Creating Inclusive STEM Classrooms
Claiming Place and Making Space in Grades K-5
Equality and inclusion | Primary Science | STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
This book addresses the urgent need to reimagine STEM classrooms as inclusive, justice-centered spaces where cultural identity becomes a pathway to deeper learning. Dr. Flake guides readers through the Four Dimensions of Cultural Identity—Essence, Engagement, Expression, and Epoch—providing a research-based framework for understanding both educator and student identities. Key topics include critical self-reflection for transformative teaching, designing culturally affirming STEM lessons, building supportive learning communities, and developing liberatory agency that empowers both teachers and students.
This comprehensive resource includes:
- Critical Reflection Journal with structured prompts to help educators explore their own cultural identities and leverage their assets for transformative teaching practice
- Teaching Tools, such as the Justice-Centered Tasks (JCT) Mode, which offer practical lesson planning resources to integrate cultural identity affirmation with academic rigor and student agency
- Authentic teacher vignettes and real-classroom examples from diverse K-5 educators who have successfully implemented culturally affirming STEM practices
- Ready-to-use lesson plans for both K-2 and 3-5 classrooms, complete with implementation guidance and alignment to standards
Educators will learn to recognize and embrace their own cultural identities as powerful tools for creating STEM classrooms where diversity drives innovation, belonging, and academic success—ensuring every student can see themselves as a capable STEM learner.
Sherita Flake powerfully conveys what is possible when STEM teachers show up as their whole selves and create space for their students to do the
same. Creating Inclusive STEM Classrooms is packed with robust research and sample lessons that will speak to all readers. The principles and strategies outlined in this book align with how honoring students’ identity supports the brain’s inherent needs for deep meaningful learning.
This book is a much-needed resource for K–5 STEM educators who are committed to engaging in critical self-reflection, deeply understanding their
own identities, and supporting their personal and professional growth. As a devoted parent and educator with much success in the STEM realm,
Sherita Flake provides lessons and implementation guidance from elementary educators who have their boots on the ground and are doing the critical work of justice-oriented, liberatory STEM education.
Creating Inclusive STEM Classrooms is a must-read for K–5 teachers. By incorporating the cultural identity of students, Sherita Flake presents a way
for every student to shine. Full of strategies, lessons, and research, this book provides a guide for teachers to identify exclusionary practices and cultivate a teaching environment that honors all students, including students with ADHD and autism. Every teacher would benefit from reading this book.
Sherita Flake has crafted a text that is timely and important during this moment in STEM education. She is adept at taking complex theoretical ideas
and making them actionable. This text is historically rich and offers guided reflection for ALL teachers, especially culturally diverse STEM teachers who are often on the margins in education. The sample lessons are steeped in research, yet accessible, and the journal prompts support teachers in moving from reflection to action.
Through a deep dive into culture, Sherita Flake argues for pedagogy that integrates students’ cultural background into STEM teaching. She not only
examines the theoretical nature of culture and learning but also provides practical applications to guide STEM teachers in implementing culturally
aligned teaching. This book will be an invaluable resource for STEM educators who care about unlocking opportunity and ensuring access for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
Sherita Flake offers a practical guide that explores STEM education through identity, belonging, and agency. Grounded in justice and cultural
affirmation, this book empowers educators to create liberatory classrooms where every child's brilliance is recognized and nurtured. A must-read for teachers committed to equity and joy in STEM learning.
This powerful resource reimagines early education as a space for belonging, identity, and liberation. Grounded in justice-centered teaching, it empowers educators to nurture every child's voice, creativity, and curiosity while transforming classrooms into inclusive communities where difference is celebrated and all learners are seen, valued, and affirmed.
Readers will be taken on a deep dive into the intricacies of how one’s cultural identity shapes STEM teaching and learning. This is an instruction
manual on how to improve both.
This book allows teachers to investigate how their identities, and those of their students, affect STEM learning, and encourages them to leverage their understanding for better learning.