Examining Pre-service Mathematics and Science Teachers’ Plans to Implement Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a need for greater guidance in preparing pre-service teachers to enact culturally relevant pedagogy while maintaining the content and rigor of mathematics and science in middle and secondary grades. This study investigated a group of pre-service teachers’ plans to implement culturally relevant pedagogy in middle/secondary mathematics and science classrooms. Through this action research study, we sought to apply an existing culturally relevant pedagogy framework to coursework showcasing instructional planning in middle/secondary mathematics/science methods courses. This analysis would serve to help teacher educators systematically define evidence of successful culturally relevant pedagogy-aligned instructional planning, as well as identifying areas for improvement. In the coursework reviewed, there were non-traditional and traditional approaches to structuring learning tasks and activities in order to integrate elements of culturally relevant instruction. Among our results, we concluded that methods instruction could emphasize instructional planning that begins with culturally-conscious frameworks that aim to disrupt historical power dynamics, rather than conclude by making culturally significant connections, thereby supporting more pre-service teachers in possibly developing radically transformed mathematics and science instructional plans.