Statement of Teaching Philosophy

A teaching philosophy is a brief statement that describes how you view yourself as an instructor and your relationship with your students. This document should discuss your theoretical approach to teaching and how you manage your classroom and students. It should talk about what you are trying to achieve in your courses and what you want your students to achieve. Teaching philosophies often range from theoretical discussions of ideology to more practical descriptions of how a teacher manages her/his classroom and students. Your teaching philosophy will be a vital part of your portfolio if you pursue a career as an instructor or professor. In interviews and reviews, you will be asked about your teaching philosophy. Hiring committees and tenure review committees will ask you to submit a written teaching philosophy for them to review. If you are a newer teacher, you are probably just beginning to develop a teaching philosophy. You might not know much about pedagogical theory, and you havent had a chance to try a variety of strategies and techniques. But, you are starting to figure out what works for you. Writing a teaching philosophy at this point in your career will give you a starting place to reflect on your current practices and where you would like to improve. If you have been teaching for a few years or more, you probably have a grasp of pedagogical theory, and you have experimented with a variety of different strategies and techniques. Now, you are ready to start developing a core sense of who you are as an instructor. For this assignment, please write a 1-2 page single-spaced teaching philosophy that discusses your approach to teaching. Your teaching philosophy should articulate the basic premises and principles from which you work. You should also discuss your role in the classroom and your approach to teaching and evaluating your students. This assignment is due March 4th. Please e-mail it to rjohnso@purdue.edu as a Word file or PDF. Put English 505 in the subject line. I will respond to it electronically.