Writing a Teaching Philosophy

A teaching philosophy is less ethereal than the name implies. It is, quite simply, a document that describes what your goals and values are as a college teacher and what you have done in the classroom to implement these and to foster student learning. Teaching philosophies can be two pages long (but never three).

• For the academic job market.
• For a teaching portfolio (awards, grants, fellowships, etc.).
• For your own professional development.
• For the benefit of your students.

• Illustrate who you are as a teacher as concretely as possible.
• Use actual examples of classroom practice.
• Show an awareness of different pedagogies.

• Use jargon.
• Rely too heavily on sentimentality.
• Begin or end with a quote.
• Ramble or go on tangents.

• Be specific.
• Be memorable (in a good way).
• Be concise.

James M. Lang (2010), "4 Steps to a Memorable Teaching Philosophy."

Gabriela Montell (2003), "How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy."

Ohio State University's Center for the Advancement of Teaching: “Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement.”