The School of Education and other academic departments at WNMU believe that good teachers have very intense and personal reasons for their purpose as educators and can readily provide provocative reasons for teaching. The SOE Conceptual Framework is Western's response to the question, "Why teach".

Western New Mexico University
School of Education's Conceptual Framework

The purpose of the School of Education at Western New Mexico University is to ignite and nurture a spirit of learning for both educator and student. Western New Mexico University is committed to preparing professional educators for PreK-12 utilizing a curriculum that supports each candidate, regardless of race, class, or age. The School of Education depicts this vision in the following ways:

"Ignite and nurture a spirit of learning for both educator and student"

"Encender y alimentar un espíritu de aprendizaje
entre alumnos y maestros" (Spanish)

"Ba'ólta'í dóó ólta'í jilíígo ó'hoo'aah bii'iistiin jidil tli'go
naasgóó halled bee baa 'áhwijiilyáa dooleel." (Navajo)

"Tsit nah wah she oh nah…yah nit kay ah
Tsit nah yah nit kay no nah…Tsit nah washe ah" (Zuni)