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Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
1
Evaluation of Professional Practice
Samantha Starr
Capella University, 2024
Teacher Dispositions and Ethics in the Digital Age
Evaluation of Professional Practice
March, 2024
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
2
Evaluation of Professional Practices
In a world that is constantly evolving educators are faced with a choice, to continue to grow with
the times or remain stagnant. As we look around we can see just how vast the possibilities can be
if we chose to have a growth mindset. “Through a growth mindset an individual embraces risks
and sees failure as intrinsic to learning”(Faulkner & Latham, 2016). This type of disposition is
the catalyst by which all other dispositions flow from. In the 21st century, we not only have a
wealth of knowledge at our fingertips but also the ability to implement this information in new
and creative ways. “At a whim, young people are provided instantaneous means of social
inclusion, multimodal information, entertainment, opinions, insights and creations from wide
ranging authors and image makers who possess an even wider range of knowledge, biases and
expertise”(Faulkner & Latham, 2016). We have the ability to create new knowledge by
collaborating with students and colleagues to make education a more dynamic experience.
Another key element to teacher success in the digital age is that of empathy. It is no longer
enough for a teacher to show up with the sole requirement to improve standardized test scores.
Teaching has become so much more than academics. We must be able to relate to students on a
deeper level and feel what they are feeling in order to teach them. As Matthew Howell stated,
“
Empathy is the pathway between us” (Howell, 2017
). Empathy not only helps us to understand
what someone else is feeling but it allows us to find an experience within ourselves to connect to
the experience of another person. Empathy is the core of understanding emotional intelligence.
With students spending more time than ever before in front of screens the foundation of
emotional intelligence is being lost. “
The digital age is flattening emotional intelligence as the
delivery system of content bypasses the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain most associated
with empathy development, and enters the subconscious mind. Research has shown that students
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
3
are unlikely to understand how their brain works, thinking of it as a storehouse for memory and
facts” (Howell, 2017). The brain is so much more than a place to store information but a place to
empathize and engage with others to build deep relationships.
In order to see students succeed
with all the information given in the digital age we need to have the correct dispositions. As
stated in The Characteristics of a Model Technology Education Teacher, I will focus on 4
dispositions of exemplary technology education teachers which include caring for students,
flexible, encouraging and positive attitudes toward students (Koffman, 2011, page 28).
Teachers who show these dispositions not only have excellent results when it comes to students'
academic growth but these dispositions also allow relational growth. In the school where I teach
many parents work more than one job to make ends meet leaving students alone after school to
either do homework or play endless hours of video games. As an inner city school teacher I see
many students can be faced with the possibility of giving up instead of pushing the boundaries to
see what they are capable of accomplishing. Some students come to school with a single priority
of getting rest because they spent hours taking care of a younger sibling the night before. This is
where caring for students comes into play. Caring for students isn’t simply defined as caring for
their academic needs but also their social, emotional and physical needs. Flexibility means
educators change from the fixed mindset when it comes to homework. We must realize the
purpose of homework which is to get additional practice or reps if you will on any particular
subject. If repetition is the goal, who is to determine when that repetition needs to be done?
Students spend on average 7 hours of their day in a typical classroom setting. Most of that time is
centered around academic growth but encouragement can not be forgotten. Encouraging students
gives them the confidence they need to accomplish a skill that might be challenging for them.
Giving a student who struggles behaviorally encouragement when they make a good choice
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Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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could change who they are as a person. Finally, I will discuss the importance of having a positive
attitude when it comes to student interaction.
The Most Relevant Disposition in the Digital Age
The most relevant disposition in the digital age is caring for students. Working in the inner city I
see many signs of distress in students. I see students who are exhausted from doing extra chores
in the house because they have a single mom who works more than one job. I see students who
are left to care for their own hygiene and are not capable of doing so. Yes, educators need to care
for the academic growth of their students but how can a student focus on academic growth when
their basic needs are not being met. Caring for students comes from a place of showing genuine
interest for students and letting them know that as a teacher we care about them as an individual.
This means we care deeply about what happens to them when they leave our classroom for the
day. For example, if we find out a student does not have food available to them once they reach
home. As teachers, it is our job to care that a student is fed at home and connect them with
resources to gain access to food. Once students are cared for in totality they are able to achieve
high standards. This resonates deeply with me as a student in 2nd grade, I struggled to read and
write as I had been given an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) after being diagnosed with
dyslexia. As my parents felt somewhat relieved having been given an answer to why I was
constantly struggling with reading I felt alone and less than my peers. However, my experience
was quickly turned around when my 2nd grade teacher offered to give up her lunch time to help
me become a better reader. As an educator, I now know what my 2nd grade teacher was
sacrificing to help me. She sacrificed extra planning time, time she could have used to make
copies or even socialize with other colleagues. The fact of the matter is that my 2nd grade
teacher cared deeply for me and I can educate other students today because she took the time to
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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make a difference in the life of an 8 year old child. Caring teachers show respect for students'
academic and social needs. They focus on using a non judgemental approach to help students
arrive at a solution that works best for them.
