Strategies for preparing a teaching philosophy

Learning and Teaching in Practice
Module 5: Teaching philosophy
Develop a personal teaching philosophy	Introduction  |  Strategies for preparing a teaching philosophy  |  Summary
StudyDesk

Before you can develop and prepare a teaching philosophy, you need to understand why it is important, what it means to prepare one and what it might look like. Teaching philosophy statements may be written or prepared as audio visual presentations or videos. Even though a philosophy is personal and unique to each teacher, it will contain particular components, depending on the theoretical approach you decide to take.

Case Study: Emilia

Emilia is exploring some resources in preparation for writing her teaching philosophy statement. She found Susan Yager's (2013) video Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement a very useful starting point. Emilia has also discovered Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement which describes the purpose and some tips on how to do it. The article also contains a list of examples (Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences). To decide on the components to include in her teaching philosophy, Emilia reads: Guidance on Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement.

Examples of Teaching Philosophies

Activity

Explore the examples of teaching philosophies, and look for: personal statements, descriptions about how learning is supported, teaching preferences and strategies, and reflection about professional practice. Examples of teaching philosophies Marie Taylor video (2.08 mins). Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement by University Center for Advancement of Teaching. Scroll down to see several examples of teaching philosophies in different disciplines.

Activity

Write a Teaching Philosophy Watch these two youtube videos which explain how to write a teaching philosophy: Hawkeye Community College (Part 1), (Part 2) Explore Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement (n.d.) - Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Iowa State University. Have a go at writing your teaching philosophy. Make sure you include your goals for action competency. Post comments or questions to the discussion forum in Moodle. Include your teaching philosophy in your portfolio.

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