Skpying With Will Richardson

Skyping With Will Richardson

Why Do We Have Dispositions, and Where Did We Get Them?

When I first began discussing dispositions, I mentioned that it was a way of measuring teacher quality. Most professional organizations define teacher quality as knowledge, skills and dispositions-more on the knowledge and skills in later posts. Why is teacher quality so important? Linda Darling-Hammond, renowned educational researcher at Stamford University, said it best, “Teacher quality is one of the most important factors influencing student achievement... There have been empirical studies to prove this fact.

While National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), as well as content area organizations mention dispositions, there is no consensus for criterion on which to measure dispositions. Because accreditation of teacher education institutions requires assessing dispositions, several models have emerged. For example, NCATE defines dispositions “values and commitments” as linked to teacher performance. Other organizations equate them with attitudes, characteristics, ethics, and professional behaviors. Still another model talks about self-assessment and reflection. This model attempts to reach the complexities involved in teacher dispositions and self-improvement. All of these models attempt to capture dispositions that teachers need to be effective educators that enhance student learning.

So where did we get the criterion and indicators for your dispositions? Well, obviously we looked at all these models. But we also looked at the vision and core values of the School of Education. It was important of us to connect your dispositions to these qualities since we believe these to be significant in all areas in the School of Education.

As with all worthy assessments, this disposition rubric is a work in progress. We continually use the data we garner from it to improve it. By following this procedure for all of our assessment tools, we hope to improve our teacher education program to make you a successful educator.

At the beginning of this post I used the work “discussing’. This blog might have started out as me telling you about dispositions; however, from the comments I have been seeing it has turn into a valuable discussion. Please feel free to make a comment. I value them.

Ethical

So, what are ethics? To clarify this inclusive topic, let’s look at a definition. Merriam-Webster defines ethics as the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation, a set of moral principles, the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group, a guiding philosophy. Ethics are also closely related to two other dispositions: Professional and Reflective. A true professional has a code of ethics and uses critical reflection on their code with respect to values and morality in their daily practice.

In your MAT program it is difficult for you to fully express ethics as they would apply to the teaching profession. It also makes it difficult for professor to assess ethics as well. However, this is the time for you to begin to develop a code of ethics that you will carry and hone throughout your professional life. Consequently, we have selected indicators for this criterion in our rubric that can be assessed and set a base for you to develop into your own code of ethics that can be applied when you start teaching.

All of you are going to be special educators. The Council for Exceptional Children has created a Code of Ethics for Special Educators of Persons with Exceptionalities. Go to this site and read the CEC’s Code of Ethics.
http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ProfessionalDevelopment/ProfessionalStandards/EthicsPracticeStandards/default.htm
This code is not only relevant for special educators but any educator as well. Begin to internalize this code.

Here is the rubric:

Ethical

Above Expectation
• always demonstrates the value of human diversity
• always shows respect for the varied talents of individuals
• always demonstrates compassion toward others
• consistently demonstrates sensitivity to students and colleagues needs interests and development
• always sets high expectations for self and others

Expected
Meets Standard
• demonstrates the value of human diversity
• shows respect and compassion towards others and their varied individual talents
• demonstrates compassion toward others
• respectful of others
• sets high expectations for achievement for self and others
• exhibits awareness and willingness to help others with their needs, interests, and development
• honest


Needs Improvement
Below Standard
• decisions based on self-interest only
• exhibits lack of tolerance for individual differences
• does not plan instruction based on varied abilities of individuals
• dishonest; presents others work as own
• demonstrates a lack of awareness of standards and policies of the profession
• does not exhibits awareness and willingness to help others with their needs, interests, and development