturellement pertinentes et qui tiennent compte de la réalité culturelle afin d’améliorer la réussite des étudiants. Le manque d’attention portée à l’histoire, aux expériences et aux perspectives des Noirs dans le domaine des sciences a eu pour conséquence que les besoins des populations étudiantes noires n’ont pas été pris en compte. Cette étude qualitative à petite échelle examine les pédagogies signalées par trois professeurs performants de sciences sélectionnés à dessein et qui ont réussi, en utilisant efficacement des pédagogies pertinentes et arrimées à la culture à améliorer l’engagement et la réussite des élèves noirs dans les classes de l’Ontario. Les réponses des participants enregistrées par l’entremise de Zoom à l’aide de protocoles d’entrevues en profondeur semi-structurées, ainsi que des notes supplémentaires prises lors de conversations informelles, ont été analysées par raisonnement inductif et déductif. Trois thèmes principaux ont émergé: les enseignants efficaces auprès d’élèves noirs pratiquent l’inclusion en incorporant des références et des expériences noires dans l’enseignement en classe, ils travaillent activement à l’établissement de relations renforçant l’autonomie des élèves et les personnes qui en sont responsables, et sont des apprenants tout au long de leur existence, motivés et engagés à soutenir les besoins scolaires, sociaux et culturels de leurs élèves. De plus, nos résultats laissent présager que les enseignants de sciences, quelle que soit leur race, peuvent favoriser la réussite des élèves noirs en faisant preuve d’une réflexion critique et en adoptant des stratégies adaptées à la culture. Par conséquent, ces expériences réussies peuvent apporter des informations utiles dans la définition par l’administration scolaire de politiques élargies concernant les diverses populations d’élèves et améliorer les programmes de préparation et de formation des enseignants de sciences en Ontario et au-delà.
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The preparation of this paper has been overshadowed by Vimala’s passing in July 2022. Vimala was both a mentor and a co-author. In sorrow, I dedicate this work to her memory. This article draws on research supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council by way of a graduate scholarship (Joseph Armand Bombardier, Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s (CGS-M)), and was carried out as part of the Master of Teaching programme at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
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Copeland Solas, E., Kamalodeen, V. Culturally Relevant Pedagogies (CRP) and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) in Science Education: Black Success Stories in Ontario. Can. J. Sci. Math. Techn. Educ. 22, 796–817 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-022-00236-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-022-00236-z