:
“A valuable, challenging book for teachers and those who lead them.”
—Science Teacher
“This is must-read material for urban science educators.”
—Science Books & Films
“An engaging look at several after-school science programs that have turned into community-building experiences. . . . An excellent professional development resource for any educator striving to make a science programs relevant and meaningful.”
—Green Teacher
“A bright, clear vision of what is possible when we practice truly student-centered education. . . . This small book is like a lighthouse in the hurricane that is urban education.”
—Feminist Teacher
How might science education reflect the values of a socially just and democratic society? How do urban youth living in poverty construct science in their lives in ways that are enriching, empowering, and transformative? Using a combination of in-depth case studies and rigorous theory, this volume:
- Offers a series of teaching stories that describes youth’s practices of science, providing valuable insight to help teachers work with inner-city youth.
- Explores the importance of inclusiveness, membership rules, and the purposes and goals of good science, including utility, pragmatism, and doing good for others.
- Shows how science connects to the lives of youth both in and out of school.
- Builds on and critiques current reform initiatives in science education.
- Features stories taken from six years of teaching and research in after-school science programs with children and youth in homeless shelters.
- Illustrates how the children’s unique situations framed their constructions of science in compelling and challenging ways.
