Overview
A teaching philosophy is a purposeful and reflective essay that express

Overview
A teaching philosophy is a purposeful and reflective essay that expresses an educator’s core education principles, discusses a rationale for each principle, and provides practical examples to support their beliefs. Your “Teaching Philosophy” statement should reveal how you think about teaching and help the reader envision how you will teach. At a minimum, this statement should address: (1) what do you believe to be the purpose of education/curriculum, (2) what do you believe about the roles of teachers and students in learning, and (3) what do you believe is the best way to reach that purpose, and why.
A teaching philosophy should address the following questions:
What do you believe education is, and what is it for?
What are the core values that will guide your work as an educator?
Recommended Review
For this assignment, I recommend revisiting Module #1—Foundations of American Education: Ideological, Philosophical, and Historical Perspectives. Reviewing this module will help refresh your understanding of the various educational philosophies we discussed at the beginning of the semester (e.g., student-centered vs. teacher-centered, etc.), as well as key terms associated with these philosophies. This background knowledge will be crucial as you complete your paper, which asks you to develop and articulate your own philosophy of education.
Make sure to address not only what education is, but what education is for—its purpose. Additionally, consider these specific questions:
Why do I teach?
What do I teach?
How do I teach?
How do I measure my own effectiveness?
Please keep in mind that your teaching philosophy develops gradually over time and it emerges based on your experiences with learners in and out of the classroom, your use of different teaching and assessment methods, and your relationships with parents and other teachers, and community. As you accumulate more teaching experiences, it is very likely that your philosophy will change over time. Eventually, you may include some part of this essay in your general educational philosophy. As you pursue your teaching degree, you may consider this essay as a “living document” and write it according to your philosophy as of today. Thus, as you pursue a teaching degree, you may want to keep this paper and update it throughout your teaching career to continue to be current, reflecting your philosophy of education as it will be then.
Objectives
A worthy goal for beginning educators is to teachers reflect on their practice to maximize self-awareness and continual improvement. Becoming reflective is about integrating theory into practice, and making meaning from experiences. This reflective essay provides you a chance to add your thoughts and analysis to what you have read and experienced throughout the semester.
For this final project, you must find a way to creatively bring together the material we have discussed in this class to reflect on the connections between education and diversity. The goal of this assignment is to bring together themes and ideas we have been discussing throughout the semester to construct your own philosophy of education. The main objective of this assignment is to help you:
Craft your personal teaching philosophy
Think critically and reflectively about education, diversity, and schooling
Directions
The primary focus of this assignment is on the comprehensiveness of understanding the many components that are necessary to consider when teaching in a multicultural classroom. You are required to do 3 things:
Write a Reflection Paper: My Teaching Philosophy
Create a Graphic Organizer
First: My Teaching Philosophy
For this part of the assignment, you need to write a coherent, self-reflective essay that develops your own teaching philosophy. This should be approached from a “multicultural” perspective, discussing how you will ensure that your future classroom is culturally responsive and empowering for all learners. It does not attempt to address specific educational subjects or grade levels.
Include your beliefs about the roles of teachers and students in the learning process. Demonstrate how these values and beliefs about education are applied in practice. This entails describing the way curriculum is organized, the manner in which instruction is delivered, the way learning environment managed, and the processes used in testing and grading, etc. Accordingly, your teaching philosophy should explain why you choose these options, and analyze which philosophies/theories that tend to include the most similarities to your own thinking.
The length of the paper should be no less than four pages, excluding the “Title” page (12-point Times New Roman & double spaced). Use the first-person singular (“I”) to relate the readings to your prior knowledge and experience. You need to refer to the course content and reading material. In addition to your textbook, you must cite 2 scholarly articles. Your sources should present the best evidence for practice (focusing on multicultural education), also it should be published in a peer-reviewed journal (not a link/website, magazine, etc.). Your paper should include the following three components:
Introduction: It should clearly present the purpose of your paper and introduce your teaching philosophy, outline your core beliefs, and provide context for how these beliefs shape your approach to education.
