Personal Professional Disposition

I am a firm believer that all students when given a safe and welcoming environment are

capable of learning. When entering the classroom, a teacher needs to assess if each student is in

the right state of mind to learn. To do so teachers need to have compassion and respect for their

students’ differences and help advocate for change that helps meet each students’ abilities, needs,

and interests. I believe in educating the whole child which includes providing students with

opportunities to grow socially, emotionally, and academically. Educators need to present

themselves in a professional manner through their words and actions. They also need to develop

meaningful relationships with their fellow educators, students, their families, and other

community members. Finally, teachers need to have a passion and dedication for the profession

and a commitment to being a life-long learner.

Self-Assessment and Reflection

The self-assessment works to support my professional disposition statement as it shows

that I have a strong passion and desire to help all students reach their full potential. As a teacher,

I recognize that it is my duty to create a culture and classroom environment that aides in the

overall development of each student. I take a pride in developing meaningful relationships with

my students and believe it is important for me to be the teacher I wish I had when I was a

student. I set clear, measurable, and obtainable expectations for my students and have an

understanding that these expectations shape the student’s motivation to learn.

My professional dispositions have grown throughout my program of study as I have a

greater understanding of what it takes to be an educator. A specific example is me taking a

couple minutes at the beginning of class and thinking about when students are prepared to learn.
When I first started this program, I had a misconception that meeting students social and

emotional needs would be easier. As I have progressed through the program, I have gained

insight into the importance of building trusting relationships with my students so that they can

approach me if they are having a difficult time. Another example is that teachers need to

embrace being life-long learners. The world of education and technology is everchanging and to

meet the needs of my students I need to be committed to growing and learning the newest

educational techniques.

Connection Between Professional Dispositions and Model Code of Ethics

There is a direct connection between professional dispositions and the Model Code of

Ethics. The Model Code of Ethics is a list of ethical requirements that all educators should

demonstrate. While a professional disposition states an individual’s values and personal ethics

towards fellow educators, students, families, and the profession.

Improvements

As I continue my career as an educator, I will continue to take each day as a learning

experience and opportunity to learn and grow as a person. Additionally, I will seek out

professional development opportunities so I can continue to learn about my students and ways

that I can best serve them. I will also seek out the advice of my fellow educators to ask their

professional opinion when faced with a tough decision.