Professional Dispositions Review Process

To provide students in the Faculty of Education with feedback and to take timely steps as needed regarding ethical and professional behaviour, both in academic and field settings, the Faculty of Education engages in a regularly scheduled Professional Dispositions review process. The Professional Dispositions on which students are evaluated are closely aligned with the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession and Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession.

All faculty members (including Field Supervisors) who have had direct contact with the students have input to the decisions about whether they have met the standards outlined in the list of Professional Dispositions.
In the absence of evidence to the contrary, all dispositions will be assumed to be at the Acceptable level. When behaviours indicating an unacceptable disposition are identified by a faculty member, a Professional Dispositions form may be completed and submitted to the Dean's Office. This may occur at any time during the year. When a Professional Dispositions form is submitted to the Dean's Office, the Dean and the faculty member involved will determine together whether or not a meeting should be held with the student at that time.

Twice each year, in October and again in February, faculty members meet to review student conduct and behaviour in both academic and professional settings with respect to professional dispositions. At this time, all Professional Dispositions forms that have been submitted that year or since the previous dispositions meeting will be considered for possible further action. It may or may not be necessary to meet with students who have been identified through a Professional Dispositions form, depending on whether or not the
behaviour or situation has been resolved.

At each Dispositions review meeting faculty members will also report any outstanding extensions for assignments, or any TECs who are in academic difficulty.

If any further action is to be taken on the basis of a Professional Dispositions report, the student will be asked to attend a conference with the faculty member(s) involved and the either the Dean or Associate Dean. At this conference, the student will be informed of the problem, given a copy of the completed Professional Dispositions form, and invited to respond. The student and faculty members will work together to design an action plan to remediate the targeted disposition problem.

By the end of Year 1, all Dispositions must be in Acceptable category or the TEC must be making satisfactory progress on an action plan to move all Dispositions to the Acceptable category.

In rare cases, serious concerns regarding dispositions may result in deferral of progression through the program and/or investigation of allegations of misconduct under the WLU Student Code of Conduct and Discipline, and/or the student not being recommended for Certification with the Ontario College of Teachers. If a candidate is dissatisfied with a deferral decision, he or she may follow the Appeals process. The Professional Dispositions form is found in the Bachelor of Education Program Handbook.