The Importance of Caring as a Teacher Disposition
For educators to be able to implement deposition of caring into their classroom they need to be
flexible, encouraging and have positive attitudes. Every great teacher enters the classroom in
September with a framework in mind, because truthfully, if you do not plan for success then you
plan to fail. When the first day with students comes teachers roll out their expectations, behavior
charts, field trip ideas, and content coverage for the year. As time goes on and relationships are
build teachers find that not everything is always as it seems. The best teachers are able to pivot
and realize the goal is not to get everything checked off the to-do list but to grow the minds of
students. Students come in at all different grade levels and skill sets. The truth is, “
Every day is a
new day, and some days will go according to the plan, but when they don’t (that unexpected
assembly or a specialist who is absent and doesn’t take your students), always maintain a
mindset of flexibility”
(Ferlazzo, 2023). In order for teachers to be successful year after year they
must learn flexibility. To be so rigid can cause unnecessary stress, can impact physical and
emotional health, and even impact relationships with colleagues. It is important to note,
flexibility is not only required for the teacher but also for students. This can be a challenge for
teachers who have very realistic deadlines. For example, the end of a marking period or
standardized testing approaching. When I started out teaching 4th grade I was told to be very
rigid when it came to homework. If homework was not done at home students would lose points
and be forced to finish it during their recess time. All of that changed for me when I came across
a student facing homelessness. For a student that does not have a home how could the
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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expectation of homework be met? As my caring heart burned for this student I realized
something needed to change. I reached out to my local church and encouraged them to start an
after school tutoring program to meet the needs of these students. I told them I would run the
program to offer professional help and even bring my colleagues. The team at that church
quickly accepted and gave me an arsenal of volunteers eager to help. With programs like this
students are able to get “homework” done in a non traditional way but the goal is still the same.
Give students repetition with the new skills they learned during the day. Even if homework is not
done at home students are still thriving.
Next, I found that a lot of students do not truly celebrate who they are and who they were made
to be. As suicide rates for adolescence are on the incline it is now more important than ever for
students to be encouraged by their teachers. The threat our students face is very real, “The types
of use and content children and adolescents are exposed to pose mental health concerns. Children
and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of
mental health problems including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety”(General,
2024, page 5). Students are coming home and finding themselves on their smartphones, video
game systems or tablets for hours at a time. Studies have shown that this increases student
anxiety and depression. Also students are constantly comparing themselves with those they see
on social media. Before the digital age students would see the newest model or trend in a
magazine and hope to implement it into their lives but the time spent looking at those trends was
minimal. We now face constant access to social media and the internet therefore, all students are
constantly being bombarded with “filtered” lives. This is where encouraging teachers come into
play. The best way to motivate students is to offer praise and honor for their hard work
(Edadvanced, 2022). As a new teacher, I needed a way to keep students motivated and
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Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
7
encouraged. As I surfed the web to find a new idea I looked up from my computer to find an
empty jar sitting on my desk. I thought what if everytime the students do well I give them a
“puff” (cotton ball) and when the jar is filled they get to have a special day. The most popular
theme for the special day was a day with Mr. Starr. Mr. Starr would come in and spend time with
the students. They loved showing him their favorite piece of work and playing games to get to
know him. In the digital age where parents have less time to interact with their children it is so
impactful for them to meet my spouse and 1 on 1 interaction to remind students how much they
matter.
Lastly, students need to be around teachers who have positive attitudes. When I first came into
teaching I found this disposition to be somewhat challenging to possess. This realization came to
me the first time I had to discipline a student. I was teaching 6th grade ELA and this particular
student would not stop yelling out profanities. At a whim, I would see this student getting up out
of their seat and walking around to greet other students during instructional time. After constant
gentle reminders I had enough and told this student they would have to serve a lunch detention,
to say the least, the student was enraged. Quickly the student blurted out in front of the class that
I must be a racist. I was left absolutely speechless as the class began to laugh. That was the day I
learned that positive attitudes are not shaped by the situations we face around us but by who we
are within us. The fact of the matter is this, teaching students from different cultural backgrounds
can be challenging. In a school where 98% of the students are African Americans and 99% of the
teachers are Caucasian terms like “racist” are easily abused when students become in the wrong.
Students have learned this term is a quick way to get the attention off whatever unwarranted
behavior they are exhibiting back onto the teacher but most importantly to that student it gets
their classmates aroused and further off task. The five frequently discussed attitudes and actions
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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of a positive teacher include: a genuine caring and kind teacher, a willingness to share the
responsibility involved in a classroom, a sincere sensitivity to the students’ diversity, a
motivation to provide meaningful learning experiences for all students, and an enthusiasm for
stimulating the students’ creativity (Gourneau, 2018, page 8). When a teacher is positive
regardless of the circumstances students become positive. I’ve noticed that as students have
made difficult remarks over the years other students will address the student who is out of line. I
heard many students come to my aid by saying, “Don’t say that about Mrs. Starr, she's so nice.”
