Introduction

The entire nation is painfully aware that a growing number of students experiencing school failure are African American. ( Ford, Obiakor, & Patton, 1995). Statistics indicate that every seven seconds of the school day a African-American student is suspended from public school. Every forty-nine seconds of the school day a African-American student drops out of school. (Ford, Obiakor, & Patton, 1995). A considerable measure of academic peril for these students is created by teachers' diverse cultural ineptness, improper attitudes, and differential behaviors toward African American students. (Nieto, 1992).

To improve the schooling of African-American students teacher education programs must excel in preparing teachers and administrators who have an elevated level of authentic knowledge of African American culture; a deeper understanding of the impact African American culture has on behavior, learning styles, and preferred teaching styles; and a genuine appreciation for the valuable repertoire of experiences African-American students bring to school. ( Ford, Obiakor, & Patton, 1995).

This section has been designed to provide teachers with practical ideas and strategies for improving the opportunities of African-American students. This guide is not comprehensive. It's purpose is to introduce the problem, provide some background information, and present some strategies, ideas, and checklists for providing and assessing equity in the science learning environment.

Avoiding Bias

Teachers must take an introspective look at their own cultural background, understanding the effects their biases have when interacting with students. Only then can teachers examine the backgrounds and needs of their student population and understand their students' cultural biases as well.

• Recognize and understand the cultural differences among students from diverse backgrounds, and treat such differences with respect.
• Intervene immediately, should a fellow student disparage a Black student's culture or language
• Value the broad and varied experiences Black students bring to the classroom, and promote their acceptance.
• Avoid segregating students by cultural groups, and do not allow the students to segregate.
• Expand students' capacity to appreciate and deal with the differences in others, and help students to perceive self in a multi-cultural perspective.
• Demand the same level of excellence from all students.
• Have high science expectations for all students; positive expectations increase student achievement.
• Do not base a student's capability by their proficiency with the cultural mainstream.
• Due to cultural differences, cultural conflict and behavioral problems are more likely to emerge when minorities are unaware of expected cultural or communicative norms.
• Realize that every American is a product of his or her culture, and a tolerance and understanding of language differences must exist in such a diverse society.
• Many black students speak Ebonics; these differences in dialect must only be perceived as language variances, and not as a set back. These students should be accepted with a positive attitude and aided in the mastery of Standard American English.
• Students should be judged based on current situations and circumstances, not on previous mistakes.
• There exist congruencies between a student's learning style and the teacher's teaching style.

