Diversity & Science

I am spending a lot of time lately thinking about ways to ensure I am doing my best to include diversity in my science classes. Real, authentic diversity. Not a check box. Not a list. Real stories. Real people. Real learning. Real viewpoints. Real cultural context.

I know that I’ve done things to include diversity in the past few years in science class: cultural connections, stories, finding locations on a map (read: helping kids be aware of things outside of North America) and talking about these locations, talking about scientists as the people they were (and not just that one thing they did, that one time), and ensuring I include diverse scientists and viewpoints in these discussions. I want my students to sit in my class and have access to scientists who are both mirrors and windows. I want my littles to feel empowered and validated when they practice science.

I first read about the teaching tolerance social justice standards a few years ago and printed them off for myself last year, using them occasionally. This year, I hung them in my class and I see them every day. I am using them as a reminder to be more intentional about how I include diversity so it arrives in science class naturally.

I still have a lot of research to do, a lot of content-creating to do and a lot of reflecting to do, but I hope that within the next year, each of my unit plans, and not just a few in the year, will reflect a diverse set of scientists and explore a wider set of cultures.