This point of view paper explores the power of words to build respect and understanding around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. As instructors in our courses who work to build self-awareness and unpack systems of power and privilege for ourselves and for our students, there are many lessons we can learn to make teaching and learning more…

Teacher Education Departments at most liberal arts colleges serve as professional certification programs as much as departments with academic majors. We train our students to work in P-12 education in an era of inclusion and require them to support their students with disabilities in preparation for college and career. The federal government…

Religious, moral and/or ethical beliefs often drive the mission of independent colleges, and independent colleges educate students from racial and ethnic minorities almost the same as at four-year state institutions. The proportion of low- and middle-income students at private colleges and universities is almost the same as at four-year state…

Despite greater responsibility for creating equitable and inclusive classroom models, some research suggests that educators "may not have the necessary attitudes, dispositions, or perhaps more important, the professional skills to successfully instruct students in diverse, inclusive classrooms" (Van Laarhoven, Munk, Lynch, Bosman & Rouse, 2007, p.…

This paper was adapted from a speech presented at the Annual Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education in Chicago, Illinois, during the spring 2004 conference. Dr. Pearson articulates the status of education, best teaching practices, teacher preparation, educational reform and instructional change for educating diverse…