SCU Teacher Education Program
Professional Dispositions of Candidates
Overview / Process
Dispositions are the values, commitments, and professional ethics that influence behaviors
toward students, families, colleagues, and communities and which affect student learning and
achievement, motivation, and development, as well as the educator's own professional growth. If
sincerely held, dispositions should lead to actions and patterns of professional conduct.
For Southwestern Christian University teacher preparation program candidates, these
dispositions flow from the University's mission statement and the SCU Conceptual Framework.
An education emphasizing spirit, service, and scholarship in the context of a Christian worldview
seeks to teach, reinforce, support, and cause learners to contemplate certain foundational values
which Christianity exemplifies. These normative Christian values are integral to the development,
maturity, and education of ethical and morally respectable citizens who continue on the path of
life-long learning and service. For teacher preparation program candidates, this is manifested in
the professional dispositions associated with Caring, Reflection, Service, and Scholarship as
integral components of the SCU Conceptual Framework. The SCU Conceptual Framework is
aligned to the InTASC Standards 2011 and has utilized the dispositions associated with each
standard as a viable assessment of teacher candidate professional dispositions.
The SCU Disposition of Candidate Assessment instrument will be completed four times during
the professional teacher education program:
Assessment #1 - Foundations of Education – self assessment by teacher candidate
Assessment #2 - Foundations of Education – assessment by education faculty
Assessment #3 - Clinical Internship Application - assessment by education faculty
Assessment #4 - Clinical Internship – assessment by clinical faculty
SCU Disposition of Candidate Assessment #1
Disposition of Candidate Assessment #1 is a self-evaluation completed during the Foundations
of Education course. After completing the self assessment the teacher candidate will place it in
the Portfolio and will submit a copy to the Department of Education to be placed in his/her file.
The assessment is a required component of Transition #1 Admission to Teacher Education.
SCU Disposition of Candidate Assessment #2
Disposition of Candidate Assessment #2 is completed by a teacher education faculty member of
the teacher candidate’s choice also in conjunction with the Foundations of Education course.
After completing the disposition assessment, the faculty member will discuss it with the
candidate, both will sign it, and the teacher candidate will take the form to the Department of
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Education Office to be placed in his/her file. The assessment is a required component of
Transition #1 Admission to Teacher Education.
SCU Disposition of Candidate Assessment #3
Disposition of Candidate Assessment #3 is completed by a second teacher education faculty
member of the teacher candidate’s choice (must be a different faculty member from Assessment
#2) completed as a required component of the application process for clinical internship semester.
After completing the disposition assessment, the faculty member will discuss it with the
candidate, both will sign it, and the teacher candidate will take the form to the Department of
Education Office to be placed in his/her file. The assessment is a required component of
Transition #3 Admission to Clinical Internship.
SCU Disposition of Candidate Assessment #4
Disposition of Candidate Assessment #4 occurs during the clinical internship semester. It is
completed by the clinical faculty. After completing the disposition assessment, the clinical
faculty will submit the form to the Department of Education Office to be placed in his/her file.
This assessment will be also be used for program and unit assessment.
Additional Disposition of Candidate Assessments may occur at any time during a teacher
candidate’s education program. All of the SCU Disposition of Candidate Assessments are given
equal consideration and reviewed when submitted to the Department of Education. Transfer
students will be required to complete Disposition of Candidate Assessment #1 and #2 as a
required component of the application to teacher education process. Completion of Disposition
of Candidate Assessment #3 is required prior to applying for the clinical internship.
Each of the dispositions is rated as Target (3), Acceptable (2), or Unacceptable (1). Data from
the completed Disposition form are collected and recorded for each teacher candidate including
the semester and year. The score for the 41 dispositions associated with each of the four SCU
Conceptual Framework themes will be summarized. Data will be used for program and unit
improvement by aggregating data within specific programs and as a whole for unit assessment
purposes.
PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT
Step One: If a teacher candidate scores an Unacceptable (1) in any area, a consultation with the
faculty evaluator will occur. Specific examples are given to effectively communicate the area for
concern.
Step Two: If the candidate receives four or more Unacceptable ratings in all assessments
combined, then he/she will write a plan of improvement to be submitted to the Department of
Education chair. Consultation(s) will occur to consider the appropriateness for the candidate to
remain in the education field or to examine another career choice for the individual. A follow-up
Disposition of Candidate Assessment will be conducted at the end of the semester. A candidate
may be dismissed from the program if his/her dispositions are not compatible with the
dispositions required for an effective teacher.
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SCU Professional Dispositions of Candidates
Complete the disposition assessment instrument based on the following criteria:
 T = Target: Fully meets and exceeds the disposition standard
 A = Acceptable: Meets disposition standard; weaknesses may be found, but overall the
disposition is met
 U = Unacceptable: Weaknesses are serious and must be addressed prior to positive rating
DISPOSITION
Caring - The caring teacher…
1. respects learners’ differing strengths and needs
2. is committed to using learners’ strengths as a basis for growth
3. takes responsibility for promoting learners’ growth and development
4. values the input and contributions of families, colleagues, and other
professionals
5. believes that all learners can achieve at high levels
6. respects learners as individuals with differing personal and family
backgrounds
7. makes learners feel valued
8. values diverse languages
9. is committed to supporting learners as they engage in purposeful learning
10. seeks to foster respectful communication among all members of the learning
community
11. is a thoughtful and responsive listener and observer
U
A
T
Reflective - The reflective teacher…
1. is committed to engaging learners actively in assessment processes
2. takes responsibility for aligning instruction and assessment with learning goals
3. is committed to providing timely and effective descriptive feedback
4. is committed to using multiple types of assessment processes
5. is committed to making accommodations in assessments and testing
conditions
6. is committed to the ethical use of various assessments
7. is committed to deepening awareness and understanding the strengths and
needs of diverse learners
8. values the variety of ways people communicate
9. is committed to exploring how the use of new and emerging technologies can
support and promote student learning
10. values flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process
11. takes responsibility for student learning
12. is committed to deepening understanding of his/her own frames of reference
13. sees him/herself as a learner
14. understands the expectations of the profession
Service - The service-guided teacher…
1. actively shares responsibility for shaping and supporting the mission of his/her
school
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2. respects families’ beliefs, norms, and expectations and seeks to work
collaboratively
3. takes initiative to grow and develop with colleagues
4. takes responsibility for contributing to and advancing the profession
5. embraces the challenge of continuous improvement
6. realizes that content knowledge is not a fixed body of facts
7. appreciates multiple perspectives
8. recognizes the potential of bias in his/her representation of the discipline
9. is committed to work toward each learner’s mastery of disciplinary content
and skills
Scholarship - The scholarship-minded teacher…
1. is constantly exploring how to use disciplinary knowledge
2. values knowledge outside his/her own content area
3. values flexible learning
4. respects learners’ diverse strengths and needs
5. values planning as a collegial activity
6. takes professional responsibility to assure student learning
7. believes that plans must always be open to adjustment and revision
Explanation(s) – Give an explanation, rationale, or example for each Unacceptable or Target
assessment:
_______________________________________________
Teacher Candidate’s Signature
___________________
Date
_______________________________________________
Teacher Education Faculty Signature
___________________
Date
_______________________________________________
Clinical Faculty Signature
___________________
Date
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