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Science Education and Females of Color: The Play Within a Play

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Multicultural Science Education

Abstract

In this chapter, I discuss females of color in science education by borrowing from the Shakespearean “play within a play” device to highlight their unique experiences. Though much fanfare has been issued concerning the progress made by females in general, further scrutiny finds that females of color in particular do not fare as well. Thus, I begin by first lifting the veil so to speak on the “double bind” in Science that females of color find themselves in. As they attempt to navigate their way through school and subsequently into Science professions, females of color find themselves hampered by both race and gender at every turn. In an effort to break this cycle, I finish by offering science teacher educators tools and solutions they can incorporate into their own preservice programs. Finally, I close by offering a vision of what an effective K-12 science classroom for females of color would look like.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Vermont, Waterman Building 532, 85 South Prospect Street, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Leon Walls Ph.D.

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  1. Leon Walls Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Leon Walls Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Science Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Mary M. Atwater

  2. Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA

    Melody Russell

  3. Univeristy of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA

    Malcolm B. Butler

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Walls, L. (2014). Science Education and Females of Color: The Play Within a Play. In: Atwater, M., Russell, M., Butler, M. (eds) Multicultural Science Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7651-7_4

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