With competition for teacher jobs in international schools now tougher than ever, one of the ways the recruitment process has evolved is the introduction of the educational philosophy statement.
Many schools, in trying to unearth the right candidate for their role and their wider school culture in this competitive market, now ask applicants for a statement reflecting who they are as a practitioner, from their overarching values and priorities to their preferred teaching methods.
For some, writing an educational philosophy statement can be a novel and daunting experience. So, what should you do to ensure that your application stands out and truly reflects you as a teacher?
Writing an educational philosophy statement
Reflect on your values and beliefs
The most logical place to start is to take some time for self-reflection and ensure that you truly understand your own educational philosophy. This can be guided by some key questions:
- What do you believe is the purpose of education?
- Why did you enter the education industry in the first place?
- What type of environment do you feel students learn best in?
- What role should teachers play in the learning process?
- What do you want the future of education to look like?
Working through these types of questions will bring your values to the fore, which is the best possible starting point.
Study other educational philosophies and theories
It’s important to research philosophies and theories used by other practitioners. Doing this will broaden your perspective and perhaps raise some ideas you hadn’t yet considered that you can weave into your statement.
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It will also show that you have an awareness of philosophies wider than your own experience and are motivated to learn from others, which is desirable.
This research doesn’t have to solely involve big names in the education space either. The person in the classroom or office next to you may provide the spark that lights your fire.
Ideally, an educational philosophy will be a synthesis of individual beliefs and experiences combined with insights and best practice from others, so it’s important to get this right.
Consider your approach and style
There are many ways to climb a tree, and this applies to working in education. We all possess a slightly different way of approaching our positions and you must be aware of your approach when formulating your educational philosophy.
Are you more of a facilitator, guiding those around you to make discoveries on their own? Or are you more hands-on throughout the process? Do you prioritise relationships or are you content contributing from more of a distance? Are you vocal or more of a listener?
It’s important to be honest about this because, while a job may be tempting, if you write what you think people want to hear, rather than what you truly believe, you could end up working in an environment that doesn’t suit you or find that you don’t suit the school.
Reflect on personal experiences
Bringing your philosophy to life through examples of when you felt your approach really paid off can be a great way to engage those assessing your application.
It could be recalling a “Goldilocks lesson” when everything was just right, or perhaps an initiative or event you oversaw that achieved all the objectives you set out.
The key again is to be honest - especially because it’s the sort of thing you may be asked for more information about at any interview.
Write the philosophy
Having thought about all of this, the last step is, of course, actually writing the philosophy, which should articulate your individual beliefs, values and goals as an educator.
When writing your statement be sure to be efficient with your words. While there is no set word limit and what schools request may vary, the ability to be concise while providing a complete picture of yourself is desirable. A single A4 side should suffice.
Finally, your educational philosophy is not set in stone and will evolve as you grow as a practitioner. Revisit your philosophy from time to time to ensure that it is accurate and up to date and paints the best possible picture of you as a professional.
James Worland is the principal of The International School @ ParkCity, Kuala Lumpur. He tweets @jamesworlandedu
