Statements of teaching philosophy submitted for the Kimble First-Year Teaching Award will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- The statement offers at least one clear, compelling goal for student learning.
Student learning goals can be formulated by answering questions such as: “what knowledge, skills, and attitudes important for students in your discipline?”; “what are you preparing students for?”; “what are the key challenges of the teaching-learning process?”
- The statement clearly connects the articulated student learning goals with specific methods, activities, and assessments that are imaginative and sound, have a clear rationale, and are informed by research about how students learn.
Examples of research-led teaching based on evidence about how students learn can be found on the Teaching Excellence page of TEP’s website.
- The statement clearly indicates at least one specific way that inclusion is cultivated in the classroom.
Inclusive teaching engages and values every student and attends to the social and emotional climate of the class. Examples of ways to cultivate inclusion can be found on the TEP's Introduction to Inclusive Teaching page.
- The statement indicates engaged teaching by demonstrating change in teaching practice over time or identifying plans for future change.
Change over time can be demonstrated by answering questions such as: “how are you reflecting and acting on trends in student performance and feedback?”; “how are you reflecting and acting on peer, departmental, campus-wide, or national conversations about teaching and learning to enhance the learning experience for students?”)
More examples of engaged teaching can be found on the Teaching Excellence page of TEP’s website.
- The statement is rhetorically compelling, gives a sense of the instructor’s particular perspective and persona, and offers well-chosen, specific examples.