Teaching Philosophy
The nature of teaching philosophy as a personal expression of values and goals -- which links further to Roles & Responsibilities and to Teaching Methods & Strategies
Philosophy as Values and Goals
Teaching is a value-laden activity. What one teaches--and who one teaches, and perhaps even how--is a personal expression of professional goals and values. Why does one teach? The question often evokes basic moral values--about an informed citizenry, about self-fulfillment and understanding or about developing the means to achieve one's life-goals. The professional teacher reflects on these values, articulates them, makes them explicit and public, possibly justifies them, and uses them as a guide to clarify and develop practice.
"Teaching philosophy," as a phrase used by different authors, has a wide variety of meanings. Many writers use it to refer to one's notions about how teaching occurs. We prefer to call such concepts "theories of learning." Presumably, such theories can be tested and supported by (or found contradictory to) evidence. Although they may be part of someone's personal beliefs, they are ultimately a matter for public consensus based on empirical study. The concept of "teaching philosophy" profiled here, by contrast, is an expression of individual values. It is like a personal mission statement.
By noting that values are expressed individually, one is not committed to mere relativism or a posture of "anything goes". In a public or social sphere, values need to be justified (as any philosopher will readily acknowledge). The condition of justification, however, leaves a wide latitude of possible values.
Link to exercises for writing a statement of teaching philosophy -- reflecting on, articulating and expressing one's values and goals in teaching.
Philosophy as a Benchmark
In an academic community, the individual scholar has the freedom to teach as he or she deems appropriate. Hence, values about teaching may vary widely within one institution -- with no single definable standard. For example, some may value volume of content knowledge as an end, while others may value process or critical thinking skills. Some may value group skills and cooperation, others individual skills and independence. In the best teaching communities, this diversity can be viewed as a strength. Scholars need to remind themselves sometimes that diversity, even disagreement, is a strength and a healthy foundation for scholarly dialogue and intellectual growth. Still, it can pose a potential problem for assessing teaching: how does one proceed where there are no uniform established standards? It is precisely in this regard that a well articulated teaching philosophy is important. It defines the standards for the individual. It sets the benchmark for measuring the appropriateness of one's methods, the scope of one's activities, the effectiveness of one's teaching, and the achievements of student learning.
Profiling teaching philosophy as a benchmark does not give the teacher carte blanche. Certain professional standards are implicit in academic freedom. For example, a statement of teaching philosophy may be judged for its depth: how fully does it address the context of learning and/or scholarly dialogue about the ends of teaching? It may be judged for its scope: is it modest or ambitious? It may be judged for the quality of the justification: to what degree do cultural values, the institutional and disciplinary contexts, and/or other reasoning or widely accepted principles support it? It would violate professional norms, of course, to measure it against someone's own specific or preferred standards or values about education. The freedom to define one's own standards must be coupled with a duty to do so responsibly.
At the same time, one might acknowledge that individual teachers work in the context of specific institutions. Indeed, the university community at UTEP contributes (at differing levels) to developing a mission statement that declares its shared institutional goals, including education. An individual's teaching philosophy, therefore, might well address the institutional context. Is it appropriate to ask if and how a faculty member is addressing the educational component of UTEP's Mission and Vision? A teacher might also be able to articulate how his or her goals are consonant with student goals.
Because teaching philosophy is so central to evaluation, a statement of teaching philosophy should be concise, cogent and clear for the sake of any reviewer.
Link to evaluating teaching portfolios.
Relation of Teaching Philosophy to Practice
A teaching philosophy, unchecked, might potentially drift into utopian visions. Or the statement of philosophy, well articulated and noble enough, may be quite disconnected from the teacher's daily practice. Ultimately, as professional reflection deepens and experience accumulates, the link between teaching philosophy and classroom activities should become clearer and the goals should become more fully realized in observed practice. Analysis of and commentary on practice may reflect a more mature teaching portfolio.
Link to a profile of articulating teaching philosophy in practice.