Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person that has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

~César Chávez

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Teacher dispositions are two-fold. On the one hand, teacher dispositions refer to our past educational experiences and current attitudes, values, and beliefs that influence the way we interact with our students, student families, colleagues, and communities. On the other hand, teacher dispositions refer to the attitudes, values, and beliefs we want to have (or should desire to have) that we know will positively impact our learning community members.

 

Reflecting on our dispositions helps us bridge the gap between the educator that we are and the educator we want to be for our students. Reflection also helps to remind us that to become the educator we know we should be, we need to be intentional.

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Bridging that gap does not come from reflection alone but from an ongoing process of reflection and action. One small but necessary step is to educator ourselves. We need to find out how do great educators view learners and the purpose of education? What do great educators do?

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My current teacher dispositions have been greatly influenced by the work of the following educators:

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• Friere, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed​ (30th-anniversary ed.).

• Dewhurst, M. (2014). Social justice art: A framework for activist art pedagogy.

• Landay, E., & Wooton, K. (2012). A reason to read: Linking literacy and the arts.

• Landson-Billings, G. (1995). But that's just good teaching!

• Herrera, S. G. (2016). Biography-driven culturally responsive teaching (2nd ed.).

• Gilpin, L.S., & Liston, D.D. (2014). Guardian of the status quo of agents of change.

• Bondy et al. (2012). Warm demanders.

• Rethinking Schools: Anti-racist teaching during the pandemic

• Teaching to Thrive Podcast

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As an aspiring educator, the following are the overarching goals that I hope my students come away with after being in my classroom.

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At the end of our time together, it is my hope and intention that each of my learners: 

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1. Know their life is worthy, valued, and loved. 

2. Specifically, know they are valued as a complex, multicultural being.

3. Experience academic, cultural, and social thrival and therefore lead a happy life.

4. View learning as an integrative process because they make meaningful connections across curriculums and with the world around them.

5. Have the necessary tools to continuously grow as creative critical beings.

6. Are empowered to address issues in their lives and the lives of others.

7. Continuously imagine and design positive realities that are just and equitable.

8. Engage with their community in intentional and positive ways and view their community as a worthy and rich source of knowledge.

9. Value collaboration because they know that learning does not happen in isolation.

10. Know that capitalizing on their strengths is important in addressing their areas of growth.

11. In any context, they use their gifts (knowledge, skills, passions) to support individuals who are struggling.

12. View themselves as multifaceted readers and writers.

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There are several ways to make these goals a reality.

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