Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance

ISSN: 0730-3084 (Print) 2168-3816 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ujrd20

Transitioning from Students of Teaching to

Teachers of Students: Developing Professional
Dispositions (Part 1)

Mary L. Henninger & Julene Ensign

To cite this article: Mary L. Henninger & Julene Ensign (2020) Transitioning from Students of
Teaching to Teachers of Students: Developing Professional Dispositions (Part 1), Journal of
Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 91:1, 33-37, DOI: 10.1080/07303084.2019.1679298

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2019.1679298

Published online: 30 Jan 2020.

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TRANSITIONING
from Students of Teaching
to Teachers of Students:
Developing Professional
Dispositions (Part 1)
Mary L. Henninger
Julene Ensign

P
icture this: two teacher candidates
from the same teacher preparation pro-
gram, Candidate A and Candidate B, apply
for the same teaching position upon gradu-
ation. Candidate A gets the job; Candidate
B does not. They have the same content knowledge, the
same pedagogical preparation, and similar grade point
averages. What made the difference for Candidate A?
Finding the answer will require looking beyond final
transcripts. It will necessitate a deep dive into each can-
didate’s professional development during undergradu-
ate teacher preparation. It is only there that the real
contrasts begin to appear.
From the beginning, Candidate A was an active mem-
ber of the student majors’ club — holding several lead-
ership positions; Candidate B was a member but did not
attend meetings or other events on a regular basis. In
the classroom Candidate A was actively sought out by
peers for group projects, while Candidate B often chose
to work alone or was among the last to be invited into
a group project. Candidate A was always professional
when corresponding to professors, instructors, cooper-
ating teachers, and peers; Candidate B was everybody’s
friend and preferred an informal tone regardless of who
the correspondence was directed toward. Candidate A
was always in class, often asked questions, and engaged
in class discussions with regularity; Candidate B was of-
ten absent or late to class, rarely asked questions, and

Mary L. Henninger (mlhenni@ilstu.edu) is an associate profes-

sor in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State
University in Normal, IL. Julene Ensign is an assistant profes-
sor in the Department of Health & Exercise Science at Truman
State University in Kirksville, MO.

