Case+2-+NBPTS+and+Michigan+State+University+Intern+Evaluations



Policy Document:

Artifacts:

The intern observation forms for English, Social Studies and Match captured many key dispositions, as noted below. The groups that analyzed these documents were more concerned with issues of measurement. In other words, how can one tell if a teacher or intern is going through the motions for an observation, but is not really following through on a daily basis?

In Thornton's (2006) study, teachers who articulated similar goals and visions for the their students, even when sharing common planning, materials and students, differed in their approach and follow-through with students. The findings revealed that teacher dispositions did make a difference in student outcomes. Moreover, the observers, in this case, teacher interns, were able to capture and define qualitatively what dispositions were being embodied by the different teachers. In triangulating the data with students and other teachers, there was consensus. This is noteworthy in that it reveals that dispositions are observable and verifiable over time. Issues of subjectivity may always be a possibility, but one that is minimized if their are ongoing observations and triangulation of data.

Sonia Nieto (2003) study centers around the benefits of participating in a teacher inquiry group. The dedicated, veteran teacher's in her study share their joys and frustrations as teachers. They explored affective, abstract themes such as, love, hope and possibility, anger and desperation, and also shared and discussed their intellectual work, democratic practice, autobiography. What is noteworthy about this project is that the sharing was on the personal, relationtional, and emotional level, as opposed to being centered around lesson plans. In addressing a more human approach to teacher development based on relationships, Nieto recognizes the for emotional support and development of teachers to enable them to give that support in turn to their students. This stands in stark contrast to more technical role of teaching being forefronted as a result of NCLB and high stakes testing. In a world where only data matters, the personal is lost, not only for the students, but for the teachers.

The class findings from the analysis of the artifacts reveal that if dispositions are truly valued and important, it is not enough to observe them on a checklist. In reflecting upon the readings and the findings, it is evident that one cannot talk about dispositions, much less observe them, without looking at the bigger picture and the context in which interns are working and learning. In other words, it is not the individual responsibility of the intern to have these dispositions, but rather the collective responsibility of the college to foster them. Before that can be possible, one has to step back even further. The college must have a clearly articulated vision and mission that spans across subject area domains and is shared by both elementary and secondary education, allowing for contextual differences. Students who apply for the college of education should know what dispositions are valued by the college, what is expected of them in terms of dispositions, and how these will be fostered and supported through their classes and throughout the internship. The next step would be to embed discourse and support for development of these dispositions throughout the courses in education.

MSU TE Secondary Intern Feedback (NBPTS) **Social Studies** **Math** **-Dispositions that are repeated frequently are:** **-Dispositions not mentioned** -**Would should be added**:
 * Dispositions noted: Students and teachers as citizens (but what does this really mean?), as responsible members of the community, as co-constructors of curriculum, valuing dignity and respect for differences, commitment to learning...
 * We need a measurement that allows for subjective view and narrative descriptions, space to explain opportunities, problems. Going through that process in dialogue with someone who has been observing you could allow for self-reflection...
 * It almost seems like that process would incorporate a lot of these. Because this is the type of thing that you can’t measure on a scale.
 * We are looking at this one-dimensionally like a surface or screen
 * What we observe may look like a disposition and may not be it.
 * Engaging in a conversation with a stimulus of a video can give us perspective, while eliciting the values and beliefs makes it much stronger without making assumptions about what you observed.
 * It gives you the external and the internal
 * fairness
 * appreciation for cultural
 * respect for human div
 * ability to take multiple perspectives
 * allow feed back of others to affect teaching
 * be self-reflective
 * use reason to make judgements
 * seek out critique--some of the times
 * cultivate own learning
 * being models of educated persons
 * curiosity and love of learning
 * question received wisdom not there at all
 * adopt an experimental orientation
 * perhaps a disposition towards knowledge; they didn’t like that on pg. 2 on the top it talks about knowing your content as if it were a static thing.
 * If ways of teaching in the class room don’t value student ways of knowing pg. 8 d?

**English** Diversity is very present, especially in regards to fairness and justice, respect for human diversity & dignity The group felt that NBPTs is missing something. In artifact, we found that if you look at standard 6 or 5 they are talking about teachers participating in community or practice life (#7), but we couldn’t find a corresponding disposition. Even though they speak about community, they refer to it more like a community "of students". Discourse on this is not in dispositions (pg. 8), especially the idea of connecting to the community at large