What is a Philosophy of Teaching Statement, and Why is it Important?
Philosophy of teaching statements are concise statements of what you believe about the teaching and learning of languages, and possibly also about education in general. Most sources recommend that you keep your teaching philosophy statement between one and two pages in length, covering what you believe, why, and brief examples of how you implement it in the classroom.
While a statement of your philosophy of teaching is an important item to include in your teacher portfolio, it also serves a much more important role. It guides and informs you as you prepare other portfolio items, it helps you prepare for a job interview, and it helps you to ensure that you are consistent in the way you answer job interview questions.
TiPPS HANDOUTS ON PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING STATEMENTS
BOOKS & ARTICLES THAT TALK ABOUT PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING
Bullock, Ann Adams, & Hawk, Parmalee P. (2001). Developing a teaching portfolio: A guide for preservice and practicing teachers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Murray, John P. (1997). Successful faculty development and evaluation: The complete teaching portfolio. Washington, DC : Graduate School of Education and Human Development, George Washington University.
Schönwetter, Dieter. J., Sokal, L., Friesen, M., and Taylor, K. L. (2002). Teaching philosophies reconsidered: A conceptual model for the development and evaluation of teaching philosophy statements. The International Journal for Academic Development, 7(1), 83 – 97.
Seldin, Peter (1991). Teaching portfolio: A practical guide to improved performance and promotion/tenure decisions. Bolton, MA : Anker Pub. Co.
Vick, J. M. & Furlong, J. S. (2008). The academic job search handbook. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOHY
A useful website that provides guidelines and strategies to help you write your philosophy of teaching statement.
Montell, G. (2003).
A handy article from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Office of Faculty and TA Development, The Ohio State University.
This site takes a comprehensive look at a philosophy of teaching, including definitions, the purpose of developing a philosophy statement, common major components, different ways of developing a statement, and benefits of having put one together. It also gives a number of sample statements. The authors try to provide multiple perspectives on the topic, as well.
Chism, Nancy Van Note (1998).
This article on developing a teaching philosophy statement is often cited on other sites. A concise guide to the task of writing your statement.
Haugen, Lee (1998).
This site looks at writing a statement of teaching philosophy by addressing four main questions: To what end? By what means? To what degree? and Why? Haugen elaborates about each question in ways that provide a different perspective on how to think about your philosophy of teaching.
SAMPLE PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING STATEMENTS
The websites that follow were found via an internet search and are designed for you to review and learn from. As you look at some of these statements, here are a few things to look for: