Today's class discussion was extremely interesting because we touched on so many different topics apart from science. One idea that really stood out to me (and maybe because I brought it up) was the idea of conspiracy theorists, in particular flat-earthers. We discussed the ideas that these people are rejected by the science community, pushed into a corner and almost mocked for their beliefs; yet we also preach inclusivity in the STEM fields. I brought up watching a documentary, and around the 3/4 mark of the documentary, a physicist brings up the idea of flat-earthers and conspiracy theorists and how the problem is actually coming from our (STEM) side. The physicist goes on to compare this idea of rejecting conspiracy theorists to teaching and saying "that's like saying if a kid doesn't get a particular subject, it's not your fault as their teacher, it's their fault. I do not believe that. It is you haven't developed empathy to see from their point of view where they're getting stuck", and I believe this to be so true. Often times when people explore ideas that seem counteractive to what we believe in, we can say they're wrong or that you would've done it differently, as teachers this style of wording can be damaging to students' inquiry and confidence. For example, if a student decided to answer a math question that we would've done with algebra, it doesn't mean the student is wrong or dumb, they just came about the question a different way. We should embrace these ideas and invite discussion to them, not just talk about how we see the problem being answered. I think it's still important to mention these alternative ways, but give the students a chance to explore finding different pathways to the same answer. As members in the STEM field we should encourage and give the students the correct vocabulary and literature to explain themselves so they feel confident in themselves and not feel like they're being pushed into a corner.
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