Writing cover letters and teaching philosophy statements
TiPPS for PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING STATEMENTS
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.
Links & Resources for Philosophy of Teaching Statements at a glance
TiPPS HANDOUTS ON PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING STATEMENTS
BOOKS 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.
Heiberger, M.M. & Vick, J.M. (2001). The Academic Job Search Handbook. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
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
Seldin, Peter (1991). Teaching portfolio: A practical guide to improved performance and promotion/tenure decisions. Bolton, MA : Anker Pub. Co.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOHY
Office of Faculty and TA Development, The Ohio State University. Writing a philosophy of teaching statement. Welcome - UCAT - 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). Developing a philosophy of teaching statement. Developing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement
This article on developing a teaching philosophy statement is often cited on other sites. A concise guide to the task of writing your statement.
Center for Effective Teaching and Learning, University of Texas at El Paso. Statements of teaching philosophy. Academics Portal Index > Home
This site looks at writing a statement of teaching philosophy by addressing the following: their roles, their creation process, and their contents.
Haugen, Lee (1998). Writing a teaching philosophy statement. Center for Teaching Excellence, Iowa State University. Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement
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.
EIL311, Division of English as an International Language, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Topics to address in a P.o.T. statement. http://www.deil.uiuc.edu/EIL311/philosophy.html
This site is for a course on ESL materials and methods. The last third of the page lists a number of categories or topics to consider discussing in your statement of teaching philosophy.
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 (we're not saying that any of them are exemplary -- nor are we saying that they are not exemplary). As you look at some of these statements, here are a few things to look for:
- Do you get a clear idea about this person as a teacher?
- Do you get a clear idea about what the teacher believes about learning? About teaching?
- Do aspects of teaching that are not included feel like they were omitted as a result of informed choices or as a result of a careless oversight that you feel should be rectified?
- Are there examples of how the teachers implement their philosophy?
TiPPS: Philosophy of Teaching Statements
