Foss Biology teachers help students see themselves in the curriculum
Foss Biology teachers help students see themselves in the curriculum
 

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“Science is not objective, even though we want it to be,” said Tashi Langton, a biology teacher at Foss High School. 

This may sound a bit radical coming from a high school science teacher. But the reality is that science is a blend of the objective and subjective world – the things we study and the identity and lived experiences of those who study it. 

Who has historically worked in the science field? This is one of the questions that Langton and Travor Kagochi, another Foss biology teacher, ask their students to research. 

“If we look at who could be a scientist, historically, it was white males,” Kagochi said. “Our goal is to transform our curriculum and widen the scope of who can be a scientist. We focus on bringing in multiple perspectives to help our students see themselves in the content.” 
 
This is especially important at a school like Foss, where about 75% of students are identified as non-white. 

Allowing students to explore their own cultural identities through the curriculum is a core teaching philosophy of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program offered at Foss, one that allows students to see themselves in the curriculum.  

Feeling welcome in science classes 

Engaging students in the classroom starts with them feeling welcome and seen. 

“Students gain a sense of value when they see themselves in the curriculum,” noted Kagochi. “Some of our students feel like they are the exception. We are trying to expand their possibilities and help them see they have gifts and talents to make change in our society.” 

When asked about how a lesson impacted her, Gul Syed, a student in ninth grade at Foss said, “I was talking with my friend in Pakistan about seeing more women represented in science. In our culture, there are a lot of men in the science industry, so I felt proud to learn about more women in the field.” 

From cell division to family connections 

Next, it’s about helping students build individual connections to the content. This helps them remember complex processes and concepts because they can draw on their own experiences. 

“How many people really remember cell division from their high school science class?” asked Langton. “But almost everyone has been impacted by cancer.” 

To connect to the lesson, they assigned students to research Henrietta Lacks, the woman whose cancer cells became the first successfully preserved human cells and were used for cancer research.  

“We asked students to research their own family health background. From there they were able to find specific cancers, symptoms, and treatments. We linked that with Henrietta Lacks’ story,” Kagochi said. 

Drawing from their own family history with cancer made the lessons on cell division feel personal, creating a gateway to learning. This proved true for Arriell Williams, a student in ninth grade at Foss, when dealing with her own medical diagnosis and medication side effects at such a young age.  

"This project helped me understand a lot more about my past," Williams said. “I only understood the physical parts of my own medical struggles. My parents and I were not told of the side effects to the medication I was taking. This project helped me learn a lot of the legal things that were happening behind the scenes that I was too young to understand at the time." 

“We want our students to be able to draw from their experience as they learn the course material and find their voice through the process of critique,” said Kagochi. “Whatever field our students end up working in, their identity will always play a role.” 

It’s not just about science curriculum 

For Langton and Kagochi, transforming their curriculum is not just about the classroom, but also about helping students learn how to engage in conversations and spark change in their communities. 

“With Tacoma being one of the largest, most diverse districts in Washington, we have an opportunity to make our students, families, and community feel seen,” said Langton. “Students see themselves as agents for change when they have the skills to engage in respectful discourse with their family, friends, and community.” 

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