TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Introduction
You are probably sitting by your computer now, thinking “What is a teaching philosophy?” or “How am I going to write one for my teaching portfolio for my promotion application?” or you may be asking the question “I wrote a teaching philosophy for my last promotion application, how should I write my teaching philosophy statement for this next promotion application?” This section together with the resources listed will hopefully aid you to write an amazing teaching philosophy statement that speaks true to who you are as a teacher for your own personal development and promotion application. Let's begin...
What is a Teaching Philosophy?
According to Lamberti (2010), a teaching philosophy reveals your teaching strategies, style and goals and creates a picture of you are as a teacher.
To understand your own teaching philosophy, ask yourself the following questions:
What are my professional beliefs and values?
How have my views on teaching and learning developed?
How do I translate into practice my views on teaching and learning?
Additional questions that can assist you in formulating your teaching philosophy statement can be found on the Massachusetts Institutes of Technology (MIT) Teaching and Learning Lab
What is the purpose of a teaching philosophy statement?
Your teaching philosophy statement basically influences your perspective of your students and the way you teach your students. It is a document that displays your general belief of how you approach your teaching.
Resources - Developing a great teaching Philosophy statement
Writing a Teaching Philosophy statement is perceived as a daunting task, so we have provided a few resources that can help get you started. The Division for Teaching Excellence (DoTE) at the University of Johannesburg runs great workshops on how to develop your Teaching Philosophy. Contact them at dote@uj.ac.za to enquire about their next workshop.
Links on Teaching Philosophy Statements from Leading Universities
- Massachusetts Institutes of Technology (MIT)
- Vanderbilt University - Center for Teaching
- University of Michigan - this website from the CRLT Center for Research on Learning & Teaching University of Michigan provides examples of teaching philosophy statements across various disciplines
Books/Guides
- Teaching Philosophies and Teaching Dossiers Guide. Calgary, AB: Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning - Kenny, N., Berenson, C., Jeffs, C., Nowell, L., & Grant, K. (2018) Download
- Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement - Trinity College of Dublin, University of Dublin Download
- Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement - An evidence based approach - Medina & Draugalis (2013) - University of Oklahoma Download