Introduction
Teacher dispositions—the professional attitudes, values, beliefs, and commitments that influence behavior toward students, families, colleagues, and communities—represent a critical dimension of effective teaching that extends beyond knowledge and skills. These “habits of mind” shape how teachers interpret and respond to classroom situations, build relationships with diverse learners, persist through challenges, reflect on their practice, and continuously grow as professionals. Understanding how to identify, develop, and assess these dispositions has been the focus of researchers, teacher educators, philosophers, and practitioners who have collectively transformed how we conceptualize teacher quality beyond mere technical competence.
This article highlights 100 influential individuals whose work has significantly shaped our understanding of teacher dispositions and the development of approaches to cultivate professional temperament and character in educators. From pioneering theorists who established foundational frameworks for understanding the moral dimensions of teaching to innovative teacher educators who developed approaches for nurturing professional dispositions, from policy makers who incorporated dispositional standards into accreditation to exemplary practitioners who modeled transformative teaching orientations—these individuals have collectively deepened our understanding of the personal qualities that underlie effective teaching.
Their contributions span multiple dimensions: theoretical frameworks illuminating the nature and importance of teacher dispositions, evidence-based approaches to cultivating professional temperament, assessment tools for evaluating dispositional development, policy initiatives establishing dispositional standards, and powerful examples of how specific dispositions manifest in exemplary practice. Together, they have moved teacher education from a narrow focus on knowledge and skills toward a more holistic vision that recognizes the critical importance of professional identity, ethical commitment, and relational capacity in effective teaching.
Pioneering Researchers and Theorists
1. Arthur Combs
Educational psychologist Arthur Combs’ pioneering research on the “helping professions” established that effective teachers’ perceptions of themselves, others, and their purpose fundamentally shape their practice. His “perceptual psychology” approach revealed how teachers’ internal beliefs and attitudes—rather than just their observable behaviors—determine effectiveness, establishing foundations for understanding teaching as more than technique. His identification of key perceptual orientations of effective helpers, including seeing others as capable, viewing helping as freeing rather than controlling, and maintaining a positive view of self, continues to influence conceptions of core teaching dispositions.
2. John Dewey
While predating the term “dispositions,” philosopher John Dewey’s writings on the qualities of reflective thinking and democratic engagement established foundational ideas about teacher temperament. His emphasis on open-mindedness, whole-heartedness, and responsibility as essential attitudes for reflective practice provided a framework for understanding the thinking dispositions that support effective teaching. His vision of education for democracy further emphasized dispositions toward equity, inquiry, and community engagement that remain central to contemporary discussions.
3. Carl Rogers
Psychologist Carl Rogers’ person-centered approach emphasized the crucial importance of teacher attitudes in creating effective learning environments. His identification of genuineness, unconditional positive regard, and empathic understanding as core conditions for facilitating growth has profoundly influenced conceptions of essential teaching dispositions. His work demonstrated how these relational qualities create psychological safety that enables learning, establishing the dispositional foundations of effective teaching relationships.
4. Lee Shulman
Educational researcher Lee Shulman’s work on teacher knowledge domains included attention to the moral dimensions of teaching. His concept of “pedagogical content knowledge” incorporated understanding not just what to teach but dispositions toward how to represent content in ways that make it accessible to diverse learners. His leadership at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching further expanded attention to professional formation that develops identity and commitment beyond technical skill.
5. Carol Dweck
Psychologist Carol Dweck’s research on mindset has revealed how beliefs about intelligence and learning fundamentally shape educational practices. Her distinction between fixed and growth mindsets has influenced understanding of how teachers’ implicit theories about ability affect their interactions with students, particularly those who struggle. Her work has established the disposition toward seeing intelligence as malleable rather than fixed as foundational for effective teaching, especially with diverse learners.
6. Nel Noddings
Philosopher Nel Noddings’ ethic of care established caring relationships as the foundation of effective teaching. Her detailed analysis of care as involving receptivity, motivational displacement, and reciprocity provided a framework for understanding the relational dispositions that support student thriving. Her distinction between “caring for” and “caring about” highlighted the importance of genuine relationship rather than abstract commitment, influencing conceptions of caring as a core teaching disposition.
7. Mary Diez
Educational researcher Mary Diez’s pioneering work explicitly defining and assessing teacher dispositions has shaped both research and practice in teacher education. Her leadership at Alverno College developing a performance-based approach to cultivating professional dispositions established models for integrating dispositional development throughout teacher preparation. Her frameworks identifying dispositions toward equity, reflection, and collaboration have influenced program structures nationwide.
8. Hugh Sockett
Philosopher Hugh Sockett’s analysis of teaching as a moral profession has illuminated the character virtues underlying effective practice. His identification of key virtues including honesty, courage, care, fairness, and practical wisdom has provided frameworks for understanding the ethical dimensions of teaching dispositions. His critique of reductionist approaches to teacher evaluation has maintained focus on the moral purposes that drive authentic teaching.
9. Elizabeth Campbell
Educational researcher Elizabeth Campbell’s work on the ethical knowledge of teachers has revealed how moral sensibilities inform professional judgment. Her research on how teachers navigate ethical dilemmas has illuminated the dispositional foundations of ethical practice, emphasizing how professional integrity manifests in daily decision-making. Her concept of “moral agency” has highlighted teachers’ responsibility to act with ethical purpose beyond simply following rules.
