Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates

College of Education

Alert

Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates

Professional Attributes Growth

and Action Plan

Updated 12-2-14

Introduction

Dispositions are a part of both the Ohio/InTASC standards for beginning teachers adopted by the Ohio State Board of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards. Dispositions are defined as

“The habits of professional action and moral commitments that underlie an educator’s performance” (InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, p. 6.)

Multiple CAEP standards address the importance of dispositions and each institution that prepares teachers has an obligation to develop specific criteria and procedures for evaluation this dimension of beginning teacher competence. More importantly, it is necessary to send candidates into field placement knowing that they will exhibit the requisite behaviors.

Therefore, The University of Akron College of Education has developed a plan to inform candidates of the requisite dispositions and professional behaviors identified in the Ohio/INTASC standards, the CAEP standards, and the College’s Conceptual Framework and assess candidates’ development of them. This will assist the College in identifying problems early and in taking action to assist candidates developing important dispositions. To accomplish this, the following instruments and procedures have been developed.

Instruments

1. Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates consisting of seventeen items
2. The Alert version of the Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates
3. The Professional Attributes Growth and Action Plan

Procedures

All Candidates

The Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates will be distributed as part of the orientation process for all undergraduate and graduate students. Each faculty/instructor of this class will review the expectations for professional behaviors and dispositions reflected on this instrument and have each student sign that he/she has read them. The purpose of this procedure is to inform all candidates of the expectations for professional behavior and dispositions.

Candidates About Whom There Are Concerns:

Faculty, instructors and staff who have concerns about a candidate’s professional behaviors and dispositions need to complete the Alert version of the Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates and forward it to the Department Chair. The Department Chair will investigate the concerns with the student and reporting individual to seek a resolution. The Associate Dean may be informed at this point in the process if warranted.

If one or more forms are submitted about one candidate, a committee consisting of the Department Chair, the Associate Dean, the faculty or staff members submitting the Alert forms, the Director of the Office of Extended Educational Experiences, the candidate, and the candidate’s advisor meet to discuss the concerns. A service indicator may be placed on the candidate’s record that will require approval of the Associate Dean before the candidate can register for courses.

During the meeting, a Professional Attributes Growth and Action Plan will be developed with specific performance expectations and a timeline for completion. Each plan will be different reflecting action designed to address specific concerns about the individual candidate. Progress toward meeting the expectations will be monitored by the office of the Associate Dean.

If progress has been made, but the expectations and conditions have not been met completely by the established date, the candidate will continue to be monitored for one semester. Another Professional Attributes Growth and Action Plan will be developed. At the conclusion of the probation period, the Department Chair will evaluate the professional progress of the candidate in meeting the expectations of the plan. If sufficient progress has been made during the probation period, the service indicator will be removed from the candidate’s file and no further action will be taken.

It is expected that the candidate will meet the expectations and remedy the concerns. If this does not occur, the candidate will not be registered for classes or placed in a field experience. If concern is raised about a candidate’s professional behaviors and dispositions in a field placement, the Department Chair and Associate Dean in consultation with a Director of the Office of Student Teaching and Field Experience will have the option of withdrawing the candidate from the placement.

If the original Professional Attributes Growth and Action Plan and the probation period plan are not completed to the satisfaction of the original committee by the stated review dates, the candidate will receive a dismissal letter from the Dean’s office. The candidate may appeal the decision for dismissal under University Rule 3359-42-01.

Part I: Professional Attributes Scale for Teacher Education Candidates

Candidate Name: Student ID Date

Instructor Name: Course:

Please complete (check all items that apply)

1.Attendance

Perfect attendance record

Acceptable attendance record

Frequently absent (# of times _____)

2.Punctuality

Always on time

Generally punctual

Frequently late (# of time _____)

3.Subject Area Knowledge

Thorough knowledge and understanding of subject

Adequate knowledge and understanding of subject

Deficient knowledge and understanding of subject

4.Oral Expression

Expresses ideas clearly and coherently in speaking

Occasionally lacks clarity and coherence in speaking

Lacks clarity and coherence in speaking

5.Written Expression (Attach writing sample if available)

Expresses ideas clearly and coherently in writing

Occasionally lacks clarity and coherence in writing

Lacks clarity and coherence in writing

6.Critical Thinking Skills

Distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information and poses probing questions and problems once issues are identified

Identifies differences in information but is unsure of questions to ask or problems to solve

Struggles with differences in information, identification of issues, and questions to ask

7.Self-Initiative/Independence

Generally takes initiative and independently implements plans

Adequate initiative and independence

Depends on others for direction, ideas, and guidance

8.Reliability/Dependability

Attends to assigned tasks or duties on schedule without prompting

Needs prompting to attend to assigned tasks or duties

Fails to complete assigned tasks and duties despite prompting

9.Tact and Judgment (with instructors & others)

Excellent tact and judgment

Acceptable tact and judgment

Limited tact and judgment

10.Interaction with Students/Peers/Others

Relates easily and positively with students/peers/others

Adequate interaction with students/peers/others

Sometimes antagonistic toward students/peers/others

11.Collaboration

Willington shares ideas and materials with group

Reluctant to share ideas and materials with group

Refuses to share ideas and materials with group even when collaboration is required

12.Response to Feedback/Supervision

Receptive and adjusts performance

Receptive but doesn’t implement suggestions

Defensive and unreceptive to feedback

13.Desire to Improve Own Teaching Performance

Continually seeks new and better ways of teaching

Makes some effort to improve own teaching performance

Makes no effort to improve own teaching performance

14.Respect for Diversity

Responds thoughtfully to diverse culturally perspectives

Listens to diverse cultural perspectives and experiences and occasionally responds thoughtfully

Resists consideration of diverse cultural perspectives

15.Attitudes

Demonstrates a belief that all students can learn

Demonstrates unequal expectations for students’ ability to learn

Makes negative comments about some students’ ability to learn

16.Appearance and Hygiene

Professional and acceptable

Acceptable for the situation

Unacceptable for the situation

17.Other Concern Not Listed Above

Provide description on back of form.

Professional Attributes Growth and Action Plan

College of Education

The University of Akron

The following is a format to guide the development of a Professional Growth Plan for a teacher education candidate experiencing difficulty.

I.

(Candidate Name)(Student ID)(Date)

1. Members Attending the Conference (Include name and role/position of each participant)

1. Summary of candidate’s strengths in terms of knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

1. Summary of concernsregarding the candidate.

1. Expectations and Conditions to be Met

(State in performance expectations terms. List dates for expectations to be met.)

1. Outcome Options

(Clearly state the options if the teacher education candidate does not satisfactorily meet all of the expectations.)

1. Support Services

1. Signatures

(All participants sign one copy of the Professional Growth Plan for the candidate’s file.)

I have read the contents of this document. Any comments I have are attached.

Teacher Education Candidate Date

cc: Student’s file

Advisor

Department Chair

Associate Dean