To the Editor:
The matter of professional dispositions in teacher education is indeed complex (“Teacher Ed. Community Is Striving to Interpret Candidate ‘Dispositions,’ ” March 19, 2008). But your article, in which I am quoted, did not capture the nuance in my explanation of the term. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education expects institutions to provide evidence that a candidate is prepared to treat all children fairly and to expect that all children can learn. This evidence must be based on observable behaviors in educational settings. NCATE does not recommend the assessment of attitudes and values.
Arthur E. Wise
President
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Washington, D.C.