Body* Describe your core beliefs about education and explain how you would implement these beliefs in practice.
Use subheadings to help organize your thoughts and address each part of your paper.
Conclusion: Your goals as a teacher and how you intend to accomplish them. It should capture the focus of your philosophy and summarize its main points. Focus on the main takeaway points.
*The Body:
The body of your paper should discuss what are your educational goals and how you intend to accomplish them; it should consist the following two parts:
Part #1 “What”: Describe the roles of teachers and students in learning. What are the core values that will guide your work as an educator? Identify and discuss the 2-3 most core beliefs about the purpose of education. What do you believe about what education is, and is for. You should critically reflect on not only what education is, but what education is for, and how you will integrate these values into your own work in education. You might want to reference the readings we covered during our class.
Part #2 “How & Why”: This part should include a high-level description of how you would put those beliefs into practice, and also an explanation of why you teach that way. Based on these purposes, guiding principles, and understanding of learning, describe how you will translate your beliefs into your classroom practice.
What changes should we make in schools to ensure that all children can be successful?
Describe the most effective instructional strategies and teaching methods you believe will ensure that your future classroom is culturally responsive and empowering for all learners.
What does this demand that you do? Provide culturally responsive teaching examples (e.g., arranging the classroom chairs a certain way, activities you would implement, particular curricular units, kinds of pedagogy, etc.). How should learning be assessed/measured?
Second: Graphic Organizer
Click here: Philosophy of Education!
In addition to your self-reflective essay, you are required to create a graphic organizer (e.g., an infographic. or concept map) that visually represents key concepts, philosophies, and theories discussed in your essay. The organizer should illustrate your personal teaching philosophy and its major applications to the K-12 curriculum.
Your graphic organizer should include:
Focus Question: Include the question “So, Am I Now a Culturally Responsive Teacher?” as the central theme of your organizer.
At least 2-3 Educational Philosophies: Choose those that align with your teaching beliefs and are central to your understanding of diversity in education.
At least 2-3 Theories: Select theories that resonate with your views and are relevant for teaching in a culturally and linguistically diverse classroom.
Concepts and Linking Words: Include relevant concepts and briefly define each one. Use linking words or arrows to connect them, demonstrating how they relate to your core ideas about being a culturally responsive teacher. This will show how the concepts support and integrate with your approach to culturally responsive teaching.
Suggestions
While using an appropriate academic style, write in a way that reflects your own voice and personality.
Seek to inspire the reader. Identify what you believe are the primary purposes of education, and explain your mission as a culturally responsive educator.
Discuss the most important principles that will guide your actions as a teacher.
Include specific examples from your experience to illustrate and support your
Logically develop your ideas.
Read the rubric before writing your teaching philosophy statement. Once you have completed your draft, use the rubric to evaluate and score it as if you were an evaluator. This will help you identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement, ensuring that your teaching philosophy meets all the required criteria.
Helpful Resources
40 Practical Philosophy of Education Examples – Educators Technology
Sample My Philosophy of Multicultural Education
General examples:
Sample Philosophy of Education.pdf (bridgepointeducation.com)
My Philosophy of Education | Reflections on teaching and learning (wordpress.com)
Writing Your Teaching Philosophy | Center for Educational Innovation (umn.edu)
Teaching Statements | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University
Teaching Philosophy & Commitment to Culturally Responsive Teaching (wordpress.com)
My Philosophy of Diversity in Education/Embracing Diversity
Writing Your Teaching Philosophy | Center for Educational Innovation (umn.edu)
How to Answer “What Is Your Teaching Philosophy?” (liveabout.com)
What Is a Teaching Philosophy Statement? (wgu.edu)
Multicultural Education Definition (edglossary.org)
Multicultural Educational Philosophy, Personal Statement Example (essays.io)
edu230_-_philosophy_essay.pdf (weebly.com)
Assessment & Evaluation
The quality of your paper depends on clarity and your ability to use various sources to back up your reflection on diversity and multiculturalism. In evaluating your writing, I will be particularly looking for the following General Writing Guidelines posted on Canvas.
See attached rubric.
Notes:
Use subheaders to address each part of the essay: Each subheader should organize your essay and guide the reader through your paper. Ensure that subheaders clearly delineate each section and align with the key components of the assignment.
