Please provide the student teacher's name here. Include a maiden name if you are aware of one.

As the person completing this form to nominate a student teacher, please provide your name here.

Provide the name of the school in which the nominee is student teaching.

Provide your email address so we may contact you in case we have questions.

Include your daytime phone number so we may contact you in case we have questions.

Provide the grade level (e.g., 1st grade, secondary math, K-8 Special Education, etc.) and/or subject area in which the nominee is student teaching.

Educators must consider a range of individual differences. These include “differences among groups of people and individuals based on ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, exceptionalities, language, religion, sexual orientation and geographical area.” Educators must have the knowledge bases to make educational decisions that are appropriate in the framework of a pluralistic society. Within educational environments and in the context of all collaborative relationships, educators must reflect their understanding and acceptance of diversity.

A strategy in teaching is any one of a multitude of plans for conducting instruction or an activity. An effective educator must be able to consider differing models of teaching that are really models of learning, not only for students, but for colleagues as well. Diverse strategies include flexible, interactive, multiple and varied opportunities to learn and practice while accommodating individual learning styles, differing stages of development and individual needs or interests.

Professional education programs build upon a foundation of general education and culminate in the acquisition and demonstration of professional knowledge. Pedagogical content knowledge, general education knowledge, and professional education knowledge are essential. Educators must facilitate the transformation of disciplinary knowledge into forms of knowledge that are appropriate for students in their respective environments.

The effective educator must collaborate, create positive relationships with colleagues, and interact with parents and communities that vary greatly from one school to another. Culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and language are only a few of the societal differences that are present in many communities. Thus, it is necessary for educators to have an understanding of a broad array of situations and populations with whom they may work. An educator must be able to answer the question: How can I be effective in meeting the needs of students from such a variety of backgrounds? It is the job of faculty members at the university to prepare the educator to answer that question. Beyond that, educators must have the opportunity to reflect on how their own background and experiences will impact their ability to meet the needs of students coming from diverse societies.

The use of technology defined by NCATE is “what students must know and understand about information technology in order to use in working effectively with students and professional colleagues in the (1) delivery, development, prescription, and assessment of instruction; (2) problem solving; (3) school and classroom administration; (4) educational research; (5) electronic information access and exchange; and (6) personal and professional productivity.” It is clear from this description that diverse technologies apply not only to skill in using computers but also to “the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.” Thus for educators diverse technology is a bridge between research and theory on one side and professional practice on the other, allowing for the appropriate use of the technology as a tool to create an effective environment.