Program+Dispositions

= Beginning of Program: = I feel like the six dispositions for the Educational Leadership Program are dispositions that I already possess. As an educator, I do value change if change is justified. Resistors to change are usually those who are set in their ways and fear the unknown. There are teachers who teach the same lessons year after year and never even consider doing something different from the previous year’s lesson plans. I, on the other hand, am never completely satisfied with the way in which I teach. I constantly look to my colleagues and students for feedback on what could be improved on. I find myself tweaking what I do from hour to hour in the interest of better instruction. I do not ever want to become the kind of educator that does not care enough to change just because change is hard. I also know that relationships matter. I have had the experience of observing one of my colleagues who does not have good relationships with her students. She is unable to see beyond her content and pushes through it at all costs. She never takes the time to get to know her students or have conversations with them. As a result, students drop out of her classes at a rapid rate or choose not to continue studying German because the thought of having her for one more year is unbearable. Our program suffers because of this and I have had discussions with her about it but she is so set on her own agenda that she is not open to change in any way shape or form. This firsthand experience with her has really helped understand the power of meaningful relationships! Theoretically, I also know that differentiated instruction is best for students but I do not always offer it to my students. It requires so much more preparation and effort. This is certainly something I want to work on. Diversity is something that we do not have a lot of at Bay Port High School and my German classes are made up of 99% Caucasians. In my personal life, I am surrounded by diversity as many of my friends are not Caucasian. I have also travelled to many countries in the world and this has really opened my mind to different cultures. Getting my students to appreciate diversity in a place where there is not much diversity is a big challenge. The world would be a much better place if more people acted ethically. Doing what is right seems like it would be self-evident. I can see in the area of change that doing what is right could become a challenge. I can only hope that when I need to make a decision, I will do what is best based on solid research and not on what is in it for me.

= End of Program: =