Six Elements of Diversity

Teacher education servers an important role in preparing teacher candidates to engage with diverse student populations. This study supports a need for candidates to practice Invitational Theory and Practice when teaching students from diverse backgrounds. To assess candidate growth, we used Schmidt's (2007) Six Elements to Diversity as a lens for evaluating 38 candidates' reflections after interacting with Native American students in a diversity workshop at a Mid-Western University. The findings reveal that the Six Elements of Diversity were present throughout the reflections with some elements more evident than others; the analysis points to strength and weakness in candidate preparation.