Science Teaching and Indigenous Education in Latin America: Documenting Indigenous Teachers Teaching Science in Southern Mexico

Abstract

This research project examines indigenous teachers in rural schools located in a state in southern Mexico, particularly when teaching science. The incorporation of indigenous ways of understanding nature into science classrooms has been of discussion in the field of science education, mainly due to the marginalization and low performance of indigenous students in science. The literature in this field has documented recommendations to teach science to these students that are generally based on teaching strategies that connect indigenous knowledge to science knowledge. Most of these recommendations have been designed within the Western world and are highly conceptual, which leaves some aspects to explore, e.g. what happens in science classrooms beyond conceptual recommendations, and what frameworks serve education and research in Latin America, particularly in science education. This project documents what teachers do in science classrooms, acknowledging their role as experts in their communities. This project provides a perspective on multicultural education, culturally relevant pedagogies, and indigenous education as frameworks developed in the U.S., and intercultural education developed in Latin America and currently implemented in the region as bilingual intercultural education, in relation to science education. Based on preliminary studies and by using an interpretive qualitative study, this project used ethnographic methods to document teacher practices implemented to teach science in southern rural Mexico. Data collected was in form of interviews, classroom observations, field notes, and pictures, from three elementary schools and three indigenous teachers. Research methodology implemented attempted to challenge traditional and hegemonic ways to conduct research with indigenous populations, and particularly women. In doing so, I engaged in teachers’ regular work life such as planning, teaching, and weekly meetings, in addition to engaging with teachers’ family life such childcare and domestic duties. Findings showed: first, negotiations teachers do between their perspectives about the natural world and the national standards in regard to content and way of teaching. Secondly, resources used for teaching are language, community members, and nature, as well as textbooks, encyclopedias and similar resources. Third, within such resources, Zapotec culture and language is embedded, therefore teaching science results in articulating both indigenous culture and science. Finally, findings uncovered some of the challenges teachers face, one of them being having to negotiate with community members and particularly parents whose educational expectation about their children differed from teachers’ expectations. While teachers believe and implement an education that aligns with indigenous values and culture, e.g. actively using native language in the classroom, parents expect a more conventional education that allows their children to access to new educational, social and economic opportunities. This study illuminates teaching strategies that have been implemented to teach science in rural areas, in a field that has been focused on theoretical recommendations and exemplary teaching. Beyond differences between indigenous knowledge and science, this project examined such differences from Oaxacan teachers’ perspectives.