A teaching philosophy is a one to three page document that clearly articulates the value you put on teaching, the goals you have for student learning, and teaching and assessment strategies you will use.

• stand-alone statement for job application
• centerpiece of a teaching portfolio (job application, award, other)
• centerpiece for an annual review or RPT package
• content for a job talk – pedagogy talk
• content for a cover letter for teaching job
• self-reflection tool

• offers evidence and examples
• conveys thoughtfulness and reflection about teaching
• communicates that the person values teaching
• is student/learner centered
• is well written (free of jargon, grammatical or spelling errors)

• goals for learning
• strategies to enact those goals in the classroom
• strategies to measure those goals
• approaches to creating inclusive learning environments

• catalog your teaching experiences and strategies  
• identify your beliefs about teaching
• consider context - who will be reading your statement? how does institutional type influence the portions of your philosophy you share?