Engage, empower, evolve: developing an institutional teaching philosophy to engage staff

Writing a personal Teaching Philosophy Statement (TPS) can be useful for articulating espoused beliefs related to teaching and learning. In this paper, general approaches to the writing of a TPS are first explored, and the range of possible uses are examined. The article then goes on to consider the development and implementation of an institutional philosophy, outlining the approach taken at one college, along with the outcomes and resulting benefits. Pointers are provided for others who might wish to replicate the process in order to positively engage teachers at all stages of the teaching career lifecycle. The experience indicated that the process is as important as the final product, and that a TPS can have broad institutional application. It was recommended that a staff-facing TPS might work better than attempting to also make it student-facing.