Options to Document Teaching Effectiveness

References used to prepare this Page:

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Center for Faculty Excellence.

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Preparing Future Faculty

Developing your teaching philosophy statement has the following benefits:

Articulate your values, beliefs, and goals
Be able to stand firm and advocate for good teaching practice
To share your TPS with students and others
To have a document for applications and merit and promotion files
Reflect and respond succinctly during student Q/A or job interview questions
TPS helps tp provide standards to judge the quality of your teaching
TPS provides evidence of your teaching effectiveness

Teacher Portfolios can be used to demonstrate teaching effectiveness. The items below can be included in eFile as part of teaching portfolios.

Thinking Checklist- Reflect on your teaching to get started

Reflect on your journey as an instructor. Use the list of questions provided below to refine and structure your ideas. Make brief notes for each question. Review your thinking and look for themes, implicit assumptions, emerging values, and ideas about teaching that matter to you as you respond to this checklist.
Assessment of Learning
- How does learning take place?
- Based on my observation and experience, what do I think happens during a learning episode?
Assessment of Teaching
- How do I facilitate learning?
- What are my assumptions about teaching?
- Why do I teach the way I do?
- How do I motivate, challenge, or support students?
- How do I deal with students who struggle?
- How do I vary my approach?
Goals for Students
- As a result of learning, what do I expect my students to know, do, or value (in their careers and future lives)? Why?
- What does my teaching philosophy mean for my students?
Implementation and Assessment
- How are my conceptions of teaching and learning transformed into instructional strategies?
- What are the consequences of my instructional strategies?
- How do I know my teaching is effective?
- What data do I use to gauge my effectiveness?
Your Future as a Successful University Teacher (Personal Growth Plan)
- What goals have I set for myself as a teacher?
- How will I accomplish these goals?
- What are some present challenges to overcome in order to achieve my goals?
- How have I developed?
- What evidence do I have that can demonstrate my development?
- What has changed over time in my assumptions and actions?
- How have I met the goals that I set in the past?
This Canvas page is taken from the following reference:
- Indiana University. (n.d.). Tips for writing a statement of teaching philosophy. Center for Teaching and Learning. Access here

Writing Process to Develop your Teaching Philosophy

A TPS can be structured in the following sections:

Introduction
Thesis Statement
Evidence
Commentary
Repeat bullets 2, 3 & 4 as needed to build your ideas
Section describing your own continuous development (how do you assess your teaching and continuously improve?)

A simple guiding structure for your essay could be:

GROUND. My values and motivations/goals as a teacher-scholar.
ACTION. How I teach and assess learning – how this is guided by my perceptions of student needs and identities and my values, beliefs, and goals as an educator.
CONTINUITY. How I continue to learn and improve my teaching.

Paragraphs within your TPS could be written using the AEC or AXES model below.
AEC Model:

Assertion: Main or Key Idea, Topic Sentence. The paragraph has a single and explicit focus.
Evidence: Information or facts that support the assertion. In a TPS this is often evidence from teaching and observing teaching.
Commentary: Explanations and elaborations that connect the Evidence to the Assertion.

AXES Model:

Assertion
EXplanation
Example
Significance

Your Complete TPS:

Use the AEC or AXES models to build your ideas within paragraphs
Make sure as you build your ideas they align with your thesis
At the end of your TPS, it is very important to comment on what you do to assess your own teaching and continuously improve your teaching methods and strategies for the betterment of your students.

References used to prepare this Page:

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Center for Academic & Faculty Excellence.

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Preparing Future Faculty

Crafting an Introduction

Introductions are unique and like the rest of the essay reflects your writing style and expectations in your discipline. However, you might be interested in an overall structure to get you started. Here is an example, followed by an analysis of its structure and logic.

Example and Analysis
I fell in love with the Renaissance as a teenager and was lured into a scholarly pursuit of ideas and artifacts from this rich and complex period of human history. This life-long love affair has led me into the exciting journey of educating others and helping them build bridges between life today and this rich past. We do this in ways that clarify how far we’ve come but also how fundamental questions then and now share many similarities and are embraced by all cultures. Understanding that college age students might have difficulty relating literature from centuries ago to contemporary life, I teach about the Renaissance using a project-based comparative approach. I integrate popular art and literature to engage students in critical and divergent thinking, discussion, and writing. Experiential learning enables my students to not only know and appreciate the Renaissance, but to link it cogently to our lives and concerns in the 21st century

Analysis of the Introduction

TOPIC – discipline or domain of study ATTITUDE – passion, scholar	I fell in love with the Renaissance as a teenager and was lured into a scholarly pursuit of ideas and artifacts from this rich and complex period of human history.
FOCUS – teaching ATTITUDE – linking topic to present day – relevance to students.	This life-long love affair has led me into the exciting journey of educating others and helping them build bridges between life today and this rich past. We do this in ways that clarify how far we’ve come but also how fundamental questions then and now share many similarities and are embraced by all cultures.
THESIS CONTEXT: student at center, aware of student challenge SLOs: knowledge mastery, appreciation, link to relevant aspects of life today APPROACH: project based, experiential.	Understanding that college age students might have difficulty relating literature from centuries ago to contemporary life, I teach about the Renaissance using a project based comparative approach. I integrate popular art and literature to engage students in critical and divergent thinking, discussion, and writing. Experiential learning enables my students to not only know and appreciate the Renaissance, but to link it cogently to our lives and concerns in the 21st century.

When to Write Your Introduction

At the beginning. Some writers create an introduction that leads to a guiding thesis. The thesis then becomes like a mini map that generates the outline or structure of the essay. 
At the end. Some writers take a discovery approach. They free write the essay, allow a structure and logic to emerge, and then based on what they have created, they write an introduction and thesis statement that reflects the essay.
Most of us are somewhere in the middle. Planning an introduction and thesis gives us a writing direction that helps us work effectively. But remember to be flexible as you might discover new or better ideas that shift you away from the thesis. So, from time to time review and revise the introduction and the thesis. Most writing is an iterative process.

This page is taken from the following references:

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Center for Faculty Excellence.

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Preparing Future Faculty

Thesis Statement

Always write for an audience. Make sure of this by reading your thesis statement, role playing someone else seeing it for the first time. Better yet, find a critical but friendly person to read and give you feedback. What might be your (their) answers to these questions:

What can you derive of the writer’s values and goals as an educator?
What can we expect the essay to contain based on the thesis statement?

Creating a thesis statement gets you thinking and compressing what you believe – a large and nebulous set of perspectives – into a concise statement. This is very good practice for interviews, presentations, and general conversations where you will be able to present your philosophy succinctly and with conviction.

A thesis statement gives your reader an overview and helps them anticipate what is coming. A well-written introduction and thesis will get your reader wanting to read the full essay. Also, even if they do not read the rest of the essay, they will have a good idea of your philosophy. Think about busy search committees or merit and promotion committees– a well written introduction and thesis statement can make the difference between the essay being passed over and someone really engaging with it fully.

Thesis Statement Analysis

Here are 2 examples of thesis statements. What can you tell about these individuals’ teaching philosophies and pedagogical approaches?

I believe deep learning and critical, creative thinking about art and art history happens when students are engaged in experiential learning in real world settings, and receive active, on-going feedback from both peers and teachers.
Understanding the difficulty of relating literature from centuries ago to contemporary life, I teach about the Renaissance using a project based comparative approach integrating popular art and literature that engages students in high-level critical and divergent thinking

In the first one – this teacher is primarily concerned about cognitive-creative development and realizes this cannot come from book learning alone – she values learning by doing, her teaching might involve community projects. She values students’ input in learning, which also signals a confidence and comfort level in managing student critique. There are likely many other values and principles that could come in the essay, but her choice of what to use in a thesis underscores her key areas of concern.

The second one focuses on meaningful connections to students’ lived experiences – this signals a primary focus on meaning-making and relevance to students. There are likely other values and principles that could come in the essay, but this thesis choice centralizes meaningfulness factor as a critical factor in his teaching philosophy.

This page is taken from the following references:

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Center for Faculty Excellence.

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Preparing Future Faculty.

Steps & Guidelines - Crafting and Writing TPS

There are different ways to develop your Teacher Philosophy Statement (TPS). Below are some ideas and suggestions to help you get started.

You can also access this information via the document here.

