Term
Summer 2021
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAT
Facilitator(s)
Jana Lo Bello and Shelley Orr
Abstract
Our educational system is producing a generation of dependent learners. Whether because of a lack of confidence or a lack of skills, these scholars often don’t know where to start when tackling complex problems. Inequitable educational experiences have caused these challenges to disproportionately impact students of color. Education scholars, including Geneva Gay, Gloria Ladson-Billings, and Zaretta Hammond, have completed extensive research on how culturally responsive teaching can be used as a strategy to address these inequities. This project takes on a specific focus and works to address the following question: How can science teachers use culturally responsive teaching to help students develop into independent, self-directed learners? The project utilizes Zaretta Hammond’s “Ignite, Chunk, Chew, Review” strategy as a scaffold within a collaborative professional development series for science teachers. The end goal is that science teachers are able to analyze and rework their existing lessons to incorporate more culturally responsive teaching strategies. When we tap into how students learn on a cultural level, we can replicate those processes in the classroom and improve the effectiveness of our lessons. No student wants to be dependent on support from others; our goal is that every child has the skills and confidence to independently tackle whatever problem they face.
Keywords
Science, Professional Development, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Information Processing, Independent/Dependent Learners, Opportunity Gap
Recommended Citation
Bender, Julia, "Culturally Responsive Teaching in Science Classrooms" (2021). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 667.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/667
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects