Inheritance and Inclusion: Teaching Genetics for All Students

Abstract

Although we do not know the exact number, some students in our classrooms are not living with caregivers genetically related to them. There are various reasons why this occurs, including adoption, fostering, surrogacy, and blended families. For example, The Adoption History Project (2012) estimates five million American adoptees. Moreover, about 2.5 percent of all children under 18 are adopted. Given the number of students in our K-12 classrooms who are not living with a genetically related caregiver, teaching the concepts of genetics and inheritance should be approached with the utmost care, keeping in mind that investigations, where students are asked to trace and compare their inherited traits by observing eye color, ear lobes, or the ability to roll one’s tongue with the adults with whom they live, can create feelings of confusion and angst, possibly putting a student in the position to lie to conceal that they may not be living with a genetically related caregiver. The study of genetics is a complex topic, and for some students who may not know a genetically related relative, it can stir various emotions, including grief, loss, and confusion. This paper describes an inclusive approach to teaching genetics to elementary-aged children with sensitivity and care.