How to write an educational philosophy statement

An increasing number of schools are asking teacher job candidates to write down their views on teaching and learning – here’s how to do that in an engaging and honest way

10th October 2025, 10:10am

James Worland

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 for the first time can be a daunting experience. So, what should you do to ensure that the statement in your job 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 pursue a career in education 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.

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 a quality that your prospective employer will value.

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.

More on teacher job applications:

Reflect on personal experiences

Bringing your philosophy to life by citing examples of when you felt that 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 of your objectives.

The key, again, is to be honest - especially because it’s the sort of thing you could be asked for more information about at 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 secondary principal at The Alice Smith School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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James Worland