Reflect on your teaching goals, beliefs values, concepts, assessments, activities, and your own ways to improve.
Write out these reflections as notes.
Read over your notes. Trust yourself as an educator, trust your values and aspirations, and that you have given thought to how to teach, assess, and interact with your students.
Using the guiding structure of a TPS– begin writing your first draft. You want the words to flow in a stream of ideas.
Do not worry about the length at first. Create a draft as long as you want. This will allow you the space and flexibility to develop ideas fully.
Then shape and compress this to a 1 to 2-page essay in the final draft (or longer depending on your goals for tenure in alignment with your department's needs).
Check your draft with your original notes. Edit to include and integrate missing ideas.
Review the logic of your essay. Does your TPS move from WHAT you believe in and WHY to HOW this is reflected in your teaching via examples, evidence, and commentary? Your reader must see your philosophy in action in your examples and evidence of teaching.
Look for connections and unnecessary overlaps. Are there paragraphs that refer to the same values or examples or interchangeably mean the same thing?
Be prepared to revise your sentences and paragraphs to find the best flow of ideas.
Use the TPS checklist as a guide to make sure you have covered the key areas

References used to prepare this page:

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Center for Faculty Excellence.

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Preparing Future Faculty.

Teaching Philosophy Statement Checklist/Rubric

TPS Checklist/Rubric

Use these criteria to guide the writing of your TPS and also to evaluate it after you finish writing your statement. Some criteria may overlap and may be connected, meaning you can consider one section or paragraph of your TPS fulfilling more than one criterion. You can also access this checklist/rubric here

Improvement Actions	Criteria	Going Further
	Connection to your Academic Discipline and Scholarship What are the key areas of my discipline I prioritize in my teaching? What do I want my students to learn about this discipline? How is my teaching shaped by my discipline?
	Outcomes & Goals What are the types of goals I set for my students to achieve in mastery in the subject I teach? What learning outcomes related to human capacity and skills are most important to me to help my students prepare to flourish in life and their future careers? - Consider Bloom’s Links to an external site Fink’s Links to an external site Taxonomies and AAC&U Leap Learning Outcomes Links to an external site
	Teaching Vision What do I really love about Teaching & Learning? What values and ideas drive my desire to teach? How do I hope to make a difference in the lives of my students through my teaching?
	Teaching Methods/Approaches What principles and strategies do I use to build my students’ sense of agency and self-efficacy? How do I make my subject matter and learning process more meaningful and relevant? Do I implement strategies beyond traditional lecturing to help my students feel actively engaged in their learning?
	Use Evidence/Examples (Application) Do I provide specific examples of my teaching methods and approaches? Do I connect my teaching methods and approaches to principles of pedagogy and learning and motivational theories to help my students?
	Creating and Inclusive Learning Environment How do I make my students feel they each matter? How do I create a sense of community and belonging among my students in my classes? How do I integrate a range of learning and teaching modalities to be inclusive of all my students' needs? How do I adjust my teaching methods to invite diversity and make learning inclusive and equitable? Do I ensure the digital tools I use to teach do not marginalize some learners? How do I ensure my assignments are inclusive and equitable?
	Assessment of Learning Do I explain learning outcomes to my students and show how assignments and activities are aligned with them? Are my assignments meaningful and relevant to my students? What kind of feedback do I give to my students? Do I provide formative feedback where students get time to make revisions? How do I know my students find feedback useful to their learning? Do I provide students with clear criteria for success in assignments, for example explaining rubrics and more? How do I make learning visible – to my students? How do I know when I have taught successfully? How do I know my students have learned? How do my students know they have learned?
	Assessment of Teaching (Continuous Development) How do I know when I have taught successfully? In what ways do I assess my teaching? How do I use student evaluations? What goals do I have for myself as an educator and how will I reach them? What do I do to ensure continuous professional development as an educator? Do I attend teaching-related conferences and conduct research that involves teaching work or give presentations that contribute to my goal as an educator? How have my attitudes toward teaching and learning changed over time?
	Technology Integration Do I integrate technology to improve student engagement and learning? How do I engage students in online and blended teaching and learning spaces?
	Philosophical Coherence In your TPS, are the teaching methods and explanations consistent with the values, beliefs, and goals that you express?
	Organization, Structure, Mechanics, & Style Are your ideas logically sequenced? Is there any jargon or noise in your writing? Are you writing in the first-person format? Is your tone appropriate? Are you using active, direct, non-verbose syntax? Is your writing free of grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors?

