Reflection on Deposition

Professional Dispositions

For Professional Education Programs at UNC Charlotte

The mission of the professional education programs at UNC Charlotte is to prepare highly effective and ethical graduates who demonstrate knowledge, effectiveness, and commitment to transforming lives by having a positive impact on children, youth, families, communities, and schools. In order to reach this end, candidates must couple their knowledge and effective skills with a clear commitment to children, families, colleagues, schools, and communities, and the profession. Professional educators must demonstrate commitment to ethics, leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and continuous growth in order to have a positive impact on others. (Conceptual Framework of Professional Education Programs at UNC Charlotte, 2011). Professional dispositions and behaviors that exhibit this commitment include:

Impact

• Demonstrate the belief that all individuals can succeed
• Provide encouraging feedback to all individuals
• Respect and respond to individual needs
• Provide equitable learning and development opportunities for all
• Promote positive outcomes based on assessment results

Professional Identity and Continuous Growth

• Maintain positive attitudes in academic and professional settings
• Demonstrate professional appearance
• Act on constructive feedback from others
• Conduct self-assessments through reflection to overcome limitations and enhance strengths
• Demonstrate self-initiated learning
• Communicate effectively and appropriately
• Show punctuality in meeting academic and professional obligations

Leadership

• Create opportunities for the mutual benefit of all involved
• Promote positive change through personal interactions, organizations, communities, and the profession
• Initiate, suggest, and contribute in appropriate ways
• Maintain knowledge of and disseminate information about current research and best practices

Advocacy

• Support and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Include families and other stakeholders in planning for individual success
• Advocate for the social, emotional, physical, educational, behavioral, and basic needs of others
• Demonstrate empathy, professional self-confidence, fairness, persistence, problem-solving, and appropriate risk-taking on behalf of others

Collaboration

• Respond respectfully to individual perspectives and differences of others
• Engage in culturally responsive practices in interactions with learners, families, communities, and colleagues
• Share information and ideas with others
• Cooperate with university, school, and community personnel
• Collaborate to resolve differences and solve problems respectfully and reflectively

Ethics

• Demonstrate honesty, integrity, fairness, respect for others and confidentiality
• Comply with laws, policies, and procedures
• Accept responsibility for personal actions and behaviors
• Follow professional codes of ethics and the UNC Charlotte Code of Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility
• Disclose any unlawful activity upon application to and throughout the program
• Pass criminal background checks and drug screening, as required
• Create and maintain appropriate interpersonal relationships in all settings