In Part 2 of this series on Scientific Storytelling, we explored how stories from the history of science richly demonstrate the nuanced and sometimes surprising ways that science works. I shared the story of Einstein’s biggest blunder and highlighted a few insights into the nature of science that the story demonstrates.
One of my big takeaways from studying the nature of science is that there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for being successful in this field. Our understanding of the natural world does not advance linearly through a continuous succession of highly controlled experiments. Rather than a straight march from question to knowledge, science is a dynamic web of interwoven stories with colorful characters, recurring motifs, surprising plot twists, daunting challenges, and thrilling discoveries.
One of the great joys of teaching science is watching students find their unique place within this rich and evolving narrative. But too often, students write themselves out of the story before it has even begun because they “are not a science person.”
Stereotypes in Science
There are many reasons a student might decide that science is not for them. Maybe they are intimidated by the math component. Maybe science seems dry and irrelevant. Or maybe they have never seen a scientist who looks like them.
At the core of all these reasons is the sense that the student is not (or does not want to be) what they believe a scientist is. If you ask these same students to picture a scientist, they usually describe something akin to Doc Brown’s character in Back to the Future—a gray-haired white man in glasses and a lab coat, muttering to himself while doing calculations. Is it any surprise that so many youth decide they don’t match that picture?
Stereotypes like this are unhelpful–not because muttering, bespectacled scientists don’t exist (they definitely do and are often charming individuals!), but because they limit our imagination about what doing science looks like and who gets to do it.
Stereotypes also have a nasty habit of becoming self-fulfilling prophecies. Social psychologist and emeritus professor of education Claude Steele coined the term “stereotype threat” to describe the phenomenon in which individuals underperform on tasks when they are aware of negative stereotypes about their social group.
Steele found that even subtle reminders (like indicating gender or race before a test) can trigger anxiety and reduced performance as individuals worry about confirming the stereotype. Study after study has confirmed this effect in academic settings, particularly in math and science classrooms, and especially among girls and students of color.
Stereotypes can also lead to imposter syndrome–when you feel as if you aren’t competent or don’t deserve to be in an assigned position. The week before my very first day of teaching high school physics, I attended a meet and greet with the leaders of the private Christian school. One of the administrators warmly introduced himself to me and asked, “So are you one of our new elementary teachers?” When I told him that I would be teaching in the high school, his eyebrows went up ever so slightly and he said, “Oh that’s great, will you be teaching English?” “No,” I replied, “science actually. I’m the new high school physics and astronomy teacher.”
We went on to have an engaging conversation about my plans for the school’s observatory, but the interaction stuck with me. Each question was an assumption about who I was and what I was capable of. I didn’t fit his idea of who a scientist could be. And his assumptions cut through my enthusiasm and reinforced the insecurity I was already feeling: Was I good enough, smart enough, tough enough for this job?
Stereotypes can do that to you: they can make you question what you know to be true about yourself and worry that who you are is not enough. Stereotypes tell narrow stories about who belongs. But science, at its best, is an inclusive story—sprawling, diverse, and imaginative.
Helping Students Find Their Place in the Story
Below are specific things you can do to help your students find their place in the story of science:
- Highlight diverse scientific characters. Broaden your students’ perceptions of who scientists can be by providing windows and mirrors from the history of science and from modern practitioners. Mirrors are examples of scientists who share similarities with students; these are especially important for students who don’t often see themselves reflected in portrayals of scientists. Windows are examples of scientists who are different from the students and stretch their conception of who can be a scientist. You can find profiles of a variety of scientists of faith on the Faraday Institute’s website.
- Discuss a wide range of jobs and applications. Yes, many scientists work in labs and do math, but that is only the beginning. For example, NASA needs more than number crunchers to send rockets into space. They need accountants, science visualizers, SCUBA specialists, chefs, and so much more.
- Incorporate different forms of expression into class activities. Science is as much about communicating knowledge as it is about generating it. Lab reports are one way to do that, but there are many creative ways to convey scientific understanding, expressions that will engage students who may not otherwise feel at home in science. Be inspired by middle schoolers rewriting the lyrics to pop songs and doctoral candidates dancing their theses.
- Communicate your belief in students. This point may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget in the rush of grading, lesson planning, and parent emails: Tell your students that you believe they are capable of doing science.
During my sophomore year of college, I told my astronomy professor that I simply wasn’t good enough at math and physics to major in astronomy like I had dreamed of since high school. But my wise and brutally honest professor sat me down and said, “You’re right, Faith, you’re not the strongest math and physics student. But,” she said, “I have taught you long enough to know that you are capable of this and that you love astronomy too much to give it up.”
Her candid appraisal and genuine belief in me gave me the confidence I needed to continue. I credit that conversation with leading me to a deeply satisfying career in astronomy and physics education, one that I nearly missed out on without her support. - Share your story of learning science and related challenges. Just like your students, you are also an important character in the story of science. Share with them the unique strengths, perspectives, or insights you bring to science—and also the speed bumps you’ve hit along your journey.
As teachers, we need to find ways to help students see themselves in the story of science. Research has shown that a student’s sense of belonging in science is more important than their grades or personal background in predicting who will go on to pursue science majors and careers. What we don’t want is for our students to write their critical roles out of the story of science before they’ve even set foot on the stage. What we as science educators do really does make a difference.
