Maxtla Benavides
Staff Writer

Faculty gathered to discuss the characteristics of a successful teacher during Emily Shoemaker’s presentation on Feb 19.

The presentation on “The Disposition to Teach,” was located in the President’s Dining Room with a turnout of about 20 people.

Shoemaker has worked as an educator for 30 years and is currently working directly with the Teacher Education Program, which offers multiple and single subject credentials with the goal of giving teachers the tools they need to positively impact children’s lives and to create a better learning environment for them.

The purpose of this program is to ensure the success of not only children, but the many aspiring teachers at the University of La Verne as a study group formed to analyze the dispositions of teaching.

Shoemaker’s presentation covered the idea of teacher dispositions, which are based on beliefs, attitudes and how they interact and impact a student’s learning and development.

Many teachers fail to understand that who they are and what they believe in can truly have an influence on their students.

Examining teacher dispositions gives one the ability to see the true character of a person and then decide if they are meant to be teachers.

“I really liked the approach of being able to redirect those who are not meant to teach,” Julia Wheeler, assistant director of planned giving and church relations said.

Shoemaker hopes that this study group can help integrate positive dispositions into the Teacher Education Program’s course work.

“Our biggest goal is to embed teacher dispositions in the education program effectively,” Shoemaker said.

Many faculty members discussed and voiced concerns about teacher dispositions.

It was obvious that they genuinely cared about the quality of education students receive.

“Teacher educators care deeply that future educators have the attitudes, beliefs and values to be effective with all students, to collaborate with fellow educators, and serve the community,” said Mark Goor, dean of college of education and organization leadership in an e-mailed statement.

Currently, the Teacher Education Program works hard to provide the best curriculum to build strong and successful teachers and programs.

“Our Teacher Education Program is so humanistic and truly based on caring for every student,” Shoemaker said. “It is in excellent shape,”
“Dr. Shoemaker's presentation was extremely useful to the field of higher education faculty who work with teacher education,” Barbara Poling, associate dean of the college of education and organizational leadership said.

“It reflected the state of the art thinking about bringing the attitudes, skills and values of teaching to the prospective teacher and ultimately effecting public school students,” Poling said.

Shoemaker hopes to publish the study of the dispositions of teaching. In publishing the results, awareness and knowledge can be brought not only to the ULV community but also to people in the field of education.

“I really want to thank those who attended for their contributions and the thoughtful discussion,” Shoemaker said.

Maxtla Benavides can be reached at mbenavides@ulv.edu.