Classroom Strategies

• Display flexibility in the context of a structured learning environment.
• Learn as much about minority students as other students.
• Respond fully to the comments of all student, especially minority and female students.
• Lead a science classroom discussion on stereotyping ( minority and gender) and the consequence of stereotyping for science achievement.
• Involve the minority students who are not participating in science classroom discussions.
• Especially monitor achievement of minority students on a regular basis.
• Follow-up on students expressing interest in enrolling in advanced science courses. ( Some minority students often do not follow through due to anxiety or outside discouragement.)
• Assist in the acceptance of the differences that minority students bring to the science classroom.
• Make science relevant and useful to all students, but especially to minority students.
• Permit students to bring life experiences into the science learning environment. ( All students, especially minority students tend to perform best when content is related to previous experience.)
• Devise science exercises and activities that foster success on the part of all students, especially including minority and female students.
• Institute some science activities without grade assessment, which can help students, (including minority students) overcome initial anxiety.
• Have alternative testing methods appropriate for minority students.
• Recognize effort as well as accomplishment, especially for minority and female students.
• Use computers for more than drill exercises for all students, especially minority students. (Access to computer technology for creative activities increases motivation and awareness of useful applications of science.)
• Incorporate the historical and contemporary contributions of minority and female students in the science curriculum (e.g., biographical readings).
• Focus on activities designed to integrate science skills into everyday experiences of minority students.
• Take advantage of corporate programs which provide speakers to encourage the interest of minority students in science and technical careers.
• Encourage activity-based and hands-on programs for minority students.
• Try to schedule science courses so they do not conflict with electives that may be especially appealing to minority students.
• Make minority students aware that most jobs in the future will require strong math, computer, and science skills.
• Encourage all students, including minority students to participate in all class activities.
• Recognize that cultural backgrounds may discourage some students from active participation in the science classroom. ( In some ethnic groups, volunteering a response or comment is a sign of disrespect for authority.)
• Talk with students about textbooks which create or perpetuate stereotypes based on minority status and sex and their effect on learning and career choice.
• Include in your curricula biographical readings about minorities and women in science fields.
• Present science as a subject that everyone can learn rather than as an elite and difficult subject.
• Motivate your students to solve a problem for the fun of it or the satisfaction of getting a right answer.
• Intervene immediately should a fellow student disparage a minority student's culture or language.
• To teach minority students equally well, you must understand how their cultural background may influence their classroom interactions.
• Be a classroom activist. Take on different roles for different cultural backgrounds and to vary your methods of instruction to ensure that you address all students.
• Demand the same level of excellence from the minority student as from the traditional student.
• You need not be an expert on the different cultures, but you should be sensitive to the fact there are differences and that such differences must be respected.
• Avoid segregating students by cultural groups, and don't allow the students to segregate themselves.
• Allow students to select topics in some science study units. ( This offers additional opportunities for students to relate their backgrounds and interests to science.)
• Many students learn principles of science easier through discussion and exploration rather than by traditional lectures.
• Have activities which stress thought processes rather than exclusive reliance on single answer responses.
• Construct math/science word problems that are relevant to students. ( A personal health problem is more realistic to many students than an epidemiological problem.)
• Many African American students, for example, speak Black dialect. These variances must be perceived as only a difference, but not a deficit or deficiency. Children who speak other languages or dialects should be accepted with a positive attitude and aided in the mastery of Standard American English.
• To design a curriculum model and instructional strategies appropriate for each student, professionals must understand the student's individual and cultural characteristics.
• Multipurpose and multilevel test batteries, instead of a single score or a small number of scores, can provide a more accurate picture of the range of a student's intellectual ability.
• The learning difficulties experienced by African American students should be viewed by teachers as a result of cultural differences rather than indices of inherent and incorrigible intellectual deficit.
• Efforts should be made to increase minority children's' motivation and interest in testing by helping them feel comfortable and at ease.
• Use the student's culture to help the student to create meaning and understand the world.
• Possess a repertoire of varied teaching styles and adjust them to accommodate varied learning styles among children.
• Maintain participatory, dynamic, and spontaneous classrooms.
• Display flexibility in the context of a structured learning environment.

Discussion and Interaction

• Encourage cooperation and development of group feeling, encourages class to think and work as a unit.
• Respond fully to the comments of all student, especially minority and female students.
• Involve the minority students who are not participating in science classroom discussions.
• Assist in the acceptance of the differences that minority students bring to the science classroom.
• Make science relevant and useful to all students, but especially to minority students.
• Permit students to bring life experiences into the science learning environment. (All students, especially minority students tend to perform best when content is related to previous experience.)
• Recognize effort as well as accomplishment, especially for minority and female students.
• Consider using upper grade level minority students as tutors in computer-related and science technique assignments.
• Incorporate the historical and contemporary contributions of minority and female students in the science curriculum (e.g., biographical readings).
• Discuss career opportunities with minority and female students.
• Provide opportunities for minority students to work cooperatively. ( Consider small group assignments and projects.)
• When using groups for activities, such as lab work assign each student a specific role. Keep a record of these roles and rotate students through the different roles.
• In order to illustrate a sense of community: Ask each student to share with you, and possibly with the class, what makes them unique as an individual.
• Make an effort to express appreciation when minority students participate in class discussions.
• Avoid segregating students by cultural groups, and don't allow the students to segregate themselves.

Extracurricular Activities

• Consider using upper grade level minority students as teachers as tutors in computer related and science technique assignments.
• Establish in-service science training programs especially including teachers with minority students.
• Recommend subscriptions to science magazines.
• Urge faculty sponsors of computer science, and (say) chess clubs to recruit minority students.
• Encourage participation and make minority students aware of out of school activities in science, such as junior science academy, or summer science programs.

                                                                                           Experiential Activities

• Make science relevant and useful to all students, but especially to minority students.
• Permit students to bring to life experiences into the science learning environment. (All students, especially minority students tend to perform best when content is related to previous experience.)
• Focus on activities designed to integrate science skills into everyday experiences of minority students.
• Take field trips in the local community. This will allow students to observe applications of science and technical skills in living and work settings. Emphasize science skills used by minority workers.
• Take advantage of corporate programs which provide speakers to encourage the interest of minority students in science and technical careers.
• Encourage activity-based and hands-on programs for minority students.
• Establish in-service science training programs especially including teachers with minority students.
• Bring into the classroom minority science role models.
• Draw upon cultural experiences of the child and family to include authentic cultural perspectives in the curriculum.