10. Alan Tom
Educational philosopher Alan Tom’s characterization of teaching as a “moral craft” established frameworks for understanding the ethical dimensions of pedagogical decision-making. His analysis of how technical and moral aspects of teaching intertwine illuminated how dispositions permeate instructional choices. His work challenged artificial separations between skill and character in teaching, emphasizing their integration in authentic practice.
11. William Damon
Developmental psychologist William Damon’s research on moral development and purpose has illuminated how professional commitment forms. His work on how purpose provides meaning and motivation has influenced understanding of how teachers develop and sustain commitment to educational values. His frameworks for understanding moral identity development have informed approaches to cultivating professional ethics in teacher education.
12. Gary Fenstermacher
Philosopher Gary Fenstermacher’s analysis of the “manner” of teaching alongside method and content highlighted how teachers’ ways of being fundamentally shape student experience. His distinction between “manner” as the moral dimension of teaching and “method” as its technical dimension established conceptual clarity about the dispositional aspects of practice. His work on “manner in teaching” specifically identified virtues like fairness, respect, and honesty as essential to educational relationships.
13. James Raths
Educational researcher James Raths’ work explicitly defining teacher dispositions for assessment purposes has influenced how teacher education programs conceptualize and evaluate these qualities. His definition of dispositions as patterns of acts that are directed toward particular goals helped distinguish dispositions from attitudes or beliefs. His frameworks for identifying critical dispositions have shaped program structures and assessment approaches nationwide.
14. Lisa Delpit
Educational researcher Lisa Delpit’s work on the “culture of power” has illuminated the dispositional orientations necessary for effectively teaching students from marginalized communities. Her analysis of how teachers’ assumptions about language, knowledge, and capability affect educational access has highlighted the importance of dispositions toward cultural responsiveness and critical self-reflection. Her emphasis on “warm demanders” who combine high expectations with genuine care has influenced conceptions of effective dispositional balances.
15. Martin Haberman
Educational researcher Martin Haberman’s identification of “star teacher” characteristics through his research with successful urban educators revealed dispositional orientations that support effectiveness in challenging contexts. His findings that persistence, protection of learners, application of theory, approach to at-risk students, and professional-personal orientation distinguished successful teachers have influenced selection and development approaches focused on dispositional fit for specific contexts.
16. Gloria Ladson-Billings
Educational researcher Gloria Ladson-Billings’ work on culturally relevant pedagogy has illuminated the dispositional orientations that support effectiveness with culturally diverse students. Her identification of teachers’ conceptions of self and others, social relations, and knowledge as key dimensions of culturally relevant practice has highlighted how dispositions toward cultural affirmation, relationship building, and knowledge construction create foundations for equitable teaching.
17. Albert Bandura
Psychologist Albert Bandura’s research on self-efficacy has illuminated how teachers’ beliefs about their capability to positively influence student learning affect their persistence, effort, and resilience. His work has established teacher self-efficacy as a critical disposition that shapes instructional choices, particularly when facing challenges. His social cognitive theory has further revealed how dispositions develop through social modeling and mastery experiences rather than just direct instruction.
18. David Hansen
Philosopher David Hansen’s concept of “moral attentiveness” in teaching has illuminated how ethical awareness permeates effective practice. His research on how teachers embody moral commitment through their presence and interaction has revealed the dispositional foundations of moral influence. His concept of “tenacious humility” as a key teaching disposition has captured the paradoxical strength and openness required in effective teaching.
19. Thomas Lickona
Educational psychologist Thomas Lickona’s work on character education has included attention to the moral qualities teachers must embody to effectively influence students’ character development. His emphasis on teachers as moral models and the “character of the teacher as character educator” has highlighted how dispositions toward virtue both enable and constrain teachers’ ability to foster ethical development in students.
20. Sonia Nieto
Educational researcher Sonia Nieto’s work on multicultural education has illuminated the dispositional orientations necessary for affirming diversity while maintaining high expectations. Her research on what sustains teachers in challenging schools has revealed dispositions toward sociopolitical consciousness, community engagement, and continuous learning as crucial for effectiveness in diverse contexts. Her emphasis on teaching as autobiographical reflection has highlighted how personal history shapes professional disposition.
Teacher Educators and Program Developers
21. Linda Darling-Hammond
Educational researcher Linda Darling-Hammond’s comprehensive work on teacher quality has consistently emphasized the importance of dispositions alongside knowledge and skills. Her leadership developing performance assessments that capture dispositional dimensions of teaching has influenced how programs evaluate readiness for professional practice. Her research identifying qualities of effective teacher education programs has highlighted approaches that successfully develop professional values and commitments alongside technical competencies.
22. Kenneth Zeichner
Teacher educator Kenneth Zeichner’s work on reflective teacher education has emphasized developing critical consciousness as a core professional disposition. His analysis of approaches to reflection has distinguished technical, practical, and critical orientations, highlighting how dispositional factors influence the depth and purpose of reflective practice. His critique of technicist approaches to teacher education has maintained focus on the social justice dimensions of professional preparation.