JOPERD  33
 iStockphoto/monkeybusinessimages
was ill-prepared to engage in class discussions. On the rare oc-
casion that Candidate A missed class, contact with the professor
was professional and focused on ways the work and content could
be made up. On the other hand, when Candidate B missed class,
contact with the professor was an attempt to make excuses for
not being present and inquiring to see if “anything important was
missed.”
The examples provided illustrate the professional dispositions
that employers, cooperating teachers, and teacher educators are
constantly monitoring to determine the professional development
of each teacher candidate. In reality, these candidates, while simi-
lar on paper, could not have been more different in their pre-pro-
fessional interactions. The dispositions indicative of professional
maturity and character are developed over time and, as was the
case for these candidates, can make or break the chances of secur-
ing a job upon graduation.
Time and time again, the preceding scenario plays out as teacher
educators, practitioners who provide field supervision, and school
administrators have conversations involving teacher candidates’
performances. Areas such as development of content and peda-
gogical knowledge, management skills, and dispositional qualities
are compared across applicants for various teaching positions. On
paper, many may appear to possess similar qualities and viabil-
ity for employment. Unfortunately, the informal assessments that
drive these conversations may neither adequately nor thoroughly
capture some of the more intangible skills of highly effective teach-
ers such as taking responsibility for learning, going above and be-
yond the minimum requirements, and demonstrating respect for
others. As a result, the discussion may quickly turn to questions
such as, “How did this student get through a teacher education
program?,” or “How is that possible that this candidate could still
not know how to “teach” after all the time spent preparing in
34  Volume 91  Number 1   January 2020
college?” Unfortunately, even after four or more years in the best
teacher preparation programs, the number of teacher candidates
who excel in the classroom as students of teaching only to later fall
below expectations during their transition to teachers of students
should be a major cause for concern. At the crux of the issue is a
host of factors, either present or absent, that play a role in these
ill-fated scenarios.
To begin, most experts agree that the professional dispositions
of teacher candidates are important predictors of teaching effec-
tiveness (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation,
n.d.; Johnston, Almerico, Henriotte, & Shapiro, 2011; SHAPE
America – Society of Health and Physical Educators, 2017). At
their most foundational essence, these are considered “an individ-
ual’s tendencies to act in a given manner and are predictive of pat-
terns of action” (Borko, Liston, & Whitcomb, 2007, p. 61). These
professional dispositions help forecast whether teachers are likely
to apply the knowledge and skills they learned during teacher prep-
aration programs to their own classroom teaching — even when
they are not being critiqued. As such, school administrators have
long attended to these tangible and intangible characteristics as
they navigate the hiring process (Dillon, McCaughtry, & Hummel,
2010). Unfortunately, dissonance may occur because students of
teaching often find it difficult to view themselves as professionals
and, rather, identify more with their role as a student than that of a
teacher candidate. In contrast, teacher educators, charged with the
task of evaluating professional dispositions, sometimes mistakenly
assume the opposite — that teacher candidates understand what it
means to demonstrate professional teaching dispositions. As a re-
sult, many teacher educators fail to teach professional dispositions,
which are learned behaviors. Later, when the disconnect becomes
apparent, both parties must share the responsibility of not only
repairing the subsequent damage to all-around expectations but
also for contriving an appropriate plan for success. Through the
processes of teaching professional dispositions and having teacher
candidates self-evaluate professional dispositions on a yearly basis,
this disconnect can be mitigated early in a teacher candidate’s edu-
cation. To that end, the content that follows will provide practical
examples of behaviors and decision-making qualities that should
be refined throughout the entirety of the undergraduate prepara-
tion window.
Developing Professional Dispositions
As graduation from a teacher education preparation program
looms, students typically become more interested in any advantage
they can gain in the job market. One beneficial strategy is to dem-
onstrate an authentic record of professional dispositions. During
hiring practices, committees gauge these characteristics and quali-
ties, in part, through the solicitation of letters of recommendation
from teacher educators and others familiar with the teacher candi-
date and their professional habits. Generally, it is at this point that
professional dispositions suddenly become of utmost importance
to teacher candidates seeking employment, but this realization of-
ten comes too late in the game for many candidates. The reality is
that the individuals who can most readily vouch for professional
demeanor (teacher educators and cooperating teachers) are con-
stantly evaluating professional dispositions. Students of teaching
often fail to realize that all undergraduate classes and clinical ex-
periences constitute, in essence, a single, continuous interview pro-
cess and contribute to the formation of perceptions regarding each
candidate’s viability, teachability and employability. To minimize
the gap between the actual focus of the teacher candidate’s efforts
and what teacher educators and future employers desire, it is es-
sential that all parties agree to define, demonstrate and evaluate the
professional dispositions of teacher candidates early and often dur-
ing teacher preparation programs. Although not generalizable to
all populations and circumstances, the following professional dis-
positions provide a springboard toward the cultural shift required
to sustain the growth of health- and physical education-­related ca-
reers that can be taught and developed throughout teacher candi-
date preparation: (1) cultivating collaborative characteristics, (2)
respecting reflective attitudes, (3) revealing reverence for teaching
and learning, (4) realizing reflective practices, (5) fostering creative
flexibility, and (6) recognizing responsible actions.
Cultivating Collaborative Characteristics.  The first category,
collaboration, or the ability to work with others, share ideas, and
build consensus through communication, should be demonstrated
throughout the undergraduate years. According to SHAPE Amer-
ica’s standards, teacher candidates should “engage in professional
growth and collaborations in schools and/or professional organi-
zations” (2017, p. 6). A willingness to work with a variety of oth-
ers, communicate ideas while listening to those of others, and striv-
ing to achieve a common understanding or consensus are all easily
observable characteristics that should be present in a candidate’s
day-to-day interactions with peers. As such, the opportunities to
create collaborative connections cannot readily occur when stu-
dents consistently fail to contribute to group discussions or group
tasks. This type of behavior signals that the candidate exhibits a
detrimental lack of ability or willingness to work well with others
and, ultimately, may not assimilate smoothly into the highly col-
laborative best practices of teaching.
Reflecting Respectful Attitudes.  Similarly, respect for self and
others is another key professional disposition that may be over-
looked by teacher candidates. At its essence, it is the ability to
honor, value and demonstrate consideration and regard for others.
As such, respect can be displayed through dynamic listening, ad-
dressing correspondence to others in a professional manner (i.e.,
Mr., Ms. and Dr.), and applying critical feedback to future efforts.
When teacher educators, cooperating teachers, and future employ-
ers witness these types of behaviors being exhibited during day-
to-day interactions, they will often conclude that the candidate re-
spects others.
While many students of teaching understand the various ways
that respect can be positively demonstrated, they sometimes lack
an understanding of how a lack of respect can be intentionally (or
unintentionally) expressed. Behaviors such as failing to allow oth-
ers to share insights or viewpoints, engaging in defensive behaviors
