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[Melissa]

I am just starting my jobsearch for academic positions and need to submit an statement of my teaching philosophy. What specific points should I touch on? Is anyone willing to put theirs on the forum as an example?

[anon a mouse]

I faced the same challenge.  One of the things I did was to look for teaching philosphys online from the various schools I was applying to, some of the personal pages of various profesors had them.  It helped.  Plus there is an online discussion of how to write a teaching philosophy, sorry, I am on my laptop and don't have it book marked, but it is titled:How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy
By GABRIELA MONTELL

goodluck

[anon in social sciences]

On one of my liberal arts interviews, I was told that I'd written the best teaching statement that one of my interviewers had ever read.  He said he liked the way I put in anecdotes about actual teaching and what I liked about having been taught.  So I guess it's good to back up your statements of philsophy with concrete examples.

[piglet]

I second what anon in the s.s. says.  I'm in the humanities, and I've been similarly complimented on my teaching statement.

I state an overarching message that encompasses why I teach, and then I elaborate with some more specific, but general, principles (e.g., Students cannot learn how to be critical thinkers if they cannot express their ideas clearly) about my teaching--in other words, bullet points.

Then I elaborate on each of these.  Sparkling examples are essential.  I quote from course evaluations, thank-you e-mails from parents, cards from alumni.  No, I've no shame.  ;-)  But it's all true, and while writing a teaching statement seems like a chore, it makes you, well, philosophical about your teaching.  The process of writing it affirmed for me why I teach and, I think, has improved my teaching immeasurably.  Good luck!

[euro]

dont we teach at least in part because we have to?

[Koko]

Do a search online. Many, many teaching centers have sample teaching statements available on the web as well as advice for structuring your statement. Also try to look for information for your specific discipline.

Make sure to use concrete examples on what YOU do in YOUR classes to reach your teaching goals.

[econ anon]

>>dont we teach at least in part because we have to?

In my experience (economics), the places where you're teaching because you have to don't request teaching statements.  For the most part, only the liberal arts schools where you should want to teach or you shouldn't apply want them.

[anon]

>>dont we teach at least in part because we have to?

Not really. We chose to become teachers, we could be doing something else.  See "over the septic tank" thread in balancing life and work.

[Velvet Elvis]

I always liked to go first or last.  Either set a high standard for other candidates to meet (I interview very well) or come in when the committee is tired of the process and wake them up.

VE.