Volume 2, Issue 2, Fall 2008 TEACHING MATTERS: DEVELOPING AS A TEACHER/LIBRARIAN [COLUMN] The Importance of a Philosophy of Teaching Statement to the Teacher/Librarian Janelle M. Zauha Montana State University Statements of teaching philosophy are most commonly associated with regular teaching faculty outside the library. In this column, I will explore why librarians should also voice their philosophy of teaching, and how it can benefit their students, themselves, and their institution. I’ll also touch on resources for conceptualizing, writing, and using statements. Exactly what is a teaching philosophy statement? Most simply, it is a brief expression of a teacher’s preferred approach in the classroom. Considering the appropriate length of the statement is a bit like focusing on the age- old question, “how long should my paper be?”, but the writer should keep in mind that about 500 words is a good ballpark figure. The statement should make explicit the teacher’s commitment to quality teaching and learning, establish definitions of what those look like, and map out how they are implemented in her classroom. The inherent value of such statements is fairly apparent, including potential benefits to students. Thoughtful, continually revised statements of teaching philosophy can help prevent some of the disasters of “auto- teaching”: lack of goals and objectives, learner disconnect, motivation deficit, skewed priorities, boredom, burnout, and many other problems that affect both teacher and students. While teaching without much reflection may be expedient for librarians who are multitasking from dawn to dinner (a not uncommon condition), we should take heed of Socrates’ warning that “an unreflected life is not worth living.” Teaching without sufficient reflection is similarly value-challenged. On the other hand, taking time to formulate coherent thoughts about your learning and teaching practices and your own relationship to those processes can lead to what Thoreau might call “deliberate” teaching—teaching that is 64