Learn how to explain your teaching philosophy in a statement
FOR STUDENTS
Teaching statement is considered to be a standard requirement for an application package in academia. It is a statement of reflection and a philosophical framework of your personal approach to teaching and student learning. Creating an essay philosophy of teaching statement is ultimately both personally and professionally rewarding but, of course, it isn`t meant to be easy.
A well-written teaching philosophy statement should examine your teaching values, show your pedagogical thinking, and monitor your professional development. Here are some useful tips for those who want to write a successful and compelling statement:
Show your passion
Prove that you are a person who is committed to teaching. Demonstrate that you feel a devotion to educate and always put your student`s wants, needs, and interests first. Show that abiding to the rules and regulations and embracing the principles of the teaching profession are the most important things for you. Describe how you want to make a difference in the lives of our students and your path to professional improvement.
Describe your goals and values
Define your own teaching goals that are relevant to the material you teach and the role you want to play in your students` intellectual and personal development. You should decide for yourself what the most important aspects of the teaching profession are and what you most want to accomplish. Write a list of your core beliefs and values about teaching. It can be something like this:
- It is my responsibility to help my students succeed;
- All students deserve my effort as a teacher;
- All students can learn something in my class.
Describe your teaching approaches and methods
It is said that teaching methods determine the activities of teachers and students and the quality of the teaching process. That is why it is so important to describe the types of methods and strategies that you use during your lessons to make your statement more compelling. Prove that you know your subject perfectly and are able to convey its content as simply as possible. Tell your readers how you have developed a particular way of going about the complex task of teaching or how exactly you synthesize from a variety of methods.
Recall your teaching experience briefly
Set yourself apart from others by retelling a memorable or challenging experience with your students or describing what your classroom looks. Enable your readers to envision your unique teaching in practice. Make it clear that you care about your students and enjoy working with them. Explain why you teach the way you teach and how you are going to measure through self and student assessment the effectiveness of your methods.
Describe your out-of-the-classroom practices
Describe how you engage with your students outside of the classroom to make learning extended. What creative and innovative teaching strategies do you exactly use? What extracurricular activities do you organize to spark inspiration? How do you develop your students as human beings? Write about how you develop such important students` skills like communication, teamwork, and critical thinking.