ABSTRACT
Whenever I discuss the idea of ‘multicultural science’ with teachers, it doesn’t take long before they begin to confess that they are anxious about ‘having a go’, and a number of reasons for this anxiety crop up over and over again. They are typified by comments such as:
‘I don’t know anything about other ways of baking bread…’ ‘Sometimes we stereotype people without realising it. I need more
background knowledge about…’ ‘But where can I get hold of some (cooking utensils/musical
instruments/Indian clothing) for this kind of activity?’ ‘Are there any books on (Islamic chemistry/Japanese medicine/African
technology)?’ ‘Who were these famous black scientists?’ ‘How do I make sure I’m taking account of all the different issues in
my lesson planning?’