such as always having an excuse, corresponding with a text-mes-
saging tone and voice during written communication with others,
and ignoring constructive feedback are all means through which
many teacher candidates demonstrate a lack of respect. Unfortu-
nately, these lapses are often readily noted by others.
Revealing Reverence for Teaching and Learning.  The third cat-
egory, reverence for teaching and learning, may be demonstrated
through a variety of modes and includes the ability to exhibit re-
spect and seriousness of intent for acquiring knowledge and peda-
gogical skills (ISU edDispositions, 2017). Translated, this means
that a teacher candidate indicates, through his or her choices and
behaviors, a value for the process of learning how to become a
teacher of students. Reverence for teaching and learning can be
easily demonstrated by regular, punctual classroom attendance
and entails arriving prepared to engage in class discussions and
asking questions that help deepen understanding and knowledge
for the betterment of student learning.
Disconnects in this area occur because, at times, teacher can-
didates demonstrate a lack of reverence for teaching and learning
through a variety of choices and behaviors without appreciating
the long-term consequences. For example, students who are chron-
ically absent, sleep or disengage during class, leave class early, sub-
mit only the necessary, minimum work, choose to arrive at clinical
sites at the last possible moment and leave at the earliest possible
time, and rarely ask questions send a clear message to those ob-
serving that learning to teach is not a high priority.
Realizing Reflective Practices.  As part of the symbiotic nature
of cultivating professionalism, learning to be a reflective educator is
one of the most important characteristics a teacher can display (Bal-
lard & McBride, 2010; Napper-Owen & McCallister, 2005; SHAPE
America, 2017). Foundationally, this fourth component, reflection,
is the ability to review, analyze and evaluate the success of past de-
cisions in an effort to make better decisions in the future. Strongly
aligned with SHAPE America Standard 5.c. (2017) and as a major
component measured by edTPA (Stanford Center for Assessment,
Learning, and Equity, 2018), teacher candidates can demonstrate
these skills through the process of closely examining their planning
behaviors, lesson implementation, and assessment of student learn-
ing. The accuracy and focus of such reflective examinations are key
to making better educational decisions in the future.
In contrast, difficulty demonstrating these types of practices can
also occur through a variety of methods. For example, a teacher
candidate who avoids new situations is sending the signal that they
are comfortable with the status quo and not necessarily interested
in the process of professional growth and development. Many
times, teacher candidates are unable or unwilling to realistically
and accurately determine their impact on student learning, opting
JOPERD  35
instead to either constantly self-criticize or self-praise regardless demonstrates this quality. To that end, cooperating teachers and
of impact on student learning. Another way that teacher candi- teacher educators measure the ability to handle “surprises,” or the
dates demonstrate a lack of reflective practice to teacher educators occasions when lessons do not go quite the way they were planned.
and/or cooperating teachers is by constantly defending decisions Can the candidate make appropriate adaptations when necessary
rather than addressing feedback. This type of behavior may result in the middle of a lesson? Is the candidate willing to try new things?
in unnecessary, repeated mistakes that lead to decreases in student How does the candidate react, or fail to react, to novel situations?
learning. The answers to these questions are good indicators of flexibility.
Fostering Creative Flexibility.  In tandem with valuing reflec- From a professional perspective, the teacher candidate who
tion, the ability of a teacher candidate to be flexible with the en- does not display an ability to navigate these types of pedagogical
tirety of the curricular process, from pre-planning behaviors to best practices is signaling to other stakeholders that student learn-
instructional delivery and all the way through to assessment of ing is of little importance. Teacher candidates who are robotic in
student learning, is imperative. Flexibility is a willingness to ac- sticking to their plans despite a lack of student success, are unwill-
cept and adapt to change. A teacher candidate who conveys open- ing to accept and implement critical feedback, and/or are not inter-
mindedness and attentive engagement to his or her surroundings ested in pursuing new competencies are conveying a disregard for
the value of the profession and perpetuating
existing “roll-out-the ball” stereotypes.
Table 1. Recognizing Responsible Actions. A final
Checklist of Expected Dispositions for component of developing a robust profes-
Teacher Education Candidates sional brand is accepting or recognizing re-
sponsibility for one’s conduct and actions. It
Disposition Expected Behaviors is another of the intangible dispositions that
Collaboration •  Do I take initiative to contribute to group and class teacher candidates can and should be dem-
discussions? onstrating throughout the entirety of their
•  Do I communicate and work well with others? teacher preparation programs — not just dur-
•  Do I provide solutions rather than complaints? ing the job-interviewing timeframe. Students
•  Do I seek out opportunities to work with others? who display the characteristics associated
•  Do others view me as a good teammate? with these behaviors can act independently
Respect •  Do I respond to others with care and compassion? and demonstrate accountability, reliability,
•  Do I demonstrate inclusive tones and demeanors? and sound judgment. Teacher candidates with
•  Do I listen to understand by allowing others to share competency in this area typically hold them-
information without immediate judgment rather than to selves accountable for doing what is in the
defend or fix? best interest of their future students. This of-
•  Do I seek to develop an understanding of my ten requires choosing to do things the right
stakeholders and peers? way rather than the easy way. From the per-
•  Do I recognize and honor individual strengths in others? spective of cooperating teachers and teacher
•  Do I address others, both in verbal and written educators, candidates who are willing to ex-
correspondence, in a professional manner? tend extra effort to ensure that their students
experience success are displaying the types of
Reverence for •  Do I arrive regularly for class both prepared and on-time?
behaviors that generally promote successful
Teaching and •  Do I present body language that is indicative of
assimilation into the field.
Learning enthusiastic engagement?
In contrast, teacher candidates can also
•  Do I complete assignments in a high-quality and timely
make a poor impression, often unintention-
manner?
•  Do I seek clarification as needed especially as it ally, through their actions and choices during
contributes to the learning of the community as a whole? teacher preparation. The student who always
has an excuse and consistently seeks avenues
Reflection •  Do I spend time honoring success in myself and others? to cut corners indicates that he or she does
•  Do I receive and apply feedback with a receptive, not accept responsibility for either their own
teachable spirit? learning or that of their future students. Com-
•  Do I attend to my personal and professional environment plaining about the length or quantity of as-
and make changes as needed? signments or questioning the time that might
Flexibility •  Do I keep an open mind and look for creative solutions? be required to develop competency with new
•  Do I try new methods of delivering content? material sends a direct message to stakehold-
•  Do I accept challenges as opportunities to grow and ers that the ability to persevere through ad-
learn rather than avoiding difficult situations? versity and accept accountability is lacking.
Responsibility •  Do I own responsibility for difficulties or errors? Ultimately, these dispositions provide
•  Do I engage in practices that I believe are correct rather a starting point of reference for students of
than what may seem easiest? teaching. Each candidate’s journey contains
•  Do I seek accountability from stakeholders? unique facets that must be addressed on an
individual basis, but in general the core prac-
Note: Adapted from the Illinois State University Teacher Education Dispositions Assessment (2017).
tices of developing professional dispositions
must begin with a foundation firmly estab-

