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1.2: Teaching Philosophy Statements

  • Page ID
    81836
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    Teaching Philosophy Statements:

    There are many different ways to teach, varying circumstances to take into account, and philosophies to apply to each classroom. And what better way to have a positive impact on the world than to be a teacher? The term ‘teacher’ can be applied to anyone who imparts knowledge of any topic, but it is generally more focused on those who are hired to teach. In imparting knowledge to our students, it is inevitable that we must consider our own personal philosophies about teaching and determine not only how we decide what our philosophies are, but also how those impact our students.

    What is a teaching philosophy?  A teaching philosophy is a self-reflective statement about your beliefs about teaching and learning.  It can be a long and formal writing, or it can be a short reflective statement.  Here are some questions to consider when creating your teaching philosophy statement.

    What is Your concept of learning?

    What do you mean by learning? What does a successful learning classroom look like? 

    What is your concept of teaching?

    What are your values, beliefs, and aspirations as a teacher? What does good teaching look like? 

    What are your goals for your students?

    What skills should students gain as a result of your teaching? Think about your ideal student and what the outcomes of your teaching would be in terms of this student's knowledge or behavior.  (i.e., critical thinking, writing, confidence, or communication skills).

    What are your teaching methods?

    What methods will you consider to reach these goals and objectives? What specific strategies will you use, such as activities, group work, gamification, videos, mini-lectures? 

    How will you interact with your students?

    What are your attitudes toward advising and mentoring students? How would an observer see you interact with students? Why do you want to work with students?

    Assessing learning

    How will you assess student growth and learning?  What different types of assessment will you use (i.e. traditional tests, projects, portfolios,  presentations) and why?

    Professional growth

    How will you continue growing as a teacher? 

    Presenting to a colleague

     

    Sample Teaching Philosophy Statements

    These are just some questions you can think about when creating your personal teaching philosophy.  But it doesn't have to be this scripted.  Here are some examples of teaching philosophies from thoughtco.com.  Find these philosophies and more at https://www.thoughtco.com/teaching-philosophy-examples-2081517

    "I believe that there are five essential elements that are conducive to learning. (1) The teacher's role is to act as a guide. (2) Students must have access to hands-on activities. (3) Students should be able to have choices and let their curiosity direct their learning. (4) Students need the opportunity to practice skills in a safe environment. (5) Technology must be incorporated into the school day."

    “I believe that all children are unique and have something special that they can bring to their own education. I will assist my students to express themselves and accept themselves for who they are, as well embrace the differences of others.”

    "I believe that a classroom should be a safe, caring community where children are free to speak their mind and blossom and grow. I will use strategies to ensure our classroom community will flourish, like the morning meeting, positive vs. negative discipline, classroom jobs, and problem-solving skills.”

     

    ACTIVITY 

    1. Make a list of the five most important characteristics of an excellent teacher.
      • Do you possess these characteristics?
      • If not, what steps can you take to add the characteristic(s)?
    2. Write your teaching philosophy statement.

     


    This page titled 1.2: Teaching Philosophy Statements is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Tasneem Amatullah, Rosemarie Avanzato, Julia Baxter, Thor Gibbins, Lee Graham, Ann Fradkin-Hayslip, Ray Siegrist, Suzanne Swantak-Furman, Nicole Waid via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.