The author provides a theoretical construct and shares personal experiences of how teacher-educators should conduct a self-examination to understand better how they view the educational potential and success of students who are racially, culturally, and ethnically diverse. Theories presented include a brief introduction to social identity development (Hardiman & Jackson, 1997); Helms's (1990) racial identity development theory; and research on racial diversity as it relates to student-teacher interactions and their influences on creating an inclusive learning environment via teacher-educator self-examination of bias. The author also provides examples of her responses as a faculty member of color in a predominantly white mid-sized institution in the Midwest when responding to five of the most common questions white students have asked her about African Americans. The faculty member's responses to these questions highlighted her 10-year journey through the two phases of the final status of Helm's (1990) racial identity theory--"internalization" and "internalization-commitment." These identity statuses influenced her pedagogical style and thereby contributed to both the classroom environment and the expectations of students. (Contains 1 footnote.)