Diversity

The Unit is committed to promoting equity and justice for all candidates as evidenced by the Conceptual Framework, Models for Learning. At both the undergraduate (initial) and graduate (advanced) levels of study, we nurture the knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to diversity that can meet the needs of diverse K-12 student populations. All programs offer opportunities for working with diverse faculty, diverse student populations, and diverse candidate peers. Our goal is to contribute to building a society in which all members acknowledge, respect, and learn from differences. The Unit defines diversity as differences in gender, race, ethnicity, language, religion, socioeconomic status, exceptionalities, sexual orientation, and geographic background. We view our campus as a caring, concerned community in which all members can thrive and grow.

Our location provides a rich historical background to which many diverse groups have made ongoing contributions. Many community and program activities provide opportunities for candidates, faculty, and administration to learn about and from each other. Acknowledgement of and respect for all diverse groups is interwoven into course offerings across the Unit. The diversity of our University's student body, faculty, and administration provides a palette of wonderful colors from which the tapestry of NSU is woven.

Diversity Proficiencies

The Unit has adopted the following diversity proficiencies for all candidates in initial and advanced programs:

• Critically examine issues and trends of diversity that affect teaching and learning of diverse P-12 students and learning communities
• Identify and develop culturally responsive strategies for improving learning and candidate effectiveness to meet the needs of a diverse P-12 students and learning communities
• Apply creative instructional and management strategies to meet the needs of diverse P-12 students and learning communities
• Regularly assess student learning to adopt and facilitate learning for all students
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with students and families in ways that demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences
• Communicate and collaborate with candidates' educational and professional communities in ways that demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences
• Establish and maintain positively inclusive educational environments that adapt instruction or services for all students including linguistically or culturally diverse students and students with exceptionalities, and learning community members
• Model professional and ethical behaviors consistent with the ideas of fairness and equity in the classroom and learning communities

Diversity Resources

National Organization of Multicultural Education
http://www.nameorg.org

Tolerance. Org
http://www.tolerance.org

Diversity Web
http://www.diversityweb.org