Science in our stories: Connection to place, belonging, & security For Native students In STEM Education

Abstract

Water is life. A familiar phrase frequently spoken today. We exist in water throughout our lives dependent on it from conception, until our last water vapor breath. Indigenous peoples around the world maintain an intricate relationship with water. It is considered to possess beinghood, with rights. This importance is reflected in traditional ecological knowledge, passed through the generations in oral traditions as creation stories. Lessons in that hold true even today, thousands of years after they were first spoken, because our human dependence on water has not changed. Science curriculum and western-based pedagogies within mainstream education systems do not reflect the true nature of Indigenous knowledge systems nor the deep connections Traditional knowledge systems have developed over thousands of years. The absence of this knowledge base can inadvertently communicate a deficit-based STEM identity, which can directly impact Native youths’ participation and engagement in STEM. Acknowledging the importance of students’ connection to place and incorporating that connection into STEM education provides a familiar and safe space for STEM learning, builds confidence in students STEM identity, and provides historical context for Traditional Knowledge systems.