A teaching philosophy is a description of your beliefs about teaching and learning. It describes how you think students learn best and what you can do to facilitate this learning.

Include the answers to the following questions in your own teaching philosophy:

1. What was your role in the class? In which class did you serve as an UTA?
2. What are some of the skills that students should learn while a student in a class? Ability to write? Apply concepts to the real world? Think critically?
   1. What do you think students learned as a result of you being an undergraduate teaching assistant for this class?
   2. What are some of the things that you did as an undergraduate teaching assistant that helped students to learn? Why were these things beneficial in helping the student to learn?
3. How do you think students learn best?
   1. You can use your own experiences here. Think about what has helped you to learn. What did the professor do to help you learn the material? Use examples? Tell stories? Give the opportunity to practice? Explain concepts?
   2. How are some of the activities that you completed as an undergraduate teaching assistant related to your beliefs about how students learn best?

* Your statement must include at least two concepts about how students learn best and/or things they should learn. When you are thinking about which concepts to include, keep in mind that in the next part of the portfolio you will provide examples of the things that you did while serving as an UTA. There should be a connection between the things that you think are important to learning (Section I – Teaching Philosophy) and things that you did as an UTA (Section II – Documentation and Reflection on Teaching Activities)

Tips on Writing a Good Teaching Philosophy: The following link is information on how to write a good teaching portfolio. The linked in intended for GTAs who have taught their own classes, but I think some of the information might be helpful: https://ucat.osu.edu/professional-development/teaching-portfolio/philosophy/guidance/

Here’s a sample teaching philosophy written by a graduate student in psychology: https://ucat.osu.edu/professional-development/teaching-portfolio/philosophy/philosophy-of-teaching-monali-chowdhury/

There are several other teaching philosophy statements that you will find on this website. I highly recommend that you read at least a few of these. It may help you to figure out what is important to you in teaching and learning.