Generally, a teaching philosophy statement is a short essay that academic instructors are required to write and in this article, we will be looking at many helpful examples.
Becoming a teacher or instructor at an institution often requires writing in the form of an essay to show the beliefs and practices of the teacher.
It’s not just college applicants that are required to write an essay or statement of purpose, teachers seeking positions at institutions also need to write a statement of teaching philosophy.
What Is a Teaching Statement?
According to Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching, a teaching statement is a purposeful and reflexive essay that describes the author’s teaching beliefs and practices.
A teaching philosophy statement is an individual narrative according to Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching. It includes not only the author’s beliefs about teaching and learning in the classroom but it also looks at the examples regarding how a teacher will enact his or her beliefs when teaching in the classroom.
A teaching statement is a piece of writing that shows the author’s uniqueness as a teacher.
Also Read: 15 Best Online Degrees for Teachers 2023
Tips on Teaching Philosophy Statement
With these few tips, you should be able to make your teaching statement brief and unique.
- Let your teaching statement be brief, well and uniquely written. Although teaching statements are sometimes longer at the tenure level (like 3 to 5 pages), when it involves getting a job 1 to 2 pages is enough.
- Avoid clichés, be sincere and unique
- Use narrative. It allows the teaching statement to be unique and reflective.
- Avoid jargon and be discipline-specific.
- Be humble while writing and always revise your writing.
What Does a Teaching Statement Include?
A teaching statement can address any of these;
- A clear description of how your teaching facilities learning in the classroom.
- A reflection of why you teach in a specific manner.
- Your conception of how learning is supposed to be.
- How you create an inclusive learning environment.
- Your interest in accepting new techniques, activities and methods of learning.
- How your teaching as a teacher enacts your beliefs.
Teaching Philosophy Statement Examples
Here are teaching philosophy statement examples. Keep in mind that these examples are not selected for their excellence. They are only selected to show you a few examples with styles, structures and content in the teaching philosophy statement.
Also Read: 7 Master’s Degree Options for Teachers
Establish a Student-Centered Learning Environment
#1. “I aspire to establish a student-centred learning environment which will allow the entire class to be in charge of their own learning”.
#2. “It’s my responsibility to try to understand the student’s point of view regardless of any errors before attempting to offer my opinion”. This means when I engage the students in the classroom, I can choose a conceptual path emerging from the student’s understanding to a more conventional one.
#3. “I always try to set a good professional example in written solutions as well as in conversations”. Setting these good professional examples will set the standards in the field and avoid any error leading to catastrophic outcomes.
#4. “I am a teacher educator because I intend to make positive changes in the world”. I know what I want to archive is limited, but I am aware that education is where I can have the best impact.
#5. “I know teaching involves a reciprocal relationship between teachers and students”. I believe every teacher has duties to their students and so do students also have duties to their teachers.
#6. “I embrace a constructivist pedagogy as a teacher.” All my classes are designed to get students learning through engaging in solving problems, trial and error, and creating new solutions.
#7. “My students enjoy their time while learning in the classroom as it’s a space for exploration and discovery. I prefer practical lessons which will enable students to acquire hands-on experience.
#8. “I strive to build relationships between students and the entire school community.” Allowing the students to interact with the community members in the classroom to expatiate their knowledge learning about individuals from different backgrounds
Learning Environment Statements
According to a journal published in the Wiley Online Library, maintaining a campus culture with supportive teaching requires a well-defined teaching philosophy. A few teaching philosophy statements examples include;
Also Read: 30 Examples of Feedback for Teachers from Parents
#9. “My aim is to create a learning environment endowed with supportive resources to help students learn.”
#10. “I create a classroom where students are encouraged and empowered to make decisions for themselves to build their self-confidence and thinking skills.”
#11. “I create learning environments with multiple workstations where students work and achieve success by working as a group to solve problems.”
#12. “I write my lessons to aim at higher order thinking skills from Bloom Taxonomy, for instance, ‘inquiring’ ‘creating’ and ‘critiquing’”.
#13. “My aim is to make the students think outside the box and leave my classes with more questions than answers.”
