Professional Dispositions Statement Assessment

            As an educator to children, families, and the community, I firmly believe that teaching is a continuous process of professional and personal growth that involves much more than designing and implementing highly effective lessons.  Teachers are dedicated individuals who willingly embrace the role of being proactive advocates and positive role models in order to create a warm and engaging learning environment that is centered around mutual respect, trust, and dignity which promotes cultural awareness and diversity, as well as, cultivates compassion, honesty, fairness, and curiosity to best meet all students' individual needs and abilities (Professional Dispositions of Learners,  n.d.).

             Throughout the entire “Professional Dispositions Assessment,” I was in strong agreement with all of the dispositions presented.  Therefore, I believe my self-assessment is in alignment with my professional disposition statement in that it advocates for meaningful learning to take place in a mutually respectful and dignified educational environment which is supported and reflected by my high personal standards and distinguished professional conduct.  According to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, there is a direct connection between professional dispositions and the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (NASDTEC, n.d.).  It is imperative that educators engage in professional demeanors and ethical behaviors that further enhance student learning, as well as, promote the teaching profession in a positive manner.  These demeanors and ethical behaviors are also known as professional dispositions, which are a critical component of becoming an educator and are also the moral conduct that is required of every teacher (NASTDEC, n.d.).

            Despite the results of the "Professional Disposition Statements Assessment," I have not always been in strong agreement with these dispositions, primarily due to my lack of teaching knowledge and classroom experience.  Thus, I am happy and proud to say that I have grown in my professional dispositions throughout my program of study.  Since I started my educational courses at Grand Canyon University in 2017, I did not understand the utmost importance of instilling in children that they are all expected to learn at their highest level regardless of their abilities.  In fact, creating meaningful goals for every student that are realistic and attainable are vital in order to produce an authentic, positive learning environment that fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills which helps ensure success in school and in life (Professional Dispositions of Learners, n.d.).   In addition, I did not realize the significance of establishing a nurturing classroom community that embraces and celebrates cultural awareness, as well as, fully engages in mutual respect and acceptance for diversity.  Furthermore, knowing all of my students' personal background, interests, strengths, and weaknesses will enable me to implement effective instructional strategies and utilize appropriate resources to maximize their learning potential.  Lastly, I learned that working collaboratively with my colleagues, administration, and the entire community is essential to improve the quality of my teaching practices and to enhance student learning (Professional Dispositions of Learners, n.d.).

            Although all of my dispositions are in strong agreement, there are still areas that I can improve upon for teaching is a continuous process of personal and professional growth.  For example, as communities, schools, and classrooms become increasingly diverse, it is imperative that I obtain more knowledge in order to develop a significant level of understanding of every student’s cultural background in order to create a classroom community of mutual trust, acceptance, and respect.  Also, deciding which differentiated teaching strategies and learning activities to utilize in order successfully meet all students' needs and abilities will take some time to figure out.  Thus, it is important that I effectively collaborate with  my fellow colleagues by attending grade level and faculty meetings, as well as, professional workshops to best ensure that all of my students attain their personal and academic goals.

References

Professional Dispositions Assessment.docx.  (2020).  Located on the GCU Learning Platform Class Syllabus.  Retrieved from  ms- ugrad.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user

Professional Dispositions of Learners.  (n.d.).  Located on the About the College of Education web page.  Retrieved from             https://students.gcu.edu/Documents/15GCU0264-COEProDisposition-   120115_v1.pdf

NASTDEC. (n.d.).  Model Code of Ethics for Educators.  Located on the National Association of  State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification website.

Retrieved from  http://www.nasdtec.net/default.asp?page=MCEE_Doc