Post date: Apr 02, 2020 4:54:50 PM
While you're working on your main project it can help to have a little side hustle, something going on that might not see the light of day for a while but benefits from work over time: little bits of writing, notes you keep, a little at a time over time. When you start in earnest on this thing, you'll like in your file. Even if I go to my file for something like and only find names and a short bulleted list, I'm always glad of whatever I find. Inevitably, I have more than I would had to start otherwise. Besides, I need distractions that interest me, but may contribute to my work.
A teaching philosophy is a good little project that lends itself to bits of writing over time, reading here and there, and periodic reflection.
When I meet students in "teaching philosophy statement" workshops, I've found that many-- most-- in fact (even if they are experienced teachers)-- haven't articulated why they choose to teach the way they do, then explained their approach to others with appropriate examples and illustrations, along with some information on how they measured the success of student learning.
The basic features of the specific genre "teaching philosophy statement" are consistent across fields (a page long, maybe two; paragraphs that supply different types of information). Resources are available. Departments offer workshops for their graduate students. Faculty can direct you to examples. Write several drafts, then a few more, and seek feedback.
I'm concerned with the essential first step: figuring out what your teaching philosophy is and how to develop one. That's the little side project I have in mind. "Write a Teaching Philosophy" is a project that is enriched by free and generative writing, short assignments and writing in response to prompts. If you write to work through the questions, "What is my teaching philosophy? What does my philosophy look like in action? How do my students learn?" you'll find yourself with a great deal of text you can use to craft into a powerful formal statement.
Written over time, you'll find your thinking is enriched by reflection.
NOTE:
There are many resources available to help you write your teaching philosophy statement. I've embedded links throughout the pages to guide you back to the source of almost all of the information I've gathered here. I've gathered many bits and pieces over time-- I am continuing to make sure attribution is correct. I include a brief overview of the rhetoric of a the teaching philosophy statement. But I only do that to create a context for the primary purpose here, which is to help you use writing-- "short assignments" and free writing, to be precise-- to explore your teaching philosophy.