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“A white teddy bear named Katherine, a Care Bear and a Cabbage Patch Kid – these were my first students. When I was just four years old, I’d set up a little whiteboard and put my dolls and stuffed animals in chairs and teach them lessons. At eight, I wrote my first lesson plan – proof of it exists to this day in the basement of my childhood home! These are two of many examples that exemplify that teaching is an inherent part of who I am.”

This is how I begin my teaching philosophy statement, a reflective essay that tells the story of my journey as an educator. An impactful statement explores the values, beliefs and goals (VBGs) that govern your approach and shows the reader how they translate into practice. It also lays out your vision for the next chapter in your teaching career. 

After reading many statements in my role as an educational developer and a member of hiring and awards committees, I share some of the most effective strategies, using excerpts from colleagues’ teaching philosophy statements to illustrate.

Teaching as a work of ‘heart’

Your teaching philosophy statement shouldn’t be a recitation of your curriculum vitae or pedagogical theory, nor should it be filled with clichés. Use your words to show readers your authentic voice. For example:

“I am not a professor by trade. I spend my evenings, weekends and stolen moments during the workday in this role because I genuinely care about my students and their success.” – Cydney Kane, Schulich School of Law.

With each paragraph, the reader should gain a richer picture of your teaching and of who you are as an educator. For example, an instructor from our School of Physiotherapy writes:

“I also share with my students the sudden clinical insights, practical tips and discoveries I continue to have after 24 years of practice. By incorporating personal ‘a-ha’ learning moments, I model self-awareness of my strengths and limitations, demonstrating professional humility, while giving meaning and relevance to lecture and clinical laboratory content.” 

Three of four teaching VBGs should form the backbone of a teaching philosophy statement. To determine the VBGs that reflect your teaching, you may ask yourself questions, such as: 

- What do I find rewarding about teaching? 

- What lessons have I learned in my teaching journey? 

- How do I view the roles of the student and instructor? 

- How do I motivate, challenge or support my students?

- What skills do I want my students to take away from their time with me? 

- What non-teaching role reflects my style as an educator? (for example, coach, mentor or cheerleader).

- What human qualities do I bring to the classroom that GenAI can’t replicate? 

- What strengths can I pull out from my teaching evaluations or feedback from colleagues? Areas in which you excel are often indicative of your VBGs. For example, if your strength is getting students to think critically, then one of your teaching values may be fairness or justice so you encourage students to question the status quo.

- What qualities stand out in my favourite teacher? Do I share similar ones? What VBGs might be behind those qualities? For example, an instructor who is nurturing may value mentorship or helping their students grow.

When I wrote my first teaching philosophy statement, I completed the , which assesses your beliefs, intentions and actions to identify your dominant teaching perspective from the following options: transmission, apprenticeship, developmental, nurturing and social reform. If, for example, apprenticeship emerges as your dominant perspective, then your VBGs and teaching methodologies might include scaffolded and hands-on learning, workplace-relevant assessments and emphasising the importance of professionalism.

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Another way to bring your authentic voice into your teaching philosophy statement is to use your discipline or field to ground your VBGs or create metaphors for your teaching. Two examples include:

“My ultimate goal as a teacher is to model the same approach that guides my clinical practice by fostering mentorship, reflective practice, and safer learning environments that support the development of thoughtful and confident clinicians.” – Kelly Root, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. 

“I view teaching and learning as a shared progress of growth – where ideas begin as seeds, nurtured by curiosity, care and connection until they take root and flourish into strong trees.” – Alexa Goodman, College of Sustainability.

Taking the time to reflect will help you build a strong foundation for your teaching philosophy statement. 

In part two of this series, I will explore how to use evidence and prose to add substance and originality to your statement. 

Daniella Sieukaran is the senior educational developer (programme development) at Dalhousie University. She teaches in the department of psychology at Dalhousie and Mount Saint Vincent University.

Special thanks to Kate Crane (educational developer, Student Engagement & Relational Pedagogies) for connecting me with instructors at Dalhousie University whose excerpts appear in this article.

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