2. Guiding Principles
• must provide a concise and CLEAR account of your
pedagogical approach, methods, and expertise
• must demonstrate that you are reflective and
purposeful about your teaching, communicate
your goals as a teacher, and describe your
effectiveness in the classroom
• should be written for a general academic
audience
• should be 1-2 pages in length
YOUR Teaching Philosophy
Presentation
Graduate Student Support
3. Common Features
• statement on teaching and learning
• description of how you teach (teaching methods)
• justification of your teaching methods
• your short-term and long-range teaching goals
• tools you use to teach effectively (e.g. technology)
• how you support diversity /
diverse ways of learning
• specific examples from your experience
YOUR Teaching Philosophy
Presentation
Graduate Student Support
4. Guiding Questions
1. Why do I teach?
2. What do I teach?
3. How do I teach?
4. How do I measure my effectiveness?
YOUR Teaching Philosophy
Presentation
Graduate Student Support
6. Organizing
• opening statement/opening paragraph
• hierarchizing
• most important to least important?
• theory to practice? theory AND practice?
• paragraphs (number and length)
• closing statement
YOUR Teaching Philosophy
Presentation
Graduate Student Support
7. General Strategies
• teaching/learning (thesis) statement
• topic sentences
• clear claims
• clear and relevant supporting materials
YOUR Teaching Philosophy
Presentation
Graduate Student Support
8. Supporting Materials and Examples
• theory vs. practice
• general vs. specific
• all-purpose vs. targeted
• simple vs. complex
• single vs. multiple
YOUR Teaching Philosophy
Presentation
Graduate Student Support
