A(n) (re)awakening: preservice teachers connecting their culture to science teaching along the US–México border

Today’s diverse science learning environments have prompted educators to adopt more culturally responsive approaches. National initiatives such as the Framework for K–12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards emphasize the importance of engaging preservice teachers (PSTs) in culturally relevant curriculum design, particularly to support student populations that have been marginalized. Drawing from Testimonio scholarship, we align with scholars who elevate the value and pedagogical power of students’ voices and home experiences—stories often silenced or untold. This qualitative case study uses a three-phase approach—(1) Funds of Knowledge exploration, (2) theoretical grounding and lesson design, and (3) STEM lesson implementation and reflection—to examine how Latina/o PSTs draw on community knowledge to embed cultural wisdom into STEM instruction for students in the US–México border region. The study highlights the significance of PSTs’ awakening to the relevance of both teacher and student Funds of Knowledge in developing culturally meaningful lessons that extend science learning beyond the classroom. The implications for teacher education are significant: When PSTs recognize their cultural assets as pedagogically valuable, they are better prepared to engage with and affirm the cultural wealth of their students’ communities. Grounded in culturally relevant pedagogy and community cultural wealth, the study analyzed transcripts from family interviews conducted by six PSTs and from their conference panel presentations. A thematic analysis identified cross-case patterns while honoring unique contextual factors. Findings show that engaging PSTs in culturally reflective practices fosters a reimagined science educator identity—one that views science teaching as a culturally grounded, community-connected practice.