Stephanie Villalobos

January 17, 2020

Professional Dispositions Assessment

Professional Disposition Statement:

As an educator, I believe that there is more to teaching than the planning and instructing,

consisting of actively advocating for the students through the implementation of differentiation,

scaffolding, and modeling within an enriched learning environment that is based on mutual

respect, understanding, and fairness to ensure that all students receive an enhanced learning

experience that promotes academic growth and personal development.

Reflection:

Upon taking the “Professional Dispositions Assessment” and reviewing my responses, I

believe my initial statement is supported as it promotes student development in an environment

that encourages and utilizes differences to provide a meaningful learning experience to all.

Despite my overall agreement to the dispositions being high, that was not the case in the

beginning. Initially, I failed to consider what teaching actually consisted of, spending most of my

time reflecting back on previous teachers and basing my thoughts and decisions off that. I failed

to realize the significance of rules, procedures, and organization, and how much of an influence

the environment had on classroom dynamics. I was aware that all students were different,

whether it was cultures, backgrounds, or learning styles, but I did not understand the methods

and strategies available to support students. Furthermore, I was aware that the classroom

environment played an integral role in students’ education, but did not understand what it meant

to be culturally-responsive and how it would affect the learning process.

 However, as I continued my education at Grand Canyon University, spending time

observing and working closely with the students, I gained a new perspective on teaching. I

realized that relationships are essential, and it is necessary to take the time to establish

relationships with the students. This helps in advocating for them, taking into consideration their

individual needs, backgrounds, and learning styles to promote academic growth and personal

development. Moreover, I realized that differentiation is key, so being flexible and resourceful is

important. Rather than working alone, teaching is a collaborative effort that utilizes diverse

perspectives, philosophies, and resources to enhance students’ learning experience so that they

can be successful.

Through a revision of the dispositions, I was able to take note of the connections between

the assessment and the Model Code of Ethics (NASDTEC, n.d.). The dispositions listed in the

assessment represented a general outline of what the Model Code of Ethics entails. The only

difference is that the Model Code of Ethics breaks down the profession of teaching into various

categories whereas the dispositions assessment is a general overview. Nevertheless, it brings

awareness to the responsibilities and expectations of the teachers to the job itself, to their

communities, and to the students. It promotes respect and understanding, working towards

providing a fair and equal education to all. Both sources remind teachers that the students are the

driving force behind the profession and how it takes a community and differentiation to support

them efficiently. Therefore, I need to be patient and work steadily to be responsive in

collaboration and communication to reach the students.

 References

Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Professional Dispositions Assessment. Retrieved from

https://lms-trad.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.lc?

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4f23-bfb0-30041c61eb95&t=competencyClassesMenuOption

NASDTEC. (n.d.). Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE). Retrieved from

https://www.nasdtec.net/page/MCEE_Doc