BROD Cycle: A Simple Guide to Creating your Own Teaching Philosophy Statement

If you review the literature related to teaching philosophy, one idea that stands out is that we have different perspectives on how we see effective teaching and learning. I believe this is true because the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies may depend on several factors such as the learning environment, personality differences of teachers and learners, cultural similarities and differences, the field of study, and a whole lot more. However, fundamental to these different perspectives is your own ideal that guides how you teach and learn – this fundamental truth reflects your teaching philosophy.

Teaching Philosophy is a “systematic and critical rationale that focuses on the important components defining effective teaching and learning in a particular discipline and/or institutional context”  (p. 84, Schönwetter, Sokal, Friesen, & Taylor, 2002). In writing your teaching philosophy statement (TPS), there are 6 components to keep in mind:

1. Definitions of teaching and learning – clear definition of teaching and learning based on the literature and one’s personal reflection

2. View of the learner – characteristics and experiences of the individual which he/she brings in the learning environment

3. Goals and expectations of the student-teacher relationship – description of the evolving dynamics between the student and the teacher in the learning process

4. Teaching method and evaluation – description of the teaching-learning strategies which should be consistent with the first 3 components

5. Personal context of teaching – description of one’s personal goals and teaching style, and how it fits in a particular setting

6. Organization – well-structured teaching philosophy statement with its ideas consistent across all the components

Now, this is where we usually get discouraged when planning to write our own TPS. There are a lot of components! How do I find time to put content to all these components? Where do I even start? True enough, if you review the literature on creating TPS, there are different perspectives, approaches, and timelines that you need to consider.

If you are still reading up to this point, then you are in the right place and at the right time! I have already searched and summarized the TPS literature for you – and the product is a simple set of four stages that will guide you in creating your own TPS.

I call this guide the BROD Cycle of Mapping your Teaching Philosophy. There are 4 stages (brainstorming, reflection, organization, development) and each stage has specific tasks. It is a cycle, hence, you may go through each stage at any point in your teaching career. It does not occur in a linear fashion – you may start with brainstorming then go directly to developing the teaching philosophy statement. However, I recommend that you follow the 4 stages at your own pace to get the most out of each task.

Stage 1. Brainstorming

Read resources that will broaden your knowledge about teaching and learning theories. One book that I recommend is that of Merriam and Bierema (2013; see chapter 2 summary on page 39). Other resources will also help as long as you focus on understanding the teaching and learning theories.

In this stage, take note of those ideas that interest you and somehow reflect who you are and what you do as a teacher. You can create a table with two columns – the first column represents the contents you took note of and the second column represents your rationale for taking note of that idea. Learn as much as you want and just let your thoughts flow. 

You can access the TPS template here.

Stage 2. Reflection

Reflect on how the content and rationale you had in brainstorming stage align with your actual teaching experience – write your reflection in the third column. An actual teaching experience may not necessarily be an institutional experience but the daily experience of teaching others (e.g., teaching your friend or family member). The article of Beatty, Leigh, and Dean (2009) may facilitate your reflection process – just focus on reflecting about your best and worst teaching experience.

Stage 3. Organization

This is where you cluster similar ideas. In this column, write the theory that aligns with your reflection. You will notice that the theory reflects the idea in the contents column. Hence, the 4 columns represent the process of mapping your teaching philosophy by examining the dynamics of teaching-learning theories and your teaching preferences/experiences.

You will notice that there may be different theories in the last column. To reconcile this, you just need to count how many times the theory appears throughout this column. The theory that has the most number of counts represents your dominant teaching philosophy. The remaining theory may also represent your teaching philosophy but may be less representative of who you are as a teacher. In this case, it is your decision if you stick with your dominant teaching philosophy or be eclectic in your approach by incorporating several theories.

Stage 4. Development

At last, you are now ready to write your own TPS! To organize your ideas, I suggest you follow the 6 components of a teaching philosophy statement: 1) definitions of teaching and learning, 2) view of the learner, 3) goals and expectations of the student-teacher relationship, 4) teaching method and evaluation, 5) personal context of teaching, and 6) organization.

Keep in mind that creating your TPS is an ongoing process and will keep on improving as you progress in your teaching career. Hence, take your time in writing and do not rush. Once you have your own TPS, treat it as an ongoing draft in which you can revise at any point in your career.

Finally, share your teaching philosophy to your fellow teachers and to your students! Asking them their thoughts about your TPS is an opportunity to refine it. Feel free to send me your TPS and I’ll be happy to provide you my feedforward. You may also check my TPS here.

So, there you go! The goal is to create a draft of your teaching philosophy statement using this simple four-stage guide. What do you think? What could have been improved in this guide? I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Learning Resources

Beatty, J. E., Leigh, J. S. A., & Dean, K. L. (2009). Finding our roots: An exercise for creating a personal teaching philosophy statement. Journal of Management Education, 33(1), 115–130. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562907310642 

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2013). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. John Wiley & Sons.

Schönwetter, D. J., Sokal, L , Friesen, M., & Taylor, K. L. (2002): Teaching philosophies reconsidered: A conceptual model for the development and evaluation of teaching philosophy statements, International Journal for Academic Development, 7(1), 83-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440210156501