As a Professional Education Unit (PEU) that envelops multiple content areas and faculty/student backgrounds, we seek to not only define diversity but also to enrich the diversity of our Unit.
Northwest Missouri State University defines diversity as differences and similarities among people by ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, exceptionalities, age, language, religion, sexual orientation, and geographical area.
The Northwest PEU recognizes the importance of defining the idea of diversity. We strive to instill our students with an understanding of diversity and how it interconnects within education practice. We have developed the following proficiencies to be acquired by our education students.
In order to create an intercultural competent educator, candidates will connect with their own cultural identities and how those identities influence their interactions with diverse learners by:
Description: Degree seeking undergraduate/graduate students and post baccalaureate students seeking educator certification are required to complete hours in diverse settings. These will provide meaningful experiences through which the candidate will interact with diverse populations, evaluate assumptions about teaching/administrating/counseling in diverse settings and reflect on how the experience may alter those assumptions and impact professional practice. The overall goal is to enable the student to observe/interact within and reflect on effective educational practice in diverse settings.
These diversity hours have been built into the coursework and will be tracked internally by the Teacher Education Students (TESS) Office. If a form is needed to document diversity hours, please use the Northwest Diversity Hour Credit Form. All signatures are required on the form and the form should be submitted to the TESS Office (AD 253).
