Teaching Philosophy
Description
INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
The purpose of the Teaching Philosophy Assignment is to generate an initial Teaching Philosophy statement. As described in your textbook, a teaching philosophy is a “description of how you see yourself as a teacher, and especially what you do and do not value in the teaching domain” (Bernstein et al., 2020, p.227).
Although teaching philosophies are working documents that will change over time, it can be helpful to consider your personal philosophy of teaching before creating or planning a particular course.
INSTRUCTIONS
Because many of you may not have prior teaching experience, your philosophy statement does not need to include details related to past teaching methods or experiences, but rather a discussion of what you value educationally and the methods you would use if you were an instructor in the future. Teaching philosophies are personal and subjective. Therefore, the specific content of your statements will vary depending on your individual experiences and values.
To help you formulate your teaching philosophy, below is a list of some general questions you may wish to consider when you are composing your statement:
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What are your motivations for teaching?
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Why do you believe teaching is important?
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What are some of the positive qualities, teaching methods, or relational skills you have seen in prior teachers you have had?
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What teaching methods do you believe are the most effective and valuable?
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In your opinion, what are some effective ways to assess student learning?
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What are some ways you would choose to evaluate your own teaching performance?
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What are your future teaching goals?
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How do you hope your future students would describe you as a teacher?
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What specific skills would you hope your students would gain from your class?
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What is your vision of an ideal classroom climate?
Keep in mind these questions are provided as a guide and you do not need to answer them all in your assignment.
Because these statements are so personal, there is no one “right” way to construct a philosophy statement. Your focus should be on thinking through your educational beliefs and experiences and trying to get these thoughts and ideas on paper in a cohesive and organized way.
Assignment requirements include:
Your statement must be 1–2 pages (double-spaced). Brevity is important in a teaching statement. An APA-style title page is required and is not included in this length requirement. You do not need to include an abstract.
Your statement must include a specific discussion of your personal beliefs about teaching. It should not
simply be a general literature review on teaching practices. It also should not simply be a list of prior teaching experience (e.g., a resume or CV).
Your statement is not required to contain citations, but if it does, you must include an APA-style reference page for any sources used.
First person is allowed for this assignment.
