Philosophy Rediscovered

Philosophy Rediscovered
Exploring the Connections Between
Teaching Philosophies, Educational
Philosophies, and Philosophy

Journal of
Management Education
Volume 33 Number 1
February 2009 99-114
© 2009 Organizational
Behavior Teaching Society
10.1177/1052562907310557
http://jme.sagepub.com
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http://online.sagepub.com

Joy E. Beatty
University of Michigan–DearbornJennifer S. A. Leigh
Gettysburg College

Kathy Lund Dean
Idaho State University

Teaching philosophy statements reflect our personal values, connect us to those
with shared values in the larger teaching community, and inform our classroom
practices. In this article, we explore the often-overlooked foundations of teaching philosophies, specifically philosophy and historical educationalphilosophies. We review three elements of pure philosophy and five seminal
educational philosophies to help readers ground their personal philosophies in
both a theoretical and historical context. We illustrate how core elements of
one’s teaching philosophy can influence course design and the classroom environment. We suggest that teachers can develop greater authenticity in the classroom by deepeningtheir understanding of their own philosophical ideas and
beliefs.
Keywords: teaching philosophy; educational philosophy; philosophy; personal development; authenticity; foundations
The connection between philosophy, philosophy of education, and the work
of a teacher has not always been recognized. One of the most hopeful signs,
however, in the field of education today, is the growingconviction that every
teacher needs a carefully formulated and intelligently criticized philosophy

Authors’ Note: The authors acknowledge helpful discussions with Thomas Hawk and constructive feedback and support from editor Susan Herman. Correspondence concerning this
article should be addressed to Joy E. Beatty, University of Michigan–Dearborn, 19000 Hubbard
Drive FCS B-29, Dearborn, MI 48126;e-mail: jebeatty@umd.umich.edu.
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Journal of Management Education

of education and that this philosophy of education must be rooted in philosophy itself.
Van Petten Henderson, 1947, p. vii

A statement of teaching philosophy is a narrative description of one’s conception of teaching, including the rationale for one’s teaching methods. It is
seen as a place to voice holistic viewsof the teaching process, including one’s
thoughts about the definitions and interaction between learning and teaching,
perceptions of the teacher’s and student’s role, and goals and values of education (Chism, 1997-1998; Goodyear & Allchin, 1998). Many teachers are
encouraged to draft their first formal teaching philosophy statement for functional reasons, as part of their teaching portfolio.Teaching philosophy statements therefore play an important role in initial job searches as well as
promotion and tenure (Edgerton, Hutchings, & Quinlan, 1991; Seldin, 1997).
Beyond such instrumental benefits, teaching philosophy statements are
also a tool to promote teachers’ ongoing personal development. The process
of reflection required to create and periodically revise a statement is asimportant as, and sometimes more important than, the actual content of the endproduct statement because it promotes self-awareness. Good teaching comes
from the identity and integrity of the teacher and one’s ability to make these
present in the classroom (Palmer, 1997). Over time, our teaching styles may
become overlearned and automatic, allowing us to practice them without conscious thought(Jarvis, 1992). Engaging in a formal reflection process about
our philosophy allows us to remain mindful of our beliefs (Brookfield, 1995;
Schön, 1983). As Ramsey and Fitzgibbons (2005) explain,
Who we are, what we believe, and what assumptions we hold about students,
the material, and the world significantly affect what we do in the classroom, no
matter the course content or teaching style....