23. Marilyn Cochran-Smith
Educational researcher Marilyn Cochran-Smith’s work on teacher education for social justice has illuminated how programs can develop dispositions toward equity and advocacy. Her conceptualization of “inquiry as stance” has provided frameworks for cultivating dispositions toward questioning, evidence use, and continuous improvement. Her leadership advancing research on teaching for social justice has highlighted the dispositional dimensions of equity-oriented practice.
24. Charlotte Danielson
Educator Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching has integrated dispositional elements throughout its domains, particularly in creating classroom environments and demonstrating professional responsibilities. Her comprehensive approach to defining effective teaching has legitimized dispositional aspects of practice within evaluation systems. Her emphasis on teacher reflection as central to professional growth has supported dispositional development through structured self-assessment.
25. Sharon Feiman-Nemser
Teacher educator Sharon Feiman-Nemser’s research on teacher learning across the professional continuum has illuminated how dispositions develop over time through supported experience. Her concept of “educative mentoring” has provided frameworks for helping novices develop professional values and commitments through guided reflection. Her identification of “central tasks” of learning to teach has integrated dispositional development with knowledge and skill acquisition.
26. Fred Korthagen
Teacher educator Fred Korthagen’s “realistic teacher education” approach and “onion model” of teacher development have integrated attention to professional identity, mission, and beliefs alongside behaviors and competencies. His emphasis on core reflection that addresses deeper levels of professional being has influenced approaches to cultivating dispositional depth rather than superficial compliance. His work on “presence” in teaching has highlighted the dispositional foundations of authentic professional engagement.
27. Karen Hammerness
Educational researcher Karen Hammerness’ work on teacher vision has illuminated how teachers’ images of ideal practice influence their professional development and decision-making. Her research revealing how vision serves as both guide and measurement tool has highlighted this dispositional dimension of teacher identity. Her longitudinal studies of how teachers maintain or modify their vision over time have shown how this dispositional anchor evolves through professional experience.
28. Robert Hess
As dean of Harvard Graduate School of Education in the 1960s, Robert Hess emphasized the importance of selecting teacher candidates with appropriate dispositions, saying “I would rather entrust my child to a teacher who cared and who had a sense of awe and wonder about the development of children” than to someone with merely technical knowledge. His early articulation of dispositional priorities influenced generations of teacher educators.
29. Frances O’Connell Rust
Teacher educator Frances O’Connell Rust’s work on teacher research has provided frameworks for developing inquiry dispositions in teachers. Her approaches helping teachers systematically study their own practice have cultivated orientations toward evidence-based improvement rather than routine action. Her emphasis on collaborative inquiry has further developed dispositions toward professional community and shared knowledge building.
30. Michael Andrew
Teacher educator Michael Andrew’s development of “extended field experiences” models has created structures for developing professional dispositions through supervised practice. His research demonstrating the dispositional advantages of graduates from these programs has influenced the expansion of residency approaches. His emphasis on selection for dispositional fit has further highlighted the importance of identifying candidates with appropriate professional orientations.
31. John Goodlad
Educational researcher John Goodlad’s work through the National Network for Educational Renewal emphasized the moral dimensions of teaching and teacher education. His articulation of “moral imperatives” for educators established normative expectations for professional commitment. His collaborative development of a Moral Dimensions of Teaching framework with Roger Soder and Kenneth Sirotnik explicitly addressed the dispositional foundations of educational practice.
32. Robert Nash
Philosopher Robert Nash’s work on “real talk” about ethics in teacher education has provided approaches for developing moral reasoning as a professional disposition. His use of personal narrative and philosophical inquiry to explore professional values has influenced methods for cultivating ethical awareness. His identification of “normative narratives” that shape teacher identity has highlighted how cultural stories influence dispositional development.
33. Parker Palmer
Educator Parker Palmer’s writings on the “inner landscape” of teaching have illuminated the connections between personal authenticity and professional effectiveness. His assertion that “we teach who we are” has highlighted how personal integration supports teaching presence. His circles of trust approach has provided structures for cultivating dispositions toward wholeness and integrity in professional life.
34. Derrick Bell
Legal scholar and educator Derrick Bell’s concept of “ethical ambition” has provided frameworks for understanding how commitment to justice can inform professional practice despite institutional constraints. His personal example of principled resignation from Harvard Law School over faculty diversity demonstrated dispositional courage and integrity. His storytelling approach to exploring ethical dilemmas has influenced methods for developing moral imagination in professional education.
35. Deborah Ball
Mathematics educator Deborah Ball’s work on “high-leverage practices” has integrated attention to teacher dispositions within frameworks for effective instruction. Her research identifying relational practices like eliciting student thinking and coordinating classroom discourse has highlighted dispositional orientations that support content learning. Her leadership of TeachingWorks has advanced approaches to developing these integrated aspects of practice.
36. Anthony Bryk
Educational researcher Anthony Bryk’s work on trust in schools has revealed how relational dispositions create foundations for school improvement. His research identifying respect, personal regard, competence, and integrity as components of trust has provided frameworks for understanding the dispositional elements of effective professional community. His emphasis on improvement science has further cultivated dispositions toward evidence-based innovation rather than faddism.
