DIVERSITY ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS
You must have at least 20 hours of experience with a diverse population. The 20 hours must be documented on a separate page with title and signature of the individual who supervised your experience. (Only a sentence or two is needed for the documentation. It does NOT have to be elaborate or on official letterhead but MUST contain the number of hours -- or an approximate number if covering a long period of time and exact number is unknown.)
It is important that your diversity experience covers at least two diverse populations, which may include culture, race, ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic status, primary language, special needs, etc. Examples would include volunteering in an after-school program with children of differing needs, or tutoring a child whose primary language was not English. Activities working with diverse populations can include summer and after-school programs involving sports, church, day-care, etc. An unacceptable example would be babysitting with a child of the same race and social class as the candidate.
The experience is to be a hands-on, interactive experience, NOT a situation where you only OBSERVE children in the classroom. Please keep this in mind if you are considering an educational classroom field experience as the basis of your essay as it may or may not be accepted.
If essay and documentation involve more than one experience/activity, the
written essay and documentation must match the experiences.
The essay should consist of 350 (or more) words in at least three paragraphs and should be double spaced. The rubric used to score your essay has been included. The back of the score sheet can and should be used as a guide as you write about your experience with a diverse population. to ask.
If you have further questions regarding this requirement, please do not hesitate

Scoring Sheet
Name:__________________________________________ Year: 20____
Last First MI
Semester: Fall ____, Intercession _____, Spring _____, Summer _____ Student ID:
_________
Criteria (6)
Needs More Service/
Development
(NMSD)

Phase 1 Standard
Acceptable
Service/Performance
(ASP)

Exit Portfolio
Standard Target
Performance (TP)

 Provides documentation of service hours.
  
 Serves two diverse populations.

Establishes the context with diverse populations.
  
  
 Reflects on differences.

Displays personal growth and increased knowledge.


 Estimates impact on my teaching.




Overall Rating: NMSD ____________, ASP _____________, TP
____________.
Evaluator: _________________________________ Date:
________________






Criteria (6)
Provides documentatio n of service hours.
Serves two diverse populations.
Establishes the context with diverse populations.
Reflects on differences.
Displays personal growth and increased knowledge.

Estimates impact on my teaching.
Scoring Tool for Phase I Application Item B – Service with Diverse Populations
Needs More Service/
Development (NMSD)

Served fewer than
20 hrs.

Without documentation.
Phase I Standard Acceptable
Service/Performance (ASP)

Served between 20 and 40 hours with documentation.
Exit Portfolio Standard Target

Performance (TP)
Completed field experiences.

Identified fewer than two diverse populations.
 Observed rather
 than served.
Failed to delineate context of personal experience with diverse populations.


Identified at least two diverse populations and recognized characteristics.

Provided direct supervision/management of a group or assisted by offering direct instruction.
Articulated personal developmental stage of experience with diverse populations.

Worked with at least two diverse populations in one or more settings.

Identified diverse populations and recognized characteristics.

Provided intense instruction with planning for one or more students.

Showed insight into personal developmental stage by selecting a particular segment of the population to build experiential base.

Noted stereotypical characteristics of individualized groups.

Identified diverse or at risk population within the setting served.

Specified the particular need or area of diversity and provided service as needed.

Showed acceptance of differences rather than value laden judgments.

Noted subtle difference and nuances that are special characteristics showing depth of understanding.

Revealed an appreciation for differences and strengths/worth of individuals.
 Expressed surface knowledge of population.

Acquired more knowledge of diverse population during engagement with student(s).
 Can identify and work constructively in various areas of diversity.

Noted cursory and perfunctory effect on teaching.

Observed differences. Cite possible effects on teaching. Showed some knowledge and capability to work with diverse populations appropriately.

Expected differences among a group, planned appropriate instruction and activities, and managed the environment
(adapt instruction, behavior, and socialization to the diverse populations).

Knew resources for referral and service.