Exploring teacher disposition toward diverse learners within public elementary schools.

摘要

While research on pre-service teachers' disposition is a critical part of the process of developing new teachers, the research on practicing teacher is just as important. More importantly, the dispositions of practicing teachers who work with diverse groups of students are worthy of exploration and understanding. Current research on the dispositions of practicing teachers, those educators who are deep into the process of teaching children and preparing them for the future, is lacking.;This study explores the phenomenon of teacher dispositions toward diverse learners within three public elementary schools. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore how the construct of teacher disposition, from several participants' views, is defined, practiced, and assessed within the school community. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this study will add to the research on disposition, specifically about how educators (teachers and administrators) define disposition, how teachers practice disposition, and how principals support and assess their teachers' dispositions and relationships with diverse learners.