Title: Faculty Perceptions of Educator Dispositions: What dispositions do middle level teachers need, and does teacher prep teach them?
Author: Holly J. Thornton
Journal Issue: Fall 2025 36(2)
Abstract: The current shortage of qualified classroom teachers coincides with a pervasive emphasis on the concept of teacher as technician. Teaching is dominated by centralized top-down instructional decision-making, with a primary aim of teacher accountability. The very human elements required for effective teaching are being increasingly diminished within schools. This runs counter to middle level education’s emphasis on relationships and connecting learning to young adolescent students’ characteristics and lived experiences. The human aspects of teaching can be evidenced, evaluated, and cultivated through a focus on teacher dispositions. This article asks if educator preparation faculty share a definition of teacher dispositions and value them as a key element of successful teaching and learning. It also examines if faculty hold a common belief that these essential human elements can be taught to teacher candidates and how this may intentionally happen.