"Because they want to teach you about their culture": Analyzing effective mentoring conversations between culturally responsible mentors and secondary science teachers of indigenous students in mainstream schools

Sara Tolbert

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Te Kotahitanga is an educational reform project in Aotearoa/New Zealand demonstrated to have significantly impacted the participation, achievement, and retention of indigenous Ma¯ori students in secondary schools. In this paper, I share results from a study of culturally responsible mentoring at 4 different schools participating in the Te Kotahitanga reform project. Specifically, I investigated how Te Kotahitanga facilitators (i.e., site-based mentors/instructional coaches) engage novice and experienced science teachers in reflective conversations around culturally sustaining science instruction for indigenous students. I identify four key themes from these mentoring conversations that can serve as a useful framework for culturally responsible mentoring in science.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1325-1361
Number of pages37
JournalJournal of Research in Science Teaching
Volume52
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2015

Keywords

  • critical race theory
  • diversity
  • education reform
  • equity
  • indigenous science education
  • mentoring
  • professional development

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education

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