LEARNING COMMUNITY
In-service teachers engage in a learning community throughout the year in the form of communities of practice (CoPs). Teachers meet in online and face to face CoPs sessions in the spring and fall. The sessions run for approximately one hour and are facilitated by a university coach. During summer, teachers participate in the summer science academy.
Communities of practice serve as a place for teachers to engage in discussion and reflection about educational dilemmas related to culturally relevant science teaching. See below the SCI-Bridge Learning Community Model.

SCI-BRIDGE LEARNING COMMUNITY
Spring
Teachers gather in an online CoP session that includes:
- Introduction to Educational Dilemmas
- Discussion of dilemma examples
Summer
Teachers participate in the Summer Science Academy community of practice. Participants engage in:
- Noticing and documenting dilemmas of culturally relevant science teaching
Fall
Teachers engage in online or face-to-face CoP sessions. Discussions and reflections are intended to support teachers in responding to culturally relevant science teaching dilemmas specific to their classroom settings. The CoPs sessions include:
- Dilemma discussions based on summer science academy experiences
- Dilemma share out and reflections specific to each teachers’ classroom setting
TESTIMONIALS
“Dilemmas help us be more reflective on how we are presenting things. And it also helps us not just think of the challenges but be able to put possible solutions to them. Especially when we are around other professionals that share the same dilemmas.”
(In-service teacher participant, Learning Community, 2021)
“With our dilemmas, when we think outside the box there can be other ways to achieve it or attack whatever that dilemma is…The fight is real and the more we discuss and share what it is, the more we can find solutions together.”
(In-service teacher participant, Learning Community, 2021)
