Disposition Reflection

The two dispositions areas that I am the most comfortable with are initiative and
dependability, and tact and judgment. In my previous career as a United States Marine, I was
expected to know, and always embody, the fourteen leaderships traits of a Marine, four of which
are initiative, dependability, tact, and judgment. I was exposed to these traits at the age of
eighteen and was explicitly taught what they are, why they matter, and how to embody them. I
had mentors that embodied these traits so totally that they became facets of their personality and
were indelible to their presence as leaders. During the last half of my enlistment, I was promoted
to non-commissioned officer and was expected to be the leader of my section and to know and
embody these traits at a far higher level, as those in charge of me had. I was exposed to these
traits as both a leader and a follower. I know how important it is to feel that your leader has
sound, equitable, and informed judgment, that they are a capable and dependable leader who you
know can handle the difficulties that lie ahead, and how their judgment and dependability are
directly tied to their ability to act quickly and smartly with initiative, and how their tactful
interactions with peers, superiors, and followers, displays the veracity of their judgment. Most
critically, I experienced the fear, anxiety, and dread that can result from a leader who is bereft of
these qualities, and how it erodes the confidence, ability, and the overall quality of life of all
those that look up to them.
When I was tasked with leadership duties, I strove to live these values to ensure that my
troops felt that they had someone they could depend on in the uncertainty and immense stress
and difficulty of their lives as junior Marines. When I began student teaching, I found that the
way these traits are needed and expressed is remarkably similar, and my experience as a
Corporal of Marines benefited me immensely as I already valued and embodies those traits that
can frame someone as a dependable, trustworthy leader. The way in which my students sought
my advice in matters both academic and personal, the respect they afforded me when I taught,
the flexibility they displayed when I quickly changed tasks, and the ease with which they took
risks or reached out to me when they needed me, tells me that I was successful in embodying
these traits.
The area that I know I need to focus on growing as I begin my teaching career is
collegiality and responsiveness. I do not believe I struggle with, or will struggle with,
responsiveness, but I know I have a large space to grow with collegiality. I am an introverted
person, and I often find myself quiet around peers and too quick to isolate myself with my own
responsibilities and tasks. The specific facet of these traits that I know this will interfere with is
my ability to collaborate, share, seek advice, and work toward common goals. I am strong,
willing team member when required, but when left to my own devices I often find myself
becoming too absorbed in my own responsibilities and isolating myself without realizing that I
have done it. I would like to be more present for my future peer group of teachers, and believe
that it would benefit me both professional and personally to be more connected to those around
me.
These dispositions, because they are so foundational in modeling and community
building, will support all my goals and growth as a teacher. These particular dispositions will
also have a more specific and direct impact ton my goals of growing my pedagogical and content
knowledge, and increasing the strength of my content delivery. I know that my primary asset to
strengthen my pedagogical skills and content delivery will be to learn from the more experienced
peers around me when I am teaching, and to use their experiences an input to augment, adapt,
and shape my own practices. I know that this will a continuous practice throughout my career,
but it will be especially critical in my first years of teaching as I am faced with so many new
challenges. In the face of these challenges in the classroom, I will rely on my foundational
leadership skills and know that as long as I am modelling the above behaviors and creating a safe
space for my students to grow and learn in, I can still allow myself to be human and make
mistakes, and not expect myself to have all of the answers or skills I need at this early stage of
my career.