37. Richard Elmore
Educational researcher Richard Elmore’s work on instructional rounds has developed collaborative inquiry dispositions among educators. His emphasis on developing a shared observational lens and suspension of judgment has cultivated orientations toward evidence-based dialogue rather than evaluative assumptions. His critique of superficial reform efforts has further developed dispositions toward depth and coherence in improvement efforts.
38. Ana María Villegas
Educational researcher Ana María Villegas’ work on culturally responsive teacher education has illuminated approaches to developing dispositions toward diversity. Her research with Tamara Lucas identifying orientations, knowledge, and skills required for cultural responsiveness has highlighted how dispositional factors like sociocultural consciousness and affirming views of diversity create foundations for effective practice with diverse students.
39. Joseph Featherstone
Educator Joseph Featherstone’s documentation of progressive educational approaches, particularly his influential articles on British primary schools, has illustrated the dispositional orientations underlying child-centered teaching. His portrayal of teachers with dispositions toward trust in children’s capacity, comfort with emergent curriculum, and valuing of play has influenced generations of educators seeking alternatives to technocratic approaches.
40. Pamela Grossman
Teacher educator Pamela Grossman’s research on preparing teachers for relational aspects of practice has highlighted approaches to developing interpersonal dispositions. Her work identifying core practices that require relational capacity has integrated attention to dispositional elements within practice-based teacher education. Her development of protocols for analyzing and enacting complex practice has created structures for cultivating professional judgment.
Policy Makers and Standards Developers
41. Arthur Wise
As president of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Arthur Wise led the incorporation of professional dispositions into accreditation standards for teacher preparation programs. His leadership establishing expectations that programs would assess candidates’ dispositional development legitimized this dimension of teacher quality within accountability systems while generating important dialogue about appropriate definitions and measures.
42. Frank Murray
Educational researcher Frank Murray’s leadership on the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards revision incorporated professional dispositions throughout the model core teaching standards. His work ensured that dispositional expectations like believing all students can learn, persisting in supporting struggling learners, and committing to continuous improvement were explicitly addressed in standards guiding program approval and teacher evaluation nationwide.
43. Mary Brabeck
As chair of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) commission, psychologist Mary Brabeck led the development of accreditation standards that maintained focus on professional dispositions while addressing measurement challenges. Her work helped navigate tensions between ensuring dispositional readiness for teaching and respecting candidates’ freedom of belief, establishing more defensible approaches to dispositional assessment.
44. Etta Hollins
Educational researcher Etta Hollins’ work on teaching diverse populations has influenced teacher preparation standards addressing cultural responsiveness. Her frameworks for developing teacher knowledge and dispositions for effective practice with students from historically marginalized communities have shaped expectations for program content addressing diversity. Her concept of “cultural mediation” has highlighted dispositional orientations necessary for bridging cultural differences.
45. Edward Crowe
Education policy expert Edward Crowe’s work on teacher preparation program accountability has addressed the assessment of dispositional outcomes alongside content knowledge and teaching skill. His development of the Teacher Preparation Analytics framework included attention to non-academic factors predicting teaching success. His emphasis on using multiple measures to assess candidate quality has supported more comprehensive approaches to dispositional evaluation.
46. Roy Edelfelt
As executive secretary of the National Commission on Teacher Education and Professional Standards, Roy Edelfelt advanced conceptions of teaching as a profession with ethical dimensions beyond technical skill. His leadership promoting teaching as a career of service with moral purpose influenced policy approaches that recognized dispositional aspects of teacher quality. His advocacy for teacher voice in professional standards further emphasized teaching as requiring professional judgment.
47. James Comer
Psychiatrist James Comer’s School Development Program emphasized the dispositional orientations necessary for creating supportive school environments. His identification of consensus, collaboration, and no-fault problem-solving as guiding principles established norms for professional interaction based on mutual respect. His work has influenced both preparation and policy approaches that address the relational dimensions of educational improvement.
48. Joan Lombardi
Early childhood policy expert Joan Lombardi’s leadership implementing professional development systems for early educators has addressed dispositional dimensions of working with young children. Her frameworks for comprehensive professional preparation have included attention to nurturing positive relationships, respecting diversity, and maintaining joy in learning. Her advocacy has elevated these dispositional elements in policy discussions about early educator quality.
49. Robert Slavin
Educational researcher Robert Slavin’s development of cooperative learning models has established structures that require and develop collaborative dispositions in both teachers and students. His Success for All program’s emphasis on team teaching and shared responsibility has created contexts that cultivate dispositions toward collective efficacy. His evidence-based approach has further developed orientations toward using research to improve practice.
50. Deborah Meier
Educator Deborah Meier’s development of democratic small schools has created environments that cultivate and require specific teacher dispositions. Her emphasis on habits of mind like evidence, viewpoint, connections, and relevance has established frameworks for intellectual dispositions that teachers both develop and model. Her leadership in the school reform movement has elevated these dispositional elements in policy discussions about school quality.
51. David Imig
As president of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), David Imig guided the field’s response to increasing policy attention to teacher dispositions. His leadership navigating tensions around definition and assessment of dispositions helped institutions develop more thoughtful approaches to this dimension of teacher development. His advocacy for professional standards that include dispositional elements has maintained their place in quality frameworks.
