Components of a Philosophy Statement
LAURA GITTINS
CLASS
A philosophy statement describes what guides your actions and how those actions affect your life, job and others around you. All people and businesses have philosophy statements, even if they have not put them to paper yet. A well-written philosophy statement summarizes your guiding principles in a one-page document.
1 Personal Beliefs
A philosophy statement explains why you do what you do. Not everybody knows the reason for this right away. Creating a philosophy statement can help you identify your beliefs. Statements often begin with "I believe" to let readers know these are your personal beliefs. For example, a teaching philosophy statement may describe how much you value education. It may say you believe the future belongs to the children and it is crucial to nurture their potential.
2 Historical Perspective
Your past shapes your present. A philosophy statement will describe how that has happened for you. It may describe what kinds of jobs or experiences you have had and how those experiences have led you to your current state of mind. Your experiences will have created your values about success in your career and your plan for continuing that success. A teaching philosophy statement will describe what teaching will do for the teacher, such as providing an ongoing opportunity for growth and learning.
3 Role
A philosophy statement should tell people that you know your purpose. It shows you have given thought to your career and explains the rationale in your decision. It explains what your job entails, how you will perform your work and how you will measure your effectiveness. Your philosophy statement should indicate not just what you do physically, but how you will inspire people emotionally and intellectually. A teaching philosophy statement may state what the teacher expects her students to learn, the ways she will teach the material and give examples of teaching activities.
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