References used to prepare this document:

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Center for Faculty Excellence.

Claremont Graduate University. (n.d.). Teaching Philosophy Statement Workbook. Preparing Future Faculty.

Teaching Philosophy Statement Samples

Further Resources & References

Resources and References for Further Exploration:

4 Steps to a Memorable Philosophy
- James Lang. The Chronicle of Higher Education
Higher Ed Jobs (2020). 6 Tips for Writing Standout Teaching Statements
Angelo, T. A. & Cross, K. P. (1993). The teaching goals inventory. Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. (2nd Ed.). (pp. 13-24). San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.
Dewey, J. (1897)
My pedagogical creed. School Journal vol. 54 (January 1897), pp. 77-80.
Faculty Focus. (2009). Philosophy of teaching statements: Examples and tips on how to write a teaching philosophy statement.
Goodyear, G. E. & Allchin, D. (1998) Statement of teaching philosophy. To Improve the Academy 17, 103-22. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
Gopen, G. and J. Swan. (1990). The science of scientific writing.
American scientist 78, 550-558.
Gray, Tara. (2005). Publish & Flourish: Become a prolific scholar. Las Cruces, NM: Teaching Academy.
Kearns, K. D., Subino Sullivan, C., O'Loughlin, V. D., & Braun, M. (2010). A scoring rubric for teaching statements: a tool for inquiry into graduate student writing about teaching and learning.
Journal for Excellence in College Teaching, 21, 73-96.
Pratt, D. D. & Collins, J. B. (2001). Teaching Perspectives Inventory

Articles from Faculty Focus:

Consider the Cornell Graduate School - TPS as an additional resource. Also, consider the articles on Teaching Statements below found on this website:

“Writing the Teaching Statement” by Rachel Narehood Austin, Science Magazine
“How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy” by Gabriela Montell, The Chronicle of Higher Education
“What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does it Matter?” by Gabriela Montell, The Chronicle of Higher Education
“A Teaching Statement” by Jeffrey Marcus, The Chronicle of Higher Education
“Everything But the Teaching Statement” by Jeremy S. Clay, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Recording for Training Session - Wednesday, October 9th, 2024

Improvement Actions	Criteria	Going Further
	Quality of Materials Are your materials current? Does the material appropriately represent traditionally under-represented scholars (people of color, international, women etc.) and alternative perspectives? Are your materials representing the best work in the field? Are your materials representing enough coverage of course content? Do they align with course goals?
	Inclusive Excellence Do you integrate teaching strategies that are inclusive to everyone’s needs? Do you help your students to achieve their accessibility needs?
	Intellectual Tasks (level of preparation for students) Did the students learn aligned to the departmental curriculum goals and/or objectives? Did the majority of the students achieve a mastery level of achievement in each of the goals? This defines intellectual performance. Do you assignments represent student performance and are aligned to course objectives?
	Faculty knowledge in their academic discipline Have you as an instructor kept yourself up to date with the developments in your field? and what do you do to achieve this?
	Alignment to their faculty position, department, and University mission Have you engaged with departmental or program level teaching committees and initiatives? Are you a good citizen regarding teaching responsibilities in collaborating with department and university support staff? Do you recognize problems that hinder good teaching and are trying to solve them?
	Extent to achieving excellence in teaching Have you sought feedback about your teaching quality? Have you explored or experimented with alternative teaching methods or tried new teaching ideas and strategies? Have you developed special teaching materials or participated in efforts to upgrade teaching quality?

XCITE Center for Teaching and Learning

Options to Document Teaching Effectiveness

How to Create Teaching Portfolios

Developing & Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statements (TPS)

TPS Checklist/Rubric

Additional Methods to Document Your Teaching Effectiveness

Course Mapping Resources

QM Self Review Instructions and Resources

How to Track Canvas Learning Outcomes

How to Request Peer Observations of Teaching and Learning

How to Submit Evidence on Courses and Programs Developed

How to use Student Self Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG)

XCITE Center for Teaching and Learning