Philosophy of Teaching Assignment

Background

Think of the assignment as a way to introduce yourself to a principal who may be considering hiring you.

Common mistake: discuss what is wrong in education

Instructions

Start the paper with a personalized paragraph of introduction. One way to do this is to focus on why you decided to become a teacher.

1. What are the most important things that students need to learn (in your field)? (Content)

Reveal top content priorities.

What are those knowledge areas or skills that you feel are absolutely essential for your students to learn before they leave your class?

Examples:

An English teacher might favor basic oral and written communication skills so that the students will leave with the ability to express themselves clearly.

A Wellness teacher might prefer information and skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle, etc.

A Geography teacher might believe that the ability to read/interpret maps is one key thing that his/her students should learn.

Identify at least three key content areas that will be emphasized by you, along with a rationale for each.

2. How should those things be taught? (Methodology)

Start by making a general statement about how you think students learn best.

Do they learn best when they are asleep?

Do they learn best when they are passive?

Do they learn best when they are active?

Do they learn best when they are memorizing?

Do they learn best when they are problem solving? Etc. What is it that you believe?

Next, be a name dropper. Identify specific methods that you will use. Give a rationale for each.

3. How will I know that students learned the material? (Assessment)

Begin with a statement about your beliefs regarding assessment.

Do you think tests (only tests) are the best way to measure learning?

Do you think variety is important in assessment?

Do you believe in connecting assessment to the objectives? Etc.

Next, focus on such things as what will get assessed, the types of assessments you will use (if things other than tests will be used to evaluate learning, how will you determine the grade for those things), how often will assess, and what will you do with what you learn from the assessments?

Overall:

Be sure to inform the reader when you move to each section. Use clear introductory statements to inform the reader when shifts occur.

Maximum length: Two pages (double-spaced), twelve-point font.