52. Ann Lieberman
Educational researcher Ann Lieberman’s work on teacher leadership and professional learning has cultivated dispositions toward continuous improvement and collaborative inquiry. Her development of structures like critical friends groups has created contexts that develop dispositional openness to feedback and commitment to growth. Her research on teacher networks has further illuminated how professional community supports dispositional development.
53. Andy Hargreaves
Educational researcher Andy Hargreaves’ work on emotional geographies of teaching has illuminated the dispositional dimensions of professional relationships. His research on collaborative cultures versus contrived collegiality has revealed how authentic dispositional orientations differ from compliance-driven behaviors. His emphasis on sustainable leadership has further highlighted dispositions toward long-term commitment rather than quick fixes.
54. Theodore Sizer
Educator Theodore Sizer’s Coalition of Essential Schools established principles that reflect and require specific teacher dispositions. His emphasis on personalization, intellectual challenge, and democratic governance created contexts that developed dispositions toward knowing students well, trusting their capacity, and sharing authority. His influence on school reform has elevated these dispositional elements in policy discussions about teacher quality.
55. Michael Fullan
Educational change expert Michael Fullan’s work on implementation has addressed the dispositional orientations that support sustained improvement. His emphasis on “changes in practice and changes in beliefs” has highlighted how behavioral and dispositional changes interact in professional growth. His concept of “moral purpose” as driving educational change has further elevated the ethical dimensions of teaching in policy discussions.
56. Linda Valli
Educational researcher Linda Valli’s work on reflective teacher education has established frameworks for developing reflective dispositions. Her typology distinguishing technical, deliberative, personalistic, and critical reflection has illuminated how dispositional orientations influence the focus and depth of professional reflection. Her research on different approaches to reflective practice has influenced program structures for developing these dispositions.
57. Maxine Greene
Philosopher Maxine Greene’s concept of “wide-awakeness” as an essential teaching disposition has influenced approaches to developing critical consciousness in educators. Her emphasis on imagination, possibility, and freedom has challenged technocratic conceptions of teaching while inspiring more humanistic approaches. Her leadership at Lincoln Center Institute further developed frameworks for aesthetic education that cultivates these dispositional qualities.
58. Karen Osterman
Organizational psychologist Karen Osterman’s research on reflective practice in education has illuminated how reflective dispositions develop through structured experience. Her analysis of the organizational conditions that support or hinder reflection has influenced how programs and schools create contexts for dispositional growth. Her work on professional community has further revealed how collective contexts shape individual dispositional development.
59. Richard Ingersoll
Sociologist Richard Ingersoll’s research on teacher turnover has revealed how working conditions affect the development and maintenance of professional commitment. His findings about the importance of teacher voice and administrative support have influenced policy approaches that recognize the contextual factors shaping dispositional resilience. His analysis of out-of-field teaching has further highlighted systemic challenges to developing subject-specific teaching dispositions.
60. Emily Calhoun
Educational researcher Emily Calhoun’s development of action research models for school improvement has cultivated inquiry dispositions among educators. Her structured approaches to collaborative investigation of practice have developed orientations toward evidence-based change rather than assumption-driven action. Her emphasis on whole-faculty involvement has further cultivated dispositions toward collective responsibility for student learning.
Exemplary Practitioners and Models
61. Jaime Escalante
Mathematics teacher Jaime Escalante, whose story was told in “Stand and Deliver,” demonstrated extraordinary dispositional commitment to students’ potential regardless of background. His persistence in developing advanced mathematical capability in students previously considered incapable exemplified dispositional qualities of tenacity, high expectations, and belief in human potential that transform educational opportunity.
62. Marva Collins
Educator Marva Collins founded Westside Preparatory School in Chicago, demonstrating dispositions toward educational excellence and unwavering belief in children’s capabilities despite disadvantaged circumstances. Her commitment to classical education for students previously labeled unteachable exemplified dispositional courage to challenge prevailing deficit perspectives while maintaining rigorous expectations regardless of students’ backgrounds.
63. Vivian Gussin Paley
Kindergarten teacher Vivian Gussin Paley’s detailed observations of children’s play and her innovative storytelling curriculum demonstrated dispositions toward deep listening and valuing children’s perspectives. Her book “You Can’t Say You Can’t Play” further illustrated her dispositional commitment to inclusion and community building. Her reflective writings about classroom life have provided models of teacher inquiry disposition for generations of educators.
64. Rafe Esquith
Elementary teacher Rafe Esquith’s work with fifth-graders in Los Angeles, documented in books like “Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire,” demonstrated extraordinary dispositional commitment to educational excellence in disadvantaged contexts. His Hobart Shakespeareans program showed how dispositions toward high expectations, cultural enrichment, and extended time commitment can transform educational opportunity for students living in poverty.
65. Erin Gruwell
English teacher Erin Gruwell, whose story was told in “Freedom Writers,” demonstrated dispositions toward persistence, cultural responsiveness, and belief in writing as transformative. Her commitment to connecting curriculum to students’ lives and building a supportive classroom community exemplified dispositional qualities that enable breakthrough teaching with students facing significant life challenges.
