Interested in reading Ambitious Science Teaching along with colleagues and peers?
Consider starting an AST Book Club!
Teachers from all over are reading the AST book and engaging in conversations about what it means for their practice. Whether through social media messages, zoom conversations, or in-person gatherings, teachers can work together to make sense of the ambitious practices and approaches needed to make substantial changes for students in science classrooms. Teacher communities often focus on the same three questions:
- Which practices work best in our classrooms?
- Under which conditions?
- And for whom?
Getting started with an AST Book Club
After reaching out to your community and generating interest in the collective work of Ambitious Science Teaching, consider some of these recommendations:
- Your group might take an action-oriented approach by engaging in Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. See Chapter 13 in the book.
- A facilitator can set the stage for rich conversations by managing time, delegating responsibilities when necessary, keeping the group focused on important goals toward equity and justice in K-12 science teaching, and fostering collegiality and accountability. Consider if someone might take on this role in your book club.
- Co-construct group norms that help your community to engage in conversations about equity, justice, and systemic racism in the education system. See Color Brave Space norms and examples below.
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Feel free to jump around the book instead of reading it front to back. Here are some ideas:
- If you want to focus on engaging students in scientific modeling, start with Chapter 6
- If you want to focus on classroom discussions, start with Chapter 3
- If you want to design curricula as a starting point, start with Chapter 2
- Use the “How to Get Started” sections at the back of each chapter to guide discussions.
This site is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Award #1907471 and #1315995