Teaching Philosophies & Statements

Teaching Philosophies & Statements Some useful information about the ins and outs of a Teaching Philosophy How to start - How to finish

FAQ’s About The Philosophy Of Teaching Statement • What is the purpose of a Philosophy of Teaching Statement? • How do I begin writing a teaching philosophy statement? • How should one put together a philosophy of teaching statement? • What are the major components of a philosophy of teaching statement?

How should one put together a philosophy of teaching statement? • The way in which a statement of teaching philosophy is structured and worded is individual. • Disciplinary preferences can also affect the way in which a statement is presented in terms of length, content, and format. • Despite these differences, some common rules of thumb for formatting such a document have emerged over the years.

1. Philosophy of teaching statements are usually brief, one or two pages long. For some purposes, an extended description is appropriate, but length should suit the context.

2. Most statements avoid technical terms and favor language and concepts that can be broadly appreciated. A general rule is that the statement should be written with the audience in mind.

3. Narrative, first-person approaches are generally appropriate. In some fields, a more creative approach, such as a poem, might be appropriate and valued. But in most situations, a straightforward, well-organized statement is preferred. Some Examples of Format are: • * Essay • * Questions & Answers • * Creative: poem or extended metaphor

4. The statement should be reflective and personal. What brings a teaching philosophy to life is the extent to which it creates a vivid portrait of a person who is intentional about teaching practices and committed to his/her career.

What is the purpose of developing a philosophy of teaching? Why do teachers need to articulate their philosophy of teaching? What purposes does a philosophy of teaching serve? In his book, The Skillful Teacher (1990), Stephen Brookfield points out that the development of a teaching philosophy can be used for four purposes: • Personal Purposes • Political Purposes • Professional Purposes • Pedagogical Purposes

1. Personal purpose: “... a distinctive organizing vision–a clear picture of why you are doing what you are doing that you can call up at points of crisis– is crucial to your personal sanity and morale.” (p. 16)

2. Political purpose: “... a sense that your position is grounded in a well-developed and carefully conceived philosophy of practice.... You are more likely to gain a measure of respect for your thoughtfulness and commitment, which is important both for your self-esteem and for your political survival.” (p. 17)

3. Professional purpose: “... a commitment to a shared rationale for college teaching is important for the development of a collective identity and, hence, for the development of professional strengths among teachers.” (pp. 17-18)

4. Pedagogical purpose: “Teaching is about making some kind of dent in the world so that the world is different than it was before you practiced your craft. Knowing clearly what kind of dent you want to make in the world means that you must continually ask yourself the most fundamental evaluative questions of all–What effect am I having on students and on their learning?” (pp. 18-19)

What are the major components of a philosophy of teaching statement? • each statement of teaching philosophy is very personal by nature. Therefore, it should be up to instructors to decide what components to include in their own statements. However, here is some general information: • In her article (Chism, 1998), “Developing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement,” Nancy Chism, former Director of the Office of Faculty and TA Development at The Ohio State University, suggests five major components. They are:

1. Conceptualization of learning • Ask yourself such questions as “What do we mean by learning?” and “What happens in a learning situation?” Think of your answers to these questions based on your personal experience.

1.Conceptualization of Learning • Here are some exemplary metaphors of learning (Grasha, 1996): Containers: “Knowledge is viewed as a substance and the instructor is a container filled with content and facts. The student is perceived as a vessel wanting to be filled up.” (p. 35)

Conceptualization of Learning Journey-Guide: “Knowledge is perceived as a perspective on the horizon. The teacher guides students on their journey. Students need to follow a course, must overcome obstacles and hurdles, .... they will come to the end of their journey.” (p.35)

1. Conceptualization of learning Master-Disciple: “Knowledge is a skill or habit to be learned. The instructor trains students and the students ideally do what they are told without questioning the master.” (p.35)

1. Conceptualization of learning How do you perceive learning? What do you see happening in a learning situation? What is your metaphor of learning?

2. Conceptualization of teaching • Ask yourself questions such as “What do we mean by teaching?” and “How do I facilitate this process as a teacher?” • Again, the metaphor format can be used, but a common practice is a more direct description of the nature of a teacher with respect to motivating and facilitating learning.