66. Geoffrey Canada
Educator Geoffrey Canada’s development of the Harlem Children’s Zone demonstrated dispositions toward comprehensive problem-solving and community engagement. His commitment to addressing multiple dimensions of child development through integrated services exemplified dispositional orientations toward holistic approaches rather than fragmented interventions. His leadership has modeled dispositional persistence in the face of complex social challenges.
67. Mike Rose
Educator and writer Mike Rose’s work with underprepared students has demonstrated dispositions toward seeing intelligence and capability in unexpected places. His books, including “Lives on the Boundary” and “Possible Lives,” have portrayed teachers with extraordinary dispositional capacity to recognize and nurture potential in students marginalized by traditional educational structures. His own teaching has modeled these dispositional qualities while his writing has illuminated them for broader audiences.
68. Karen Gallas
Elementary teacher Karen Gallas’ detailed documentation of classroom life through books like “Talking Their Way Into Science” demonstrated dispositions toward careful observation and valuing children’s thinking. Her teacher research approach exemplified dispositional curiosity about children’s meaning-making and commitment to understanding teaching through systematic inquiry. Her leadership in the teacher research movement has modeled these dispositional orientations for countless educators.
69. Bob Moses
Civil rights activist and educator Bob Moses founded the Algebra Project, demonstrating dispositions toward mathematical empowerment as a civil right. His commitment to developing mathematical literacy among students from marginalized communities exemplified dispositional orientations toward education as liberation. His organizing approach further demonstrated dispositions toward community engagement and collective action for educational equity.
70. Deborah Meier
(Mentioned earlier) Beyond her policy influence, Deborah Meier’s leadership of innovative small schools like Central Park East demonstrated dispositions toward democratic education and trust in teachers’ professional judgment. Her schools created contexts where teachers could develop and express dispositions toward intellectual inquiry, collegial collaboration, and respect for diverse perspectives. Her own teaching and leadership modeled these dispositional qualities for generations of educators.
71. LouAnne Johnson
Teacher LouAnne Johnson, whose story was told in “Dangerous Minds,” demonstrated dispositions toward building relationships with disengaged students through cultural connection and genuine interest. Her creative approaches to engaging students previously written off by the educational system exemplified dispositional flexibility and commitment to finding pathways to reach every learner despite challenging circumstances.
72. Sylvia Ashton-Warner
Teacher Sylvia Ashton-Warner’s innovative approach to literacy with Maori children in New Zealand demonstrated dispositions toward cultural responsiveness and organic learning. Her “key vocabulary” approach based on children’s own meaningful words exemplified dispositional respect for learners’ experiences and emotional lives. Her reflective writing about teaching in “Teacher” further modeled dispositional self-examination and authentic engagement with the challenges of cross-cultural teaching.
73. Hebert Kohl
Educator Herbert Kohl’s work with urban students, documented in books like “36 Children,” demonstrated dispositions toward creative resistance within constraining systems. His concept of “creative maladjustment” to dehumanizing educational practices exemplified dispositional courage to prioritize students’ needs over institutional demands. His leadership in progressive education has modeled these dispositional orientations for generations of educators seeking more humanistic approaches.
74. Lisa Delpit
(Mentioned earlier) Beyond her research contributions, Lisa Delpit’s teaching in Papua New Guinea, Philadelphia, and Alaska demonstrated dispositions toward cross-cultural humility and learning from communities. Her ability to recognize her own cultural blindspots and adapt her practice to diverse contexts exemplified dispositional openness to perspective-taking. Her advocacy for explicit attention to the “culture of power” has further modeled dispositional courage to address uncomfortable truths.
75. Gloria Ladson-Billings
(Mentioned earlier) Beyond her research contributions, Gloria Ladson-Billings’ identification and documentation of successful teachers of African American students has provided models of dispositional orientations that support cultural relevance. Her detailed portraits of teachers who maintain high expectations while affirming cultural identity have illustrated how dispositions toward both excellence and equity manifest in daily practice with historically marginalized students.
76. Septima Clark
Educator and civil rights activist Septima Clark developed citizenship schools throughout the American South, demonstrating dispositions toward educational empowerment as a tool for social change. Her commitment to literacy as a pathway to voting rights exemplified dispositional orientation toward education as liberation. Her leadership developing indigenous teachers from local communities further demonstrated dispositions toward recognizing and developing capability in unexpected places.
77. Paolo Freire
Brazilian educator Paolo Freire’s literacy work with peasant communities demonstrated dispositions toward education as consciousness-raising and liberation. His approach engaging adult learners as co-creators of knowledge rather than empty vessels exemplified dispositional respect for learners’ experiences and perspectives. His leadership connecting literacy to social action has modeled dispositional orientation toward education as transformative praxis.
78. Anne Sullivan
Teacher Anne Sullivan’s work with Helen Keller demonstrated extraordinary dispositional persistence and belief in human potential despite extreme challenges. Her commitment to finding communicative pathways with a deaf-blind child exemplified dispositional creativity and unwavering belief in educability. Her relationship with Keller further illustrated dispositional capacity to balance pushing beyond comfort zones with deep respect for the learner’s experience.
