Dispositions

Professional Dispositions and Requirements

Excellent teachers must aspire to encourage and engage students with a wide range of abilities, interests, and personalities. UT Tyler has the responsibility of guiding and evaluating teacher candidates’ effectiveness, knowledge and skills, and professional habits using many instruments and methods to ensure the highest quality of teacher performance in the complex classrooms of the 21st century.

A professional disposition includes principles or standards reinforcing teacher candidates’ success in school and in the classroom. Professional dispositions include values, professional ethics, honesty, responsibility, and social justice. These beliefs and attitudes shape how an educator interacts with colleagues, students, and families. Each semester student dispositions are evaluated by course instructors and field supervisors in consultation with mentor teachers.

Professional Dispositions and Requirements

1.  Responsibility and Accountability:  This disposition addresses candidates’ professional demeanor, professional appearance, and ethical and legal practices.

The teacher candidate or clinical teacher:

• Accepts responsibility for personal actions or decisions. 

Examples may include:

• • shows an understanding of policies and procedures for professional behaviors and dispositions;
  • responds appropriately to constructive feedback from others to improve their own practice;
  • creates a safe environment for their students.
• Displays a professional demeanor. 

Examples may include:

• • is dependable, punctual, and well-prepared for professional and academic activities;
  • meets attendance expectations;
  • actively participates in class;
  • assists others when necessary;
  • uses electronic devices in a manner that displays awareness of their digital footprint on social media and takes action to ensure that their electronic presence does not lead to questions of their integrity, professionalism, and character.
• Complies with university and school district policies and procedures. 

Examples may include:

• • meets expectations;
  • seeks help in a timely manner;
  • completes assignments by designated due dates;
  • produces quality work;
  • exhibits academic honesty;
  • demonstrates good citizenship;
  • maintains student, family, and staff confidentiality.
• Follows university, school, and/or district policies for professional appearance.

Examples may include:

• • dresses according to the districts’ dress code policies;
  • demonstrates personal hygiene practices and healthy routines.
• Engages in professional, legal, and ethical conduct.

Examples may include:

• • abides by legal mandates and ethical standards of behavior;
  • adheres to the UT Tyler Honesty Code and Code of Ethics;
  • adheres to the Standard Practices for Texas Educators.

2.  Commitment to Effective and Professional Communication.  This disposition addresses candidates’ professional interpersonal and communication skills used to promote positive partnerships with members of the learning community such as college and school faculty, students, parents, administrators, and other staff, to support achievement of learning outcomes.

The teacher candidate or clinical teacher:

• Demonstrates a positive attitude toward learning through intellectual curiosity and participation in professionally related experiences. 

Examples may include:

• • actively participates in class activities and professionally related associations;
  • exceeds expectations for assignments, tasks and teamwork.
• Collaborates with peers and other professionals (instructors, field supervisors, mentor teachers) to improve student achievement and ensure system-wide high-quality learning opportunities and experiences for all students. 

Examples may include:

• • contributes to group efforts;
  • considers and responds to multiple perspectives;
  • demonstrates respect for others and their ideas.
• Utilizes professional oral and written communication based on the purpose and audience. 

Examples may include:

• • uses grammatically correct oral and written sentences;
  • exercises appropriate self-disclosure;
  • employs positive conflict resolution techniques effectively, respectfully, and empathetically across a wide range of situations and people;
  • employs suitable tone of voice and verbal/nonverbal expressions;
  • uses professional language in all situations ensuring that communications are free from bias and meet the needs of diverse learners.
• Demonstrates kind, caring and respectful interactions with others.

Examples may include:

• • maintains emotional control;
  • responds appropriately to actions and reactions of others;
  • takes responsibility for own actions;
  • adapts to unexpected or new situations;
  • acts from a positive frame of reference;
  • expresses ideas and feelings clearly;
  • demonstrates a willingness and an ability to listen to others.
• Develops and maintains professional workplace relationships.

Examples may include:

• • assumes appropriate roles in the collaborative process;
  • responds appropriately to supervision;
  • uses constructive criticism and suggestions to improve skills and understanding;
  • strives to achieve competence and integrity.
• Builds rapport and serves as a strong role model to peers, colleagues,and learners. 

Examples may include:

• • possesses maturity, self-discipline, and good judgment.

3.  Commitment to Students and Their Learning.  This disposition addresses candidates’ active engagement in a community of learners that develops relationships, programs, and projects with colleagues in P-20 schools and educational agencies designed to improve the quality of education for each and every student and education professional.

The teacher candidate or clinical teacher:

• Demonstrates subject-area knowledge and understanding of curriculum standards. 

Examples may include:

• • demonstrates content area knowledge;
  • demonstrates an understanding of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).
• Demonstrates a commitment to students’ learning. 

Examples may include:

• • promotes student self-determination and autonomous functioning;
  • demonstrates high expectations for ALL students;
  • creates a positive, low-risk learning environment;
  • values and responds to all aspects of a child’s well-being (cognitive, emotional, psychological, social and physical)
• Utilizes a full range of differentiated instructional practices. 

Examples may include:

• • considers students’ strengths, needs and experiences when planning instruction;
  • uses flexible groupings for instruction;
  • provides opportunities for all students to succeed;
  • displays creativity to enhance the instructional process;
  • adapts instruction to “best practices.”
• Reflects upon personal teaching practices. 

Examples may include:

• • identifies areas of strengths and needs;
  • engages in professional development based upon self-reflection.

4.  Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice.  This disposition addresses candidates’ enthusiasm, initiative, and dedication to the task of providing a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for all students to learn at high levels and to seek effective new ideas, diverse perspectives, and relevant information to develop continuously as educators for social justice.

The teacher candidate or clinical teacher:

• Demonstrates cultural respect and understanding. 

Examples may include:

• • displays sensitivity to ethnically, linguistically, cognitively, physically, socially diverse groups and individuals;
  • uses language and actions that meet professional standards and are not demeaning or harmful to any individual or group.
• Exhibits fair treatment of students, colleagues, professionals, staff, and families. 

Examples may include:

• • advocates for and supports marginalized communities and individuals;
  • exhibits maturity and sound judgment in implementing equitable best practices for all students;
  • exhibits fairness in assessing students’ academic, social and emotional development;
  • models respectful behavior and promotes students to be respectful to one another.
• Interacts with sensitivity to the cultural norms of the school and classroom environment. 

Examples may include:

• • displays sensitivity to race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability/disability and socioeconomic status;
  • uses language and actions that are free from bias;
  • demonstrates respect for and appreciation for a wide variety of individual differences;
  • recognizes stereotypes embedded in educational materials and considers the five major characteristics essential to selecting high quality multicultural literature (accuracy, expertise, respect, purpose, and quality).

A copy of the Dispositions rubric may be found here.