Writing a teaching philosophy : simplifying the seemingly impossible

Abstract

Writing a teaching philosophy can be a daunting task, regardless of whether you are a graduate student applying for a job, a young faculty member seeking promotion and tenure, or a grizzled veteran preparing for post-tenure review. It needn’t be.

Despite numerous guidebooks and internet pages devoted to this topic, it remains a mystery to most who stare at a blank page and find nothing staring back. The challenge is to de-mystify the process. I believe that the key lies in identifying the barriers to getting started and in simplifying the task so that it seems manageable.

In this presentation, I’ll share a process that has worked for me for nearly 20 years. It can be used by individuals, in small groups, or with a class of 30-50 students. I’ll model how I would present it in a class, and then give those in the audience a chance to get started writing their own teaching philosophy—one that is simple, concise, and meaningful to them.