At the University of Delaware, our candidates are prepared to be reflective practitioners serving diverse communities of learners as scholars, problem solvers, and partners. 

Reflective Practitioners . . .  

Reflective practice is the foundation of competence for our professional education candidates. Their course work, field experiences, and work with colleagues and mentors all emphasize the importance of thoughtful analysis and continual revision of effective approaches to teaching and learning. 

Serving Diverse Communities of Learners. . .  

In our professional preparation programs, diversity--whether related to gender, ethnicity, disability, economic status, developmental level, learning style, or other characteristics--is treated as a potential source of enrichment and not as an automatic deficit. UD-prepared educators aim to create and become a part of diverse learning communities--in classrooms, in local environments and within a global context. 

As Scholars, Problem Solvers, and Partners . . . . 

With reflective practice as a guiding principle and with diverse learning communities as a context, the University of Delaware prepares candidates to adopt and integrate three critical professional roles: scholar, problem solver, and partner. In serving children, adolescents, and adults within school and community settings, UD-prepared educators function as: 

Scholars, who are grounded in the knowledge of their disciplines, in pedagogical content knowledge, in knowledge of best practices informed by state and national standards, and in theory and research concerning individuals, families, and communities. 

Problem solvers, who construct practical, effective approaches to professional challenges using a sound base of theory and research, and who help others construct their own ways of addressing challenges. 

Partners, who use a flexible array of well-developed skills to support the positive development of all learners within families and communities, giving balanced attention to the emotional, social, physical and cognitive dimensions of students' lives.

Revised October 2007