#14. “I believe that classrooms in this 21st century need more than just what they know.”
#15. “I help my students develop metacognitive skills which allow them to reflect on their own learning and identify methods to learn more effectively.”
#16. “I advise my students to learn in groups because interacting with other students helps solve academic problems.”
#17. “I adopt a situated learning approach in teaching.”
#18. ”It’s more important now than ever for students to build effective communication skills in this 21st century.”
#19. “Communication skills are essential for every student in the 21st century.”My aim is to educate students to become confident communicators by allowing them to work in groups.
#20. “My aim is to focus on problem-based learning experience where students are presented with a problem that requires an urgent solution.” To overcome these problems, students need to use their research skills to get answers.
#21. “I encourage students to use scientific methods to solve any academic problem where it’s required.”
Talk About Your Assessment Style
Also Read: 15 Best Summer Jobs for Teachers: All You Need to Know
A teaching philosophy statement examples include;
#22. “I embrace creative assessment practices that are far beyond standardized assessment.” I am a teacher who loves to access students’ practical applications of knowledge.
#23. “I’m more focused on formative assessment which allows me to monitor my student’s progress academically.”
#24. “Assessment is essential to me as a teacher.” It helps me to monitor my teaching efficacy.
#25. “As a teacher, I believe students learn and understand when they are motivated to do so.”
#26. “To motivate my class as a teacher, I aim to align my lessons with my students’ hobbies and interests.” To achieve this, I have to build a good relationship with my students.
#27. “Students who are motivated to learn will always come to school with a bright mindset.” As a teacher, I will dedicate time and effort to promoting self-motivation in students.
#28. “I believe that students who are motivated spend more time on their task and cause less destruction to fellow students.” I dedicate more effort to see students motivated.
#29. “Education is the bedrock of every child’s future.” As a teacher, I love my profession to guide the next generation of thinkers.
#30. “I enjoy working every day in the classroom to guide this future generation with great potential.”
Promote Play-based Learning
Also Read: 21 Schools for Special Needs to pay attention to
#31. “I only used a play-based learning approach when I first started teaching.” Play help student learn, discover and explore new things.
#32. “As a teacher, I encourage cooperative play for my students to allow them to learn from their peers.” Allowing young children to play help build good communication skill.
#33. “I embrace the 21st-century technology, I am competent with it, and I often use it in my teaching.”
#34. “I regularly use 21st-century technology in my classroom and I reflect on how this new technology can be used to help extend learning.”
#35. “As a teacher, I believe classroom and behavioural management is more about making sure that students remain focused on their learning apparatus.”
#36. “As a teacher, I use an authoritative approach to classroom management.”
#37. “I employ a holistic approach to child development.” Every qualified teacher needs to pay attention to students’ social, physical, emotional, and cognitive development.
#38. “As a teacher, I take pride in my profession and try to know all my students.” This allows me to know my student’s needs as we interact.
#39. “As a teacher, my teaching statement is influenced by Abraham Maslow’s humanist approach.”
#40. “I love inviting parents into the classroom so they can partake and share in the teaching experience.” I set the goal of inviting parents to listen and share deep knowledge about their children.
Conclusion
The teaching philosophy statement examples provided in this article are not selected for excellence but to list a few important examples. A teaching philosophy defines the author’s teaching practices and beliefs as well as the learning process used in classrooms.
Recommendations
- What Are the Strictest Grade School Teaching Qualifications
- 15 Best Online Universities in Canada 2023
- How Did Education Evolve in America? A Surprisingly Interesting History
- 21 Top Dental schools for international students 2023
- What Are the Best Architecture Schools in the US?
References
- https://helpfulprofessor.com/teaching-philosophy/
- https://www.thoughtco.com/teaching-philosophy-examples-2081517
- Karin Smith (et all): 24 Aug 2013: Student-centred and teacher-centred learning environment in pre-vocational secondary education: Psychological needs, and motivation
- Statements of Teaching Philosophy: Gail E. Goodyear, Douglas Allchin. Oct. 2017.