Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Most teachers will have to write a philosophy statement, either for an education course, a job application, or personal reflection. The philosophy statement is a work in progress which serves many purposes for both the teacher writing it and the assessor/employer reading it.

FROM THE INTERNSHIP II HANDBOOK on COE website at http://uca.edu/teaching/middlelevel/internshipresources/

Philosophy of Education—Interns are required to write their educational philosophy as a reflective decision-maker. When you applied for Internship II, you included as part of your personal narrative a brief statement about your educational philosophy. Elaborate on this as you reflect on the experiences you encountered in the classroom. At a minimum, you should include what you believe about the roles of teachers and students, the purpose(s) of the curriculum, effective teaching methods, and the importance of your subject area. As appropriate, weave in examples from your Internship II experience to illustrate your statements. … This assignment is scored on a single criterion using the following for Proficient (3): Candidate illustrates with specific examples his/her beliefs about (1) the roles of teachers and students, (2) the purpose(s) of the curriculum, (3) the best methods of teaching, AND (4) the importance of his/her subject area.

On my faculty page, see http://faculty.uca.edu/marac/EDphilosophy.htm

Purpose:

Analyze what you have learned and how it can be used in the classroom.

Reflect on what kind of teacher you strive to become.

Questions to be answered in the statement:

What is the purpose of education?

What is important about your subject area? How will you use national, state, and local curriculum standards?

What pedagogical methods will you use? What is the role of the teacher, and of the student?

What theorists or theories inform your practice?

What inspires you and/or influences your practice as a teacher?

Will the reader be able to “see” your classroom? Did you provide a window into your specific practice?

Tips:

Be aware of your audience. We want to know that you learned something.

Be unique. Share personal experiences and insights.

Unite your writing with an inspiration or quote or organizing theme.

Provide evidence of pedagogical knowledge.

Share your unique experiences and background knowledge.

Keep a positive tone and stay away from divisive issues (bias).

Be honest. If you have no experience, do not say that you love to see the “lightbulb" go on. If you have experience, provide specific information.

Be specific. Stay away from vague statements with no specific statements for backup. 

Make yourself look good. Include your strengths and experiences.

Use 2 pages as a suggested length unless otherwise specified.

GRADING:

10%     On time, hard copy form, 2 pages (does not count cover sheet)

10%     Professional appearance, cover sheet, standard font

10%     Mechanics of writing: Spelling, grammar, and organization

10%     Goal of education in general

10%     Purpose of subject area

10%     Role of teacher and student in classroom

20%     Specific information regarding strength as a teacher and actions in classroom

20%     Specific references to information learned in course