Producing and Maintaining Culturally Adaptive Teaching and Learning of Science in Urban Schools

Abstract

Science achievement in urban schools is related to social class (Morais et al. 1992), especially in high-poverty regions in which ethnic minorities attend neighborhood schools (e.g., Tobin et al. 2005). Unfortunately, solutions to the problems have been characterized in terms of reducing achievement gaps and framing the problems and potential solutions in terms of deficit perspectives that embrace meritocracy, especially holding individuals accountable for their own achievement and, in the case of teachers, for their students’ achievement. Usually ignored are the cultural resources, which are the very building blocks on which science achievement can grow. In our ongoing research, we have searched for the capital used by youth belonging to social categories that appear to be disadvantaged in many fields of their lifeworlds. However, they succeed in many ways and we take care not to overlook the resources they deploy in attaining their goals. Accordingly, our project has sought to identify the culture that is a foundation for success in out-of-school fields and explore ways in which similar culture might support learning in schools (Tobin 2007a). Our research shows how social class, often associated with poverty, affords the production of culture (i.e., science learning).