Remember this basic rule of thumb “keep one idea to one paragraph;” accordingly, you need to divide your paper into paragraphs for easier reading.
All written work must be: 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and 1-inch margins must be used.
Remember, any sources of information that are referred to should be referenced according to the APA guidelines.
The length of the paper should be no less than three pages (excluding the “Title” page and “References” section), typed in Microsoft Word.
Make sure to define all terms, please remember a good essay has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Writing Guidelines:
In evaluating your writing, I will be particularly looking for:
Clarity: Your argument is clear. Your sentences are well-crafted, engaging, and easy to read. You provide transitions and “signposts” to help your readers follow your thinking.
Writing Structure: You need to divide your paper into paragraphs for clarity and easier reading (use subheadings). Please remember this basic rule of thumb “keep one idea to one paragraph.”
Your paper should include the Major Paper Sections , and must meet the following : (1) title page , (2) an introduction, (3) the body, (4) conclusion, (5) References, separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style.
Supporting Arguments: Connect your writing to your reading material. Be sure to incorporate relevant concepts and theories from course reading. Cite references from your readings to advance your ideas and support your argument.
Go beyond recounting “what” the texts say to explaining how the texts achieve their objectives. Avoid “quote dumping”; each time you quote the texts, you provide your own analysis of the significance of the quote.
APA Guidelines: Do not use direct quotes excessively. You need to paraphrase and use your own words to summarize the content and then make your assertions (use APA in-text citation ).
Your paper must be written in 12 Point Times New Roman (doubled-spaced with one-inch margins), and 1-inch margins must be used (please do not use any of the “fancy” fonts like Curlz or Harrington, etc.).
All written work must meet scholarly and formatting standards as provided in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
Citations & References: Any sources of information that are referred to in your papers should be referenced according to the APA. Also, see attached: APA FORMAT6th Edition.pdf
If you are not familiar with these guidelines, please refer to the APA Publication Manual or inquire at the UAH Library and the UAH Writing Center for further information.
If you use an outside source, be sure to cite it; you need also to use in-text citation.
I’m aware that using APA is a relatively new practice for some of the students. I don’t want my students to panic as they start using this writing style. I am more concerned with the content of your papers, but where possible, I will try to help all my students in using this writing style. I will be more than happy to assist you in this process, given that such skills, using this type of format, will be developed gradually throughout the semester (you may also visit the UAH Writing Center).
Mechanics, Grammar, and Proofing: Your paper follows the conventions of standardized English, avoiding basic writing errors, and follows APA guidelines.
Files can be saved in Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX); PDF or any other file type that cannot be opened will NOT be accepted.
In general, the following criteria apply for each assignment. Assignments will be evaluated based on the holistic rubric below which describes four levels of achievement in relation to the overall quality of your written assignment.
Level
Description

Above Expectations
Is clearly outstanding and reflects substantial effort. All aspects of the assignment are responded to in a cogent, organized and cohesive manner. Well-chosen, supportive examples and persuasive reasoning are utilized. There is an introduction, conclusion, and transition between sections. The mechanics of the paper are excellent – there are very few grammatical or spelling errors. The paper is turned in on time.

Meets Expectations
Is of high quality. Most of the aspects of the assignment are covered in an adequate and organized manner. Supportive examples are given and arguments are organized and sensible. There is a clear structure to the paper. The mechanics of the paper are good – there are some minor grammatical and/or spelling errors, but these do not detract substantially from the content of the paper. turned in on time, unless an extension is granted.

Approaching Expectations
Is adequate. The student does address the main aspects of the assignment, although some are not covered thoroughly. Examples are given, but not developed fully. The paper lacks a clear organizational structure. The mechanics of the paper are poor. There are a number of grammatical and/or spelling errors. The paper may be late.

Below Expectations
Is unsatisfactory. The paper clearly shows weaknesses. The assignment is not addressed and/or the response is incoherent. There is little obvious structure to the paper.
The mechanics of the paper are abysmal. There are frequent grammatical and/or spelling errors. The paper may be late.