Most schools will ask for a teaching philosophy, but won’t necessarily explain what they’re looking for when they require this supplementary material for your application. In general, a teaching philosophy is an opportunity for you to explain yourself as a pedagogue. Some questions you might consider asking in your teaching philosophy are:
- What theories power your pedagogical approach in the classroom?
- What is your general method for conducting your classes at the high education level?
- How do you conduct yourself as an educator?
It should not be longer than 1 or 2 pages, single-spaced, and it’s not a bad idea to include this in your digital CV if you create one.
Here are some links to guide your writing. Please note that these were discovered through a cursory Google search, and there are many other resources out there:
- How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy (The Chronicle)
- Teaching Philosophy (University of Texas at Austin)
- Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement (The Teaching Center at Washington University in St. Louis)
- Writing Your Teaching Philosophy (University of Minnesota)