                                                                                                Institutional

• Encourage and help administrators recruit minority science students.
• Urge faculty sponsors of computer science, and (say) chess clubs to recruit minority students.

Methods and Materials

• African American students prefer tasks that involve human issues and concerns such as math word problems.
• Use computers for more than drill exercises for all students, especially minority students. ( Access to computer technology for creative activities increases motivation and awareness of useful applications of science.)
• Ensure that minority students are portrayed in scientific and technical careers ( e.g., posters in classroom).
• Incorporate the historical and contemporary contributions of minority students in the science curriculum.
• Talk with students about textbooks which create or perpetuate stereotypes based on minority status and sex and their effect on learning and career choice.
• Science course material should include references to people from different ethnic and cultural groups.
• Use study materials that show individuals from different cultural groups engaging in science activities or occupations.
• Use examples of minority persons or groups that highlight their science successes or their respected position in the community as a scientist.
• Select illustrative science devices relevant to student experiences.
• Furnish all students with updated information on careers in science.
• Make sure science instructional materials are appropriate for all students.
• Make use of a broader range of professional organizations for career motivational materials and appropriate role models.
• Bring into the classroom minority science role models.
• Display classroom posters on the contributions of minorities in science and technical fields.
• Incorporate the historical and contemporary contributions of minority students, in the science curriculum (e.g.,) biographical readings about minorities in science.)
• Draw upon cultural experiences of the child and family to include authentic cultural perspectives in the curriculum.

Home and Family

• Especially help parents of minority students to understand their role in encouraging their children's interest in science ( e.g., establish parent workshops on supporting and encouraging children's interests in science).
• Plan a parents' night on science careers. ( This should portray minority students in science fields in which they traditionally have been underrepresented.)
• Establish workshops for parents to support and to encourage their children's interest in science.

Personal

• Recognize that cultural backgrounds may discourage some students from active participation in the science classroom. (In some ethnic groups, volunteering a response or comment is a sign of disrespect of authority.)
• It is important to understand how the minority students backgrounds can affect their relationships with both teachers and their classmates.
• Many African American students prefer more kinesthetic/ tactile learning.
• Many African American students prefer subdued lighting rather than bright light.
• Many African American students rely heavily on visual input rather than auditory input.
• Many African American students respond highly to cooperative learning.
• Many African Americans' discussion style is simultaneous talk instead of alternating talk.
• Another trait of African Americans verbal communication is their use of colorful language.
• Many African American students prefer to study while music or conversation occurs in the room.
• Many African American students, like other indigenous peoples, traditionally live in partnership with the land and property.
• Many African American s protect and care for the environment as overseers for higher power than abuse their holdings as sole owners.
• Many African American values hold that their is unity among and between all things.
• ManyAfrican Americans have an outer-directed rather than a egocentric focus.
• Many African American students are more active and less active and less able to adjust to the sedentary learning environments of American schools.
• Many African American students rely more on information from their surroundings.
• Many African American students prefer and are interested in working with people.
• Many African American students like to work in groups.
• Many African American students are sensitive to and responsive to what others feel and think and consider how their actions may affect others.
• Many African American students prefer to maintain close proximity to other students.
• Many African American students react intensely to being praised or criticized.
• Many African American students function better under cooperative conditions.
• Many African American students respond better to rewards such as praise, smiles, pats on the back, and the like.
• Many African American students learn much better when the curriculum is humanized, attributes human characteristics to concepts and principals.
• Many African American students avert their eyes while being confronted about their behavior, teachers may misinterpret their lack of eye contact as indicating insincerity and guilt.

Stereotypes

• Lead a science classroom discussion on stereotyping (minority and gender) and the consequences of stereotyping for science achievement.
• Assist in the acceptance of the differences that minority and female students bring to the science classroom.
• Ensure that minority and female students are portrayed in scientific and technical careers ( e.g., posters in classroom).

References

• Reference: Effective Education of African American Exceptional Learners- New Perspectives edited by Bridgie Alexis Ford, Festus E Obiakor, and James M. patton pro-ed
  c 1995 by pRO-ED, Inc.
  8700 Shoal Creek Boulevard
  Austin, TX 78757-6897
• Reference: Teaching In A Diverse Society
  Herbert Grossman LC 1099.3.G76 1995
  Copyright 1995 by Allyn & Bacon
  A Simon and Schuster Company
  Needham Heights, MA