Abstract:

Training predominately white female pre-service teacher PSTs is one of my primary responsibilities now. Providing PSTs access to teach science in a teaching practicum is one way to reduce their fears of teaching science to children from marginalized and underrepresented groups. Davis (2008) reported effective science teaching helps students develop conceptual understandings and inquiry abilities to produce students that are scientifically literate and productive citizens. This will not happen if the teachers are afraid to teach science because of their past experiences in secondary school and/or minimum access to science instruction in elementary school. PSTs needed a teaching practicum in their elementary and/or secondary science methods course. As a scientist/science teacher educator, I discovered many of the new white female teachers hired to educate predominantly underrepresented and marginalized students, resigned within one year after signing their teaching contract. When asked about the challenges, many teachers reported they were not prepared to deal with the array of behavior management issues required to teach in these classrooms. Having success in these types of environments, and serving as a role model that influenced over 60% of these underserved and marginalized students to choose a STEM tract after eighth grade, she believed if PSTs were: 1) exposed to effective best practices; and 2) provided a safe space to practice teaching the science lessons they created in their lesson plans using constructivism, inquiry and the Biological Science Curriculum Study 5E Learning Model then some of their fears would be reduced. These teachers created lesson plans using BSCS 5E Learning model Bybee, R. W., Taylor, J. A., Gardner, A., Scotter, P. V., Powell, J. C., Westbrook, A., & Lands, N., (2006) to engage these students.

This study addressed the following research questions:
1) What impact will science PSTs using BSCS 5E Learning Model and Inquiry lessons in a science practicum have on their fears about teaching science?
2) What impact will science PSTs using BSCS 5 E Learning Model and Inquiry lessons in a science practicum have on their confidence in teaching science?
3) What specifically reduced the elementary PSTs fears after this practicum experience?

Over 100 elementary PSTs education majors enrolled in an elementary science methods course with a practicum, approximately 22-48 students/semester participated in ten weeks of inquiry and constructivism training. Some of the predagogical experiences included:
1) reading select readings introducing critical race theory, inquiry and constructivist philosophies;
2) two-peer micro-teaching experiences from the readings;
3) creation/implementation of two BSCS 5E Learning Model lesson plans in a 4-week teaching practicum in an after-school program with 2-4 peers.

The theoretical framework for this study was constructivism and using the BSCS 5E Learning Model which promotes inquiry. Wheatley (1991) defined constructivism as a learning theory that promotes active learning that is constructed versus passive instruction.

Before the practicum two primary themes immerged:
1) lack of interest/engagement or disruption of students; and
2) lack of students.

After the practicum two primary themes immerged:
1) how co-teaching builds confidence and helps with behavior management;
2) student excitement and engagement increased for learning science.

Keywords:

White female pre-teachers fears, Biological Science Curriculum Study 5E Learning Model, Science education, Underserved and marginalized students in Kg-5.