Culturally Relevant Teaching in Science Classrooms: Addressing Academic Achievement, Cultural Competence, and Critical Consciousness

Abstract

This article provides classroom examples and commentaries for extending and deepening culturally relevant science teaching efforts in classrooms.  It examines instructional efforts used by one of the authors with high school and university students.  Together, the three authors rethink and reconsider several aspects against a culturally relevant pedagogical backdrop. The commentary points out considerations for focusing on student achievement, cultural competence, and critical and sociopolitical consciousness.  The necessity and difficulty of centering culture, equity, and power relations are emphasized.