2. Conceptualization of teaching • You may also address such issues as how to challenge students intellectually and support them academically and how the teacher can respond to different learning styles, help students who are frustrated, and accommodate different abilities. Furthermore, you may talk about how you as a teacher have come to these conclusions (e.g., through past experience as a student or teacher, or result of literature reading or taking classes).

2. Conceptualization of teaching • How do you perceive teaching? What role(s) do you see yourself playing as a teacher in the teaching-learning process?

3. Goals for students • The description of what skills the teacher expects her/his students to obtain as the results of learning. You may address such issues as what goals you set for your classes, what is the rationale behind them, what kind of activities you try to implement in class in order to reach these goals, and how the goals have changed over time as you learn more about teaching and learning.

3. Goals for students • For instance, you can describe how you have expected students to learn not only the content, but also skills such as critical thinking, writing, and problem solving, followed by elaboration on how you have designed/planned individual sessions towards accomplishing the goals.

3. Goals for students • What goals have you set for your class(es)? Why so? Has reading this section made you rethink goal setting for your students?

4. Implementation of the philosophy • An important component of the statement of a teaching philosophy should be the illustration of how one’s concepts about teaching and learning and goals for students are transformed into classroom activities.

4. Implementation of the philosophy • Ask yourself, “How do I operationalize my philosophy of teaching in the classroom?” and “What personal characteristics in myself or my students influence the way in which I approach teaching?” To answer these questions, you may reflect on how you present yourself and course materials, what activities, assignments, and projects you implement in the teaching-learning process, how you interact with students in and outside class, and the consequences.

5. Professional growthplan • It is important for teachers to continue professional growth, and to do so, teachers need to set clear goals and means to accomplish these goals. Think about questions such as “What goals have I set for myself as a teacher?” and “How do I accomplish these goals?”

There are other suggestions for structuring the statement of teaching philosophy in a somewhat different way

1. Integration of responsibilities. Goodyear and Allchin feel strongly that teaching, research, and public service are the main missions of university faculty. Each teacher therefore should explicitly describe what they do in carrying out these three missions in their statements of teaching philosophy.

2. Expertise. Goodyear and Allchin suggest that it is important for faculty to link their special knowledge or expertise in the field to ways of helping their students learn that knowledge and communicate with students effectively during this teaching-learning process.

3. Relationships. Goodyear and Allchin see a healthy relationship between the teacher and students as “essential to successful teaching.” Ways in which a teacher establishes such a relationship, such as getting to know students, specific ways of building rapport with students, and special teaching techniques used, should be explicitly described in his or her statement of teaching philosophy.

4. Learning environment. In conjunction with the previous issue, Goodyear and Allchin suggest that teachers can illustrate what they have done to create a supportive learning environment in their classes socially, psychologically, and physically to help students learn.

5. Methods, strategies, and innovation. Goodyear and Allchin believe that faculty should use teaching philosophy statements to reflect their teaching practice, both past and present, as well as to illustrate how special teaching techniques they use are in compliance with their teaching philosophy.

6. Outcomes. Goodyear and Allchin suggest that teachers can demonstrate in their statements of teaching philosophy how the previous efforts have produced anticipated outcomes, i. e., students have learned the subject matter and they are able to use the knowledge learned in class to solve the real-world problems.

References • Brookfield, S. (1990). The skillful teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • * Chism, N. V. N. (1998). Developing a philosophy of teaching statement. Essays on Teaching Excellence, 9 (3), 1-2. • * Fuhrmann, B. S., & Grasha, A. F. (1983). A practical handbook for college teachers. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. • * Grasha, A. F. (1996). Teaching with style: A practical guide to enhancing learning by understanding teaching and learning styles. Alliance Publishers. • * Goodyear, G. E. & Allchin, D. (1998) Statement of teaching philosophy. To Improve the Academy, 17, 103-22. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press. • * O'Neil, C., & Wright, A. (1993). Recording teaching accomplishment. (4th ed). Halifax, Nova Scotia, CA: Dalhousie University. • * Seldin, P., & Associates (1993). Successful use of teaching portfolios. Bolton, MA: Anker.

Teaching Philosophies & Statements