Provide a “Could we change” box (strictly for science related content) to solicit questions that students are afraid to utter in class, or for concerns kids have about group work, or topics they'd like to explore, etc.
- Make clear that anything personal or sensitive should come directly to the teacher as a personal conversation
Belonging Principles
The strategy above is aligned to the principles in bold.
Develop warm, caring relationships that
- Support safe personal revelation
- Invite all student perspectives and validate student assets
- Allow students to express emotions; acknowledge and validate those emotions
- Dedicate time and resources to students (be available to students)
- Treat student questions and concerns seriously
- Treat students with respect and recognize that they have individual needs and lives outside of school that might create barriers for them in school
Encourage peer connection: Teachers act as the “invisible hand” in a classroom and peers often take their cues on how to treat each other based on messages they get from teachers about how individuals “fit” within science and within the class
- Provide ground rules and expectations for respectful classroom communication
- Model equality: Communicate that all experience is valuable and that the diversity of ideas and experiences are assets
- Create activities that help students get to know each other
- Respect student reluctance to collaborate, but offer support (isolation is not an option).
- Ask students to bring their personal culture and histories into class activities. Do not tolerate alienation, marginalization, or discrimination.
- Give all students leadership opportunities, and show that you trust their abilities to lead
- Embrace shared goals with a teamwork mentality: my success is our success
Illuminate ways students might identify with teacher and within science
- Describe how you identify within the field and what you do to continue learning
- Explain your attraction to the field, the origins of your interests, and what impacts your engagement in the field can make
- Identify people from diverse backgrounds across science (and time periods) to whom students might relate
- Invite students into science by communicating what learning opportunities are available in the community (events, museums, etc.)
Communicate an inclusive view of who belongs in science
- Learn about students’ self-beliefs related to science, and encourage students to see that everyone has something to contribute because Science needs diverse perspectives and identities (e.g., early seat belts and airbags were less effective for women because they were designed by male engineers with a crash test dummy that was the size of a typical male.)
- Consider the lack of diverse group representation in science. Make sure students read about and see scientists that look like them
- Work to reduce stereotypes about who can "do" science, which may include: Increasing self-awareness of how you communicate with students (e.g. who you call on in class, what type of language you use to describe scientists, how you communicate your values about diversity in science), and Drawing on diverse examples of scientists, and materials to use in class (e.g., include authors and printed class materials that represent diverse backgrounds; depict diversity in materials displayed around class)
- Evaluate the extent to which your curricular materials and activities promote equity such that all students can feel they belong. Ask yourself “Are certain cultures or perspectives ignored or undermined?”
- Use culturally responsive methods (e.g., storytelling) to facilitate belonging with peers, with instructor, within science, and as a learning community
