Cultivating Black girls’ science identities in middle and secondary science classrooms

Abstract This forum paper is a response to Heather Lavender’s article, “The sociocultural practices in a science classroom and the influence on black girls’ girlhood.” In her article, Lavender emphasizes the need for science teachers to be more intentional in fostering Black girls’ interest and achievement in science through classroom activities. Mr. K, the science teacher of the girls in that study, admits to being challenged with connecting his science lessons to the lives of his students, especially those who are from cultures outside of his own. As a result, his Black female students display marginal engagement in science and science class activities. This issue of Black girls feeling disconnected and disengaged in school science is not unique to Mr. K’s class, but a widespread concern in many educational settings. This phenomenon is driven by several interconnected factors that I discuss in this forum.