Teaching Philosophies

Because many of you may not have prior teaching experience, your philosophy statement does
not need to include details related to past teaching methods or experiences, but rather a
discussion of what you value educationally and the methods you would use if you were an
instructor in the future. Teaching philosophies are personal and subjective. Therefore, the
specific content of your statements will vary depending on your individual experiences and
values. To help you formulate your teaching philosophy, below is a list of some general
questions you may wish to consider when you are composing your statement:
 What are your motivations for teaching?
 Why do you believe teaching is important?
 What are some of the positive qualities, teaching methods, or relational skills you have
seen in prior teachers you have had?
 What teaching methods do you believe are the most effective and valuable?
 In your opinion, what are some effective ways to assess student learning?
 What are some ways you would choose to evaluate your own teaching performance?
 What are your future teaching goals?
 How do you hope your future students would describe you as a teacher?
 What specific skills would you hope your students would gain from your class?
 What is your vision of an ideal classroom climate?