While I always thank them for their support I tell them it is not needed but their statement alone
speaks volumes. By standing up for what is right I know they have mastered the art of empathy,
compassion and value the importance of positive attitudes.
The Future of Caring as a Teacher Disposition
In the digital age it is becoming harder each year to find teachers who are willing to not only
teach but deal with challenging behaviors. I know in our school alone the turnover rate is
astronomical. We have teachers who sign contracts to teach full-time for the year but quickly
shortly after a week or two into the position. As we see teachers who have been employed for
25-30 years are burning out, we know they must be replaced but not by just anyone with a warm
body. The profession of teaching is a calling to not only educate students but to care for them.
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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Action Plan to Increase Caring in Classrooms
Every caring classroom starts with a caring teacher. Some would say caring teachers are not
built, they are born but I believe the opposite is true. The goal is quite simple in order to increase
caring levels in the classroom we must increase caring levels within our teachers. Firstly,
teachers who are doing an exceptional job caring for students need to be celebrated. They can be
celebrated by peers or administrators. I remember seeing a 5th grade teacher in my hall who put
on a fantastic learning day for her students. I could tell it was no small undertaking by the looks
of it she called it, “Decimal Diner.” The entire classroom was decorated to look like a diner.
Students were given menus and food items were ordered! As a team students needed to figure
out the bill and even add a tip for the waiter using Monopoly money. I stood at her door in all of
what she had accomplished that day and told her how amazing of a job she had done. Not only
did she meet an academic standard but she did so by making it fun. Additionally, she used her
own money to create the environment and order the food needed to serve the students. By telling
her how great of a job she had done I could see the difference I made by looking into her eyes.
The second part of my action plan is encouraging other teachers to do what works best for their
classroom. When I came on as a 4th grade teacher I was quickly told by my grade partners how I
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Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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would run my classroom. I quickly realized that the behavior plan that worked best for them did
not work best for me. As new teachers are entering the classrooms, we need to partner with them
to give them ideas but ultimately remind them, how they chose to run their classroom is solly up
to them. Additionally, we must always encourage them to be flexible with their schedules and
help them to remember that not everyday will go exactly as planned. Lastly, if teachers have poor
mental health this will translate to the students. We know that students ages 13-17 struggle with
mental health due to the digital age. If students are struggling teachers could be struggling too. In
order to have strong classrooms we need strong teachers. I plan to work with administrators and
Human Resources to provide monthly resources to teachers to make sure they are healthy for
themselves but also for the students.
Conclusion
The digital age has the ability to help our students reach new heights academically but with all
the growth that can come from technology at our fingertips it does present challenges. When
teachers engage the disposition of a growth mindset the possibilities are endless. Teachers who
are caring for their students, flexible, encouraging and have positive attitudes have much
stronger classrooms. As instructors, it is not enough anymore to be a highly educated educator
who can only teach students. In the digital age, educators have to want to make a difference in
the lives of their students. This means caring for their emotional needs just as much as their
academic needs and we know that when all of a student's needs are met they are able to achieve
success in every area of their lives.
Running Head: Evaluation of Professional Practice
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Resources
Edadvanced. (2022, April 19).
Strategies For Motivating Teachers: Top 11 Strategies to
Implement
. Education Advanced, inc..
https://educationadvanced.com/resources/blog/strategies-for-motivating-teachers-top-11-strategie
s-to-implement/
Faulkner, J., & Latham, G. (2016).
Adventurous lives: Teacher qualities for 21st Century
learning
. Research Online. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2016v41n4.9
Ferlazzo, L. (2023, March 8).
Teachers, to succeed, it’s important to be flexible
. Education
Week.
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-teachers-to-succeed-its-important-to-be-flexi
ble/2023/03
General, S. (2024).
Social Media and youth mental health - current priorities of the U.S. Surgeon
general
. Current Priorities of the U.S. Surgeon General.
https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html#:~:t
ext=The%20types%20of%20use%20and,symptoms%20of%20depression%20and%20anxiety.
Gourneau, B. (2018).
Five Attitudes of Effective Teachers: Implications for Teacher Training
,
13
(1), 1–9.
https://openriver.winona.edu/eie/vol13/iss1/5/#:~:text=The%20five%20frequently%20discussed
%20attitudes,students%2C%20and%20an%20enthusiasm%20for
Howell, M. S. (2017, April 18).
Developing empathy in the digital age
. Research Online.
http://edcircuit.com/empathy-digital-age/
Kaufman, A. R., Warner, S. A., & Buechele, J. R. (2011).
The characteristics of a model
technology education teacher.Technology and Engineering Teacher,
70 (8), 25–33.
http://library.capella.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.library.capella.edu/docview/889273541?accountid=27965