June 2025 brought the 2nd annual Social Justice Science Curriculum Summer Institute to the MSU College of Education!
Kate Miller and Megan Walser, both Ph.D. candidates and the organizers of the workshops (2024 was the inaugural event), have expanded on a teacher network, originally started by Drs. Matthew Adams and Sinéad Brien, in order to support teachers they had worked with in MSU's teacher preparation program. The network aims to support teachers in continuing social justice science teaching after graduating from the program. It has since grown to include more MSU teachers, teacher educators, and their colleagues
The workshop was created in response to teachers seeking more collaboration, time, and support to develop classroom-ready justice-oriented science units. The 2024 and 2025 workshops focused on similar topics; this year's program differed mainly because it included both new and returning teachers. As a result, time was added for returning teachers to reflect on and share their previous units, with some taking on leadership roles by facilitating sessions on topics they're passionate about. Other changes came from lessons learned last year—for instance, informal discussions on key topics were turned into official sessions. Still, the overall structure remained consistent, including community-building, refining social justice phenomena, and dedicated unit planning time.
The long-term goal of the workshop is to grow and sustain the network and continue supporting teachers in teaching science for social justice. While the political climate may influence how the workshop is presented and funded, the core mission remains the same. With the current facilitators leaving MSU soon, the future structure is uncertain, but there’s a strong commitment to adapting and continuing support for teachers—especially as teachers navigate increasing political challenges in their schools and communities.
For more information, contact: Kate Miller at katemi@msu.edu and/or Megan Walser at odonova4@msu.edu.
