teaching dispositions in action: talking the walk
Post on 15-Jan-2016
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Great teachers make a profound difference in the lives of children.
National Council on Teacher Quality, Walsh and Tracy, 2003
It does not appear to be true that any ‘good’ teacher can effectively teach gifted children. In fact, ‘good’ teachers who are unprepared to teach gifted students may not only be ineffective with them but may also become primary contributors to the development of underachievement behavior and negative attitudes
Whitmore, 1980, p. 400
Dispositions in gifted education
A dive into the literature List, after list, after list – yes, a laundry list
(Renzulli)Resulted in approximately 140 separate qualities/characteristics/competencies
Knowledge and skills How can we organize into meaningful
categories?
What patterns of knowledge, skills, and dispositions characterize the actions and thoughts of gifted education teachers?
Are these patterns different for teachers with “reputational expertise?”
18 major references
55.5% of the references cited intellectual abilities of the teacher
45% spoke to the environment (safe, warm, permissive atmosphere; learner-centered)
30%--Knowledgeable/Subject matter knowledge
25%--Flexible/open
20%--Flexibility with curriculum
20%--Creativity/imaginative
15%--Problem solving
15%--Lifelong learner/intellectual growth
15%--Enthusiastic
15%--Prefer to teach G/T student
10%--Sense of humor
10%--Skills involving questioning
5%--Skills for working with G/T students
5%--Capacity for change
Superior intelligence
Knowledge
Skills
Dispositions
Costa and Kallick, Habits of Mind*Connecting Habits and dispositions
*(Costa A. & Kallick, B. 2001. Habits of Mind: A Developmental Series. Book 1: Discovering and Exploring Habits of Mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.)
Persisting; Managing Impulsivity; Listening;Thinking Flexibly; Metacognition;Striving for Accuracy and Precision; Questioning; Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations; Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision; Gathering Data through All Senses; Creating, Imagining, and Innovating; Responding with Wonderment and Awe; Taking Responsible Risks; Finding Humor; Thinking Interdependently; Remaining Open to Continuous Learning
“Explained” the literature
Fit to both state and federal standards
Surveys, checklists/opinions, training, creativity in teachers, secondary sources
Qualitative Coleman’s (1991) practitioner perspective
and the “invisible world” Story (1985) Gentry and Hu: The Gifted Teacher (2006)
Qualitative processGrand tour questionsCategoriesCritical incidents
Definition of reputational expertiseDisplaying qualities congruent with the
literature and the Habits
Habits that defined G/T teachers with “reputational expertise”
Lifelong learningArticulate beliefs well and with
confidenceWonderment and awe
Policy
The Laundry List: Can it be reduced?
Explicitly teach
Specialization implications Freehill, (1974); Hansford, (1985); Newland
(1962); Torrence and Myers (1973) Heath (1997)
Reputational Expertise
Display ed in observations of the
thoughts and actions of G/T
teachers
Defining qualities(knowledge, skills,and dispositions)
of G/T teachers described in professional litera ture,
categorized according to the Habits of Mind
Influencing teacher
endorsement and standards
(state and national)
Exem plified through
display s of enthusiasm and
insatible curiosity
Exem plified by acting as
continuous learners
Expressed firmness in their belief
sy stem
Display ed the Policy attribute:
Felt strongly enough about
these behaviors to prom ote and encourage them
with students
General education
Using emerging categories
Laundry List (Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions)
Real life connections
My sincere thanks is extended to Dr. RevaFriedman-Nimz and Dr. Earle Knowlton who aided me in this quest as well as all the other professors on my doctoral committee who played a significant part in its completion.
Dr. Marcia Dvorak, University of Kansasmjdvorak@ku.edu
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