Philosophy/Belief Statement

The purpose of this assignment is to help formulate beliefs about teaching and learning and thoughtfully present that philosophy. Reflecting upon your various classes and field experiences in the College of Education, the intern will develop a personal philosophy as an educator. The finished product must be typed and be two to three double spaced pages in essay or analogy format, one-to two pages if in poetry format. This paper must be entered on Live Text and shared with the program coordinator.

Components of the philosophy paper include:

• The development of major beliefs about teaching and learning,
• How these beliefs originated and became an integral part of your internal belief system,
• Explanation of how these beliefs will transfer into actions for classroom teaching, and
• Organization, clarity, grammar, punctuation and spelling correctness.

Format for the paper includes:

• Paper is completed on a computer and is double-spaced,
• Paper meets the length requirement for program criteria.

Exemplary

• Major beliefs about teaching and learning are identified and each are clearly explained or described.
• Each belief is supported by important information that clearly links how your beliefs originated with how the beliefs became an integral part of your internal belief system.
• There are clear conclusions or explanations supported with specific ideas or information of how these beliefs will transfer into actions for classroom teaching.
• Your writing shows organization and is completely clear of confusing elements.
• There are no errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
• All components of the paper are evident.

Satisfactory

• Major beliefs about teaching and learning are identified and most beliefs are clearly explained or described.
• There is some discussion on how these beliefs originated and some discussion on how the beliefs became an integral part of your internal belief system.
• There are clear conclusions or explanations supported with general ideas or information of how these beliefs will transfer into actions for classroom teaching.
• Writing has organization and clarity, not enough missing to impede understanding of the paper.
• There are three or less grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors.
• All components of the paper are evident.

Unsatisfactory

• Only one major belief about teaching or learning is included and it is not clearly described.
• There is little or no development of major beliefs about teaching and learning. There is little or no discussion of how these beliefs originated.
• There is little discussion of how the beliefs became an integral part of your internal belief system.
• There is little or no explanation, development, or examples of how these beliefs will transfer into actions for classroom teaching.
• The organization of the paper is not evident.
• The lack of clarity of the paper impedes understanding.
• There are more than three grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors.
• A component of the paper is missing.