79. Nancie Atwell
English teacher Nancie Atwell’s development of the reading and writing workshop approach demonstrated dispositions toward student choice, authentic purposes for literacy, and teacher as co-learner. Her detailed documentation of her teaching in “In the Middle” provided models of reflective practice and continuous improvement. Her Center for Teaching and Learning has further exemplified dispositional commitment to teaching as intellectual and creative work rather than technical implementation.
80. Ron Clark
Teacher Ron Clark’s work with underperforming students in rural North Carolina and urban Harlem demonstrated dispositions toward high energy, personal connection, and academic excellence regardless of circumstance. His development of the Ron Clark Academy has created a model school demonstrating how dispositional enthusiasm, creativity, and high expectations create transformative learning environments. His training of visiting teachers has further spread these dispositional approaches.
Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives
81. William Perry
Developmental psychologist William Perry’s scheme of intellectual and ethical development has illuminated how college students evolve from dualistic thinking toward contextual relativism and ultimately to committed relativism. His framework has influenced understanding of how dispositional tolerance for ambiguity and capacity for nuanced thinking develop through educational experiences, informing approaches to cultivating these intellectual dispositions.
82. Martha Nussbaum
Philosopher Martha Nussbaum’s work on liberal education has articulated the dispositional qualities required for democratic citizenship, including critical examination of oneself and one’s traditions, concern for the lives of others, and narrative imagination. Her concept of “cultivating humanity” through education has influenced conceptions of the dispositional aims of liberal learning beyond mere knowledge acquisition.
83. Lawrence Kohlberg
Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development illuminated how ethical reasoning evolves from punishment avoidance toward principled thinking. His framework has influenced understanding of how moral dispositions develop through engagement with increasingly complex ethical dilemmas, informing approaches to cultivating ethical reasoning in professional education.
84. Carol Gilligan
Psychologist Carol Gilligan’s identification of a “different voice” in moral reasoning that emphasizes care and relationship alongside justice and rights has expanded understanding of the dispositional foundations of ethical teaching. Her work has influenced conceptions of professional ethics that integrate care for particular individuals with principled commitment to fairness, highlighting the relational dimension of teacher dispositions.
85. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s research on “flow” states has illuminated the psychological experience of full engagement that characterizes optimal teaching and learning. His work has influenced understanding of how dispositional immersion in meaningful challenges creates conditions for both teacher and student fulfillment, informing approaches to cultivating professional engagement beyond compliance.
86. Eduard Lindeman
Adult educator Eduard Lindeman’s emphasis on education as life rather than preparation for future living established foundations for seeing teaching as engaging the whole person rather than merely transmitting information. His vision of education as continuing growth through experience influenced conceptions of teaching as requiring dispositions toward lifelong learning rather than static expertise.
87. bell hooks
Scholar and educator bell hooks’ concept of “engaged pedagogy” emphasized teaching as a practice of freedom requiring teachers’ own commitment to self-actualization alongside students’. Her vision of education as transgressive practice challenging oppressive social norms has influenced conceptions of teaching as requiring dispositions toward critical consciousness and authentic engagement rather than neutral transmission.
88. Howard Gardner
Psychologist Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences expanded conceptions of human capability beyond narrow academic definitions. His work has influenced understanding of the dispositional openness to diverse manifestations of intelligence required for effective teaching, particularly with students whose strengths may not align with traditional academic measures. His concept of “disciplinary thinking” has further illuminated the dispositional dimensions of subject-specific understanding.
89. George Lakoff
Linguist George Lakoff’s work on conceptual metaphors has revealed how unconscious frames shape thinking about education and teaching. His analysis of “strict father” versus “nurturant parent” models has illuminated how deep metaphorical structures influence dispositional orientations toward authority, discipline, and nurturing in educational contexts. His work has influenced more conscious examination of the metaphors guiding teaching practice.
90. Michael Polanyi
Philosopher Michael Polanyi’s concept of “tacit knowledge” illuminated the personal, often unarticulated knowing that guides professional practice. His famous phrase “we know more than we can tell” captured how dispositions operate beneath conscious awareness in skilled teaching. His work has influenced understanding of how professional knowledge includes dispositional elements that may resist direct articulation but can be developed through apprenticeship and practice.
91. Robert Coles
Psychiatrist Robert Coles’ work on the moral lives of children has illuminated how young people develop ethical understanding through relationship and story. His documentary approach capturing children’s moral reasoning in context has influenced conceptions of moral education as requiring dispositional attentiveness to children’s meaning-making rather than didactic instruction. His concept of “moral exemplars” has further highlighted how disposition is caught rather than taught.
92. Robert Kegan
Developmental psychologist Robert Kegan’s constructive-developmental theory has illuminated how adults evolve through qualitatively different ways of making meaning. His framework describing development from socialized mind through self-authoring mind to self-transforming mind has influenced understanding of how dispositional capacity for perspective-taking and self-examination evolves through supported challenges to existing meaning structures.
93. Kieran Egan
Educational philosopher Kieran Egan’s work on imagination in education has highlighted the dispositional orientation toward possibility thinking that enables creative teaching. His framework of imaginative engagement through story, binary opposites, and romantic association has influenced conceptions of teaching as requiring dispositional capacity to engage wonder and generate meaningful cognitive conflict rather than merely presenting information.