36  Volume 91  Number 1   January 2020

 iStockphoto/monkeybusinessimages
lished in these characteristics. To provide a practical gauge and
instrument for self-reflection, Table 1 contains a checklist of ques-
tions that should be regularly reviewed by students of teaching.
The ability of a candidate to answer affirmatively to these queries
should increase as he or she progresses through the licensure pro-
cess.
If you, as a student of teaching, are able to answer affirmatively
to the majority of the questions posed above, then congratula-
tions, you are well on your way to creating a dynamic professional
brand! At the very least, the checklist should have provided some
points for further growth for all candidates. Overall, the develop-
ment, or lack thereof, of professional dispositions related to teach-
ing is an essential measure of preparedness for the profession. It
signifies to others, such as teacher educators, cooperating teach-
ers, and in some cases future colleagues and employers, that the
preservice teacher has the foundational ability to be a successful
professional teacher. To that end, a successful candidate will con-
tinually view his or her time as a student of teaching as a constant
job interview and will be better prepared to demonstrate the kinds
of behavior trends or professional dispositions that employers are
seeking. Alternatively, the preservice teacher who views their time
as a student of teaching less seriously and proactively may find it
difficult to secure or retain employment as an educator. Ultimately,
how a candidate carries himself or herself as a student of teaching
can be a strong predictor of success. The time to develop and dem-
onstrate professional dispositions — truly beginning to develop
your professional brand — does not commence upon graduation.
The choices and decisions exercised throughout the teacher prepa-
ration program will have long-term ramifications related to the
ability to secure a teaching position. So if you would like to help
increase your chances of securing and retaining employment upon
graduation, just like Candidate A in the opening scenario, attend-
ing to the development of professional dispositions early, often,
and consistently throughout your time as a student of teaching
might just be the key.
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JOPERD  37