"Ten Simple Rules for Building an Antiracist Lab" stems from the challenges Black scientists face every day in natural space while conducting their scientific fieldwork or simply working in academia. Additionally, minority groups are seriously underrepresented in STEM, leaving these 10 rules as a way to encourage minority groups to stay in the field as well as actively work against the racism that presently exists. The ten steps are listed above starting with "keadlead informed discussions about antiracism in your lab regularly". As this one rule shows, as well as many others on the list, in order to combat racism, we can not just sneak in comments of justice and what we should be doing between two labs. The conversation must be focused and deliberate on the injustices BIPOC faces. The steps end withholding the powerful accountable and don't expect gratitude. Both of these instructions are quite powerful in different ways. Holding the powerful accountable is hard, especially when it could be someone who has a say over your grades and achievements in the academic world, however, it is because of our unwillingness to do so that this narrative continues. Additionally, expecting gratitude is quite common and people who do so are often referred to as white saviors (when white people do things or put on a show of being antiracist to receive gratitude). Every step in this guide is important and truly needed in lab spaces across all areas of STEM but especially in physics.

When it comes to incorporating these rules into the classroom, parents often like to say that their children are too young for these conversations or that they are inappropriate for the subject matter. However, it is in these exact situations and scenarios that antiracism is most important. In my physics classroom, it is important to me that all of these rules be enforced and I would even start the year off by introducing them as well as the instances in which BIPOC have been discriminated against in STEM and the achievements they have rarely received credit for. In college, I have been lucky enough to be a part of a mentoring program that supports students from minority groups and allows upperclassmen and freshmen to assist one another in building a community. I think it would be beneficial to take field trips or pair students from AP classes as seniors with students in introductory-level as freshmen to assist academically and socially. I believe that if the rules of lab are enforced frequently, the antiracist lab will turn into an antiracist way of learning that will reflect across their various classrooms.

In "Scientists as Engaged Citizens", the article discussed how students across disciplines took a shared class that covered science and social issues. Combined, students were able to see the connection between their fields of study and how it affects the world around them. Specifically, students realized how they themselves can have an impact and positive influence on the environment they work and study in and educate themselves on the struggles those in minority groups face in the field. Not only do students in this class discuss the content of their major, but they discuss the real practical ways to serve humankind. Additionally, this class includes students from all different areas of science, allowing students to discuss how their subject matter relates to others and what they can collectively do to improve the world around them.

In my future classroom, I think it will be important to demonstrate the real applications of the work that we do. The entire purpose of education as we have stated previously stated is to prepare students for the world they will and are facing. When teaching core subjects like math, science, history, English, and others it is important to keep applications in mind and connect to the current world. I think for every unit I will teach when I become an educator, I will incorporate one application in everyday life and one application that can better the world around them. For example, when teaching electromagnetism and electric and magnetic fields, many real-world applications take place in the medical field and these discoveries can help those with disabilities. Problem sets that students work on for homework or in class work should include questions in these areas, showing students that what they are learning about can help so many people in different ways.

In this article, the teacher discussed how as a male physics teacher he can understand that there are differences in the experience of girls in the class from boys in the class. Simultaneously, he knows that he can never relate to or know the extent of the problems females face in this field. As a result, in order to understand his students better, he sent out a survey to see the opinions of his students when it came to whether they believed their gender affected different aspects of the classroom. The validity of this survey was only further proven when students unanimously agreed that their gender didn't affect the way their teacher was grading them because the exams had all been given codes and graded without a name on them. With this information, the teacher moved forward trying to call out microaggressions in class when he had observed them and also tried to answer their questions. The boys asked thought provoking questions regarding what microaggressions were and if they were a part of the problem. Overall, the entire survey started a necessary discussion on stereotypes and microaggressions that were already occurring.

I am already well aware that I am hyper-sensitive to the microaggressions in the physics classroom. When I was in my first practicum, I noticed almost immediately that girls were always given the scribe job while the boys took the job of leader or builder. When I asked the teacher if they had noticed it, it was obvious he had not and he addressed it by saying he really could not intervene. As a teacher, I think it is important to allow students the freedom to choose groups or pick projects, but there are also certain points where teachers are necessary to step in and change the narrative. Sending out a survey to students is a very thought-provoking way of gauging where students are in their work, how they feel they are being treated, and what I as a teacher can do to help them. Children are not always comfortable approaching a teacher to tell them what is going on in class, but through a survey once a quarter students may be more open to sharing their experiences.