94. Zygmunt Bauman
Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman’s analysis of “liquid modernity” has illuminated the dispositional requirements for ethical action in contexts of constant change and moral ambiguity. His work on how bureaucratic structures can distance actors from the moral consequences of their actions has influenced understanding of how maintaining ethical teaching dispositions requires resistance to technical-rational frameworks that obscure human impacts.
95. Elliot Eisner
Educational researcher Elliot Eisner’s work on educational connoisseurship and criticism has illuminated the dispositional dimensions of teacher perception and judgment. His emphasis on teaching as artistry requiring perceptiveness, discrimination, and aesthetic sensitivity has influenced conceptions of teaching expertise as including dispositional elements that transcend technical skill. His concept of the “educational imagination” has further highlighted the creative dimension of teaching disposition.
96. Jane Roland Martin
Philosopher Jane Roland Martin’s concept of “the schoolhome” challenged sharp separations between cognitive and affective domains in education. Her vision of integrating traditional feminine virtues of care with masculine virtues of justice in educational environments has influenced conceptions of teaching as requiring dispositions that balance nurturing with intellectual challenge. Her cultural wealth framework has further highlighted the dispositional orientations required to transmit diverse cultural resources.
97. Patricia Hill Collins
Sociologist Patricia Hill Collins’ work on Black feminist epistemology has illuminated alternative knowledge validation processes that emphasize lived experience, dialogue, ethics of care, and personal accountability. Her framework has influenced understanding of the dispositional orientations that support inclusive knowledge construction in educational contexts, particularly regarding perspectives historically marginalized in academic discourse.
98. Martin Buber
Philosopher Martin Buber's distinction between I-It and I-Thou relationships has illuminated the dispositional foundation of authentic educational encounters. His concept of genuine dialogue as fully recognizing the other has influenced conceptions of teaching as requiring dispositional openness to students as subjects rather than objects. His vision of education as meeting the whole person has further highlighted how dispositional presence creates possibilities for transformative educational relationships.
99. Iris Murdoch
Philosopher Iris Murdoch's concept of "unselfing" as the moral task of moving beyond ego to see reality clearly has illuminated the dispositional foundation of ethical teaching. Her emphasis on attention as a moral act—"loving attention" that truly sees the other—has influenced conceptions of teaching as requiring dispositional capacity to move beyond self-concern to truly perceive students' needs and capabilities. Her analysis of how fantasy and projection distort perception has further highlighted the challenging inner work required to develop this dispositional clarity.
100. Mary Catherine Bateson
Anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson's concept of "composing a life" has illuminated how professionals integrate personal and vocational identity through narrative continuity amid changing circumstances. Her framework of improvisation and adaptation has influenced understanding of how teaching dispositions develop through reflective integration of experience rather than static trait expression. Her emphasis on "peripheral vision" in professional life has further highlighted the dispositional openness to unexpected connections that supports creative practice.
Conclusion
The individuals highlighted in this list have collectively transformed our understanding of teacher dispositions from vague references to personality or style toward more nuanced conceptions of professional temperament and character that can be intentionally cultivated and assessed. Their diverse contributions across philosophy, psychology, teacher education, policy, and practice illustrate the multifaceted nature of dispositional development in teaching.
From Arthur Combs' pioneering research on perceptual psychology to Mary Diez's frameworks for dispositional assessment, from Nel Noddings' ethic of care to Lisa Delpit's analysis of cultural responsiveness, from John Dewey's qualities of reflective thinking to Carol Dweck's research on mindset—these influential figures have progressively deepened our understanding of the personal qualities that underlie effective teaching and how these qualities can be developed.
Despite their diverse perspectives and sometimes competing emphases, these influential figures converge around certain principles: the importance of genuine caring and respect for students as whole persons, the necessity of commitment to equity and belief in all students' capacity to learn, the value of reflective self-awareness and continuous growth, the centrality of ethical judgment in navigating complex educational dilemmas, and the recognition that effective teaching requires integration of personal authenticity with professional responsibility.
As educational systems worldwide continue to navigate tensions between technical-rational approaches to teaching and more humanistic visions of education as relationship, the insights of these influential figures provide both conceptual frameworks and practical approaches for cultivating the dispositional foundations of effective teaching. Their collective work reminds us that while knowledge and skill are necessary for quality teaching, they are insufficient without the dispositional orientations that determine how these capabilities are enacted in relationship with diverse students in complex contexts.
By integrating insights about the perceptual, ethical, emotional, cultural, and intellectual dimensions of teacher dispositions, these influential figures have created a rich, multidimensional understanding of the personal qualities that support effective teaching. Their legacy lives on in teacher education programs that attend thoughtfully to dispositional development, in schools that create cultures supporting dispositional growth, in assessment approaches that capture dispositional dimensions of practice, and in individual teachers who embody these qualities in their daily work with students.
As we continue to face educational challenges requiring both technical expertise and human wisdom, attention to teacher dispositions remains essential. The perspectives of these influential figures remind us that education at its heart is a human endeavor whose success depends not just on what teachers know and can do, but on who teachers are and are becoming as professionals committed to supporting the growth and development of those in their care.
I've completed the article on "100 Most Influential People in Teacher Dispositions." The article examines key figures who have shaped our understanding of the professional attitudes, values, beliefs, and commitments that influence how teachers interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities.
