What's Your Teaching Philosophy? 11 Teachers Share Theirs.

Updated on 12/4/2019

What’s your teaching philosophy? In their DonorsChoose classroom projects, teachers from across the country have shared their north star, their roadmap, the core idea that drives their teaching practice. It’s no surprise that so many teachers mention their teaching philosophy in their classroom projects: Bringing that philosophy to life is a common reason that teachers need materials and experience for their students.

Teaching philosophies take many forms, from focusing on the student’s learning experience to encouraging community service. Here are 11 ways teachers have described their teaching philosophies in their DonorsChoose projects.

Teachers, want to bring your teaching philosophy to life? Get funding for the classroom resources you need most.

Teaching philosophies that focus on the student

“My teaching philosophy is grounded in the idea that students' minds are not empty vessels waiting to be filled. Each one of them brings their own particular brand of genius to my classroom, and my most important job is to discover and empower that genius.” – Ms. D, “iPads for English Language Learners”

"’If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.’ This quote by Ignacio Estrada represents my teaching philosophy. Teaching and education are not one size fits all.” – Ms. Thompson, “The Holocaust ~ Empowering Students Through the Arts”

“A tenet of my teaching philosophy is that failure IS an option; mistakes are an invaluable part of learning. Education often is not linear. It is through the process of recursive inquiry -- observation, exploration, analysis, and evaluation -- that meaningful learning takes place.” – Mr. Bowen, “Young Meteorologists”

“My teaching philosophy is based around the idea of ‘I do, We do, You do.’ This means that the teacher shows the students how to do it, then students do the lesson with the teacher, and then students take what they have learned to work independently.” – Mrs. Ciampaglia, “Stamping Our Way to Success!”

Building a classroom environment that supports your teaching philosophy

“My teaching philosophy is that students learn the best when they are in a positive learning environment where they feel welcomed, comfortable, and safe with each other.” – Mrs. Blackwell, “Carpet Time for Sharing and Collaboration”

“My teaching philosophy is to maintain a friendly, supportive classroom so school is a joyful place for everyone to learn. The possibilities are endless when you have the tools you need to learn.” – Mrs. Monahan, “Help Us Fulfill Basic Needs First and Innovation Will Follow!”

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“William Butler Yeats said, ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ This quote is the focus of my teaching philosophy. I think my science classroom comes alive for students because their experience in my room is real, engaging, hands-on and meaningful.” – Mrs. Sherburn, “A GIANT Polymer Periodic Table”

Encouraging service through your teaching philosophy

My favorite quote is, ‘The end of all education should surely be service to others’ by Cesar Chavez. My teaching philosophy revolves around that quote. I am a teacher who inspires and motivates students to be good and caring individuals.” – Mr. Gonzalez, “Unit: Night by Elie Wiesel”

“‘Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world,’ Nelson Mandela once said. This quote is the foundation of my teaching philosophy. The students of today are the leaders of tomorrow.” – Mrs. DeTrolio, “Exploring Environmental Science through Inquiry”

Teaching philosophies focused on creativity

“Second grade at my school is filled with excitement, curiosity, and hands-on learning. My teaching philosophy is driven from the Maya Angelou quote, ‘I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’” – Ms. Marchio, “Classroom Materials for 2nd Graders”

“This quote perfectly sums up my teaching philosophy: ‘It's not just about creativity. It's about the person you're becoming while creating;. I make it my mission every year to raise my students' artistic confidence, grow their skills, and teach them to enjoy the art-making process.” – Mrs. Rensing, “Eager Artists: Raising Art Confidence with Helpful Technology”

What’s your teaching philosophy?