Professional Dispositions are: Professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities. These positive behaviors support student learning and development and are assessed based on observable behaviors in educational settings. In order to ensure that candidates exhibit professional behaviors and dispositions important for developing competent and democratic professionals, the following instrument will be used as an assessment tool in the program.
Definition/Directions: What follows are indicators of professional behaviors and dispositions that the University of Wyoming College of Education Undergraduate Education Programs faculty aims to develop in preservice teacher candidates. Determination of which phrase best describes the preservice teacher candidate’s behavior during the time in which observations or interactions occurred are selected. If observations of that behavior did not occur, assessors simply check “N/O” for “not observed.”
As the Conceptual Framework of the College of Education states, we realize that teacher candidates will be continually developing, and so these ratings will be based on the expectations at various phases of the Undergraduate Education Programs.
For teacher candidates: If exhibiting professional dispositions appropriate to a beginning teacher, a rating of “2” is expected.
For course instructors: any rating of a “1” MUST include a written explanation/comment.
A PDA notification letter will be sent to students on each of the support levels. Specific indication of which support level the student is currently on will be marked with an X, the areas in need of attention that were rated “1” will be listed, and required or option next steps are provided. Students not successfully completing a required improvement plan will not be allowed to continue in the Undergraduate Education Programs.
The PDA process includes three levels of support.
The first level is an advisory stage. Many times, a student just needs to focus attention on areas that they could improve
upon to achieve greater success, and this initial stage does that. The second level is a warning stage to the student (and to us) that more support is needed in order for the student to
be successful in the course, program, and profession. This second stage encourages
student reflection and open dialogue with key players in the specific students’ academic
support system. The third level is the Professional Dispositions and Improvement Plan (PDIP) stage, and it is a formal agreement for supports and deliverables by both the student and
Associate Dean to make the student’s necessary improvements while continuing in the
program. The PDIP level is a collaborative approach to insure both student and UW
are accountable to only highly effective teaching candidates completing the licensure
program. Successful completion of the PDIP is required to continue in any educational
program that leads to licensure. Our policy for this support includes: 1) Advisory: Any student receiving “1” ratings during a semester from one or two instructors;
2) Warning: Any student receiving “1” ratings over the course of two semesters from two or more
instructors; and 3) PDIP: Any student receiving 3 or more ratings of "1" (within the same assessment area)
from three or more instructors.
Implementation:
Professional Dispositions will be assessed in the following courses by the faculty member/instructor, and any additional parties listed (*unless otherwise noted). Some instructors may require teacher candidates use this instrument for self-assessment: