how long should teaching personal statement be

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How to write the perfect teaching personal statement

Application and interview, tes editorial.

When applying for a new job, you may be competing with tens or hundreds of other applicants in a race for the role.

The HR manager or headteacher recruiting for the job will be scrutinising every detail of your application to make sure they are bringing in the right people for interview.

The application form is the first hurdle you have to get over and sets the first impression of you as a person in the recruiter’s mind.

• Advice on honing your job search
• How to write a personal statement for teacher training
• How to write a must-read CV

The personal statement: why does it matter? 

The personal statement presents the perfect opportunity to show you are an exceptional candidate, understand teaching and know the school you are applying to.

It is not an easy task and is a tricky thing to get right. It requires being concise and clear – it shouldn’t be too long or read like a list.

You should talk about yourself and your professional achievements, while at the same time apply those experiences to the school itself.

We spoke to Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders , about what goes into the perfect personal statement. Here's what he said:

What does a great teaching personal statement look like?

"In general, I would say no longer than two sides of A4 – typescript. It needs to be well structured and linked to the specific school. It will need to include a number of key areas, including behavioural management, educational philosophy, subject expertise, pedagogy, personal organisation and skills and enrichment activities that the candidate can bring."

What should it contain?

"I would recommend that candidates include three elements in each of the key areas:

• What their beliefs/philosophy/approach is – i.e., the theory
• Their experience in that area
• How they would use that experience in the school they are applying to and specific to the job they are applying for

The statement should also include something personal in terms of their outside interests to indicate that they live an interesting and well-balanced life."

What are school leaders looking to read in a good personal statement?

"They will want to see something of the person’s character come through. It must not be just a list of achievements or repeat of the CV. It needs to be well-written, error-free and mention the school they are applying for – but not too many times. It should read as if it has been specifically written for the school and job they are applying for. I would be looking for something similar to the approach I have indicated above, covering all of the key areas and indicating that they have a vocation for working with young people. Somehow I would like to see a ‘generosity of spirit’ come through in the statement."

How can a candidate stand out in a personal statement?

"A good personal statement needs to include something of the person themselves. It has to make the reader believe that the candidate has something special without bragging or appearing arrogant – but something a bit above what other candidates may offer. A really good introduction and ending are important, and it's worth spending a great deal of time crafting those sections of the statement. Hook the reader in at the beginning and finish on a high note so that they want to meet the person and explore what has been written."

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Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy 

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Many academic and educational jobs require applicants to submit a statement of teaching philosophy (also sometimes referred to as a teaching statement). This document outlines a teacher's beliefs about teaching and how they put those beliefs into practice in their pedagogy. 

A good teaching statement demonstrates what a teacher brings to the classroom—not only their qualifications and personality, but also specific examples of how they make their teaching align with their values.   In addition to presenting a picture of what someone’s teaching looks like to a reader who’s never seen it, teaching statements also offer an opportunity for teachers to reflect and critically engage with their own pedagogy .  

So, what does a statement of teaching philosophy entail?   T eaching statements should be between one to two pages in length, written in the present tense using language that gestures to a teacher’s specific discipline but avoids jargon. The more specificity, the better—good teaching statements avoid empty, generalized statements about what teachers should or shouldn’t do. Instead, they present examples of individual teachers’ practices, and how those align with that teacher’s values and beliefs about educational best practices. And in making connections between theory and practice—in other words, in giving   the what , how, and why of teaching—good teaching statements also avoid simply rehashing the contents of a CV.  

In terms of content, teaching statements should outline:  

• What beliefs and values a teacher holds regarding education, learning, and teaching  
• W hat goals that teacher has for their students    
• H ow that teacher implements readings, activities, discussions, assignments,  etc.  to help students meet those goal s  
• H ow that teacher evaluates and  asse sses  student work  
• H ow that teacher creates an inclusive teaching environment  

Remember that the goal of a teaching statement is to explain a teacher’s overall vision using specific examples. The document should explain what a teacher believes, what a teacher does, as well as why their actions reflect what they believe.

In other words, a statement of teaching philosophy should ground pedagogical action in values—and explain how values contribute to pedagogy. For example, a teacher should explain how their goals for students, activities, and assessment methods reflect their values and contribute to an inclusive classroom. Making these connections will justify a teacher’s beliefs and practices to their colleagues and potential employers—and writing a statement of teaching philosophy can help teachers better understand those beliefs and practices themselves.   

Looking for more on teaching statements? For a  detailed breakdown of how to address these and other points, including examples of Dos and Don’ts and tips for making your teaching statement stand out, check out our Statement of Teaching Philosophy presentation . 

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What is the appropriate length and specificity for a teaching statement?

A colleague and friend has been approached by another institution (a state university in the U.S.) seeking to fill a position. My friend, who is putting a package together, has asked me to review his teaching statement. Evidently, this was a good idea .

I read the statement, and, quite frankly, I wasn't too impressed. He and I are quite candid with each other, so I'm not too worried about what might otherwise be a delicate issue: me telling him how much it needs to be polished.

That said, I'll admit: I have very little experience with teaching statements (either writing them, or reading them). I'm not usually on faculty hiring committees; I don't want to give him bad advice out of ignorance.

My questions are:

1) What is an ideal length? (So far, I've narrowed it down to half a page is too little, and three pages is too much .) Would a single page be considered too thin?

2) How detailed should it be? My friend talked about different courses he has taught, even mentioning one course by its catalog number. I initially thought that generalities would be better. In other words, instead of saying something along the lines of:

Teaching styles should be adaptable, based on the student demographics in the class. For example, in my Intro to Programming course at Urbandale College, I taught had mostly freshman, but the Programming Languages course I taught at Westerville University, CSCI 352, was a more advanced course with juniors and seniors...

my gut instinct tells me it would be better to say something more general, such as:

Teaching styles should be adaptable, based on the student demographics in the class. For example, I've taught some courses with mostly freshman, and other more advanced courses with juniors and seniors...

but perhaps I'd be dishing out out some bad advice if I recommended a more general wording; maybe applicants are expected to weave such details into their teaching statements.

• faculty-application
• teaching-statement

• You might find an answer in some of the resources I linked to in the new teaching-statement tag wiki –  ff524 Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 2:01
• 1 Regarding your gut instinct: I have been coached that specifics are absolutely essential . Basically everybody can write a teaching statement that reads "BLABLA undergradudate courses BLABLA graduate courses BLA love teaching" (i.e., what you wrote). It's the specifics that make you stand out (ok, maybe not the course number, but specifics about the courses you taught and what made them cool). I find the first version much better than your draft. –  xLeitix Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 14:35

2 Answers 2

My answer comes from Mathematics, but probably it's quite similar.

1) 1-2 pages is pretty typical.

2) My general advice is to include details and concrete examples where possible (though course numbers are not necessary). One problem with just being general is such statements feel very generic, and lack any real content in the sense that they don't distinguish you, in the same way many political speeches turn out.

A teaching statement should go into your personal experiences and ideas about teaching. But the included details need to be relevant to someone who is interested in your teaching experience and teaching philosophy.

For instance, I would venture that:

Mentioning the course number is probably not interesting.

Mentioning that the freshman course was called "Intro to Programming" is interesting.

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Center for Teaching

Teaching statements.

Print Version

• What is a teaching statement?
• What purposes does the teaching statement serve?
• What does a teaching statement include?

General Guidelines

• Reflection questions to help get you started
• Exercises to help get you started
• Evaluating your teaching statement
• Further resources

What is a Teaching Statement?

A Teaching Statement is a purposeful and reflective essay about the author’s teaching beliefs and practices. It is an individual narrative that includes not only one’s beliefs about the teaching and learning process, but also concrete examples of the ways in which he or she enacts these beliefs in the classroom. At its best, a Teaching Statement gives a clear and unique portrait of the author as a teacher, avoiding generic or empty philosophical statements about teaching.

What Purposes does the Teaching Statement Serve?

The Teaching Statement can be used for personal, professional, or pedagogical purposes. While Teaching Statements are becoming an increasingly important part of the hiring and tenure processes, they are also effective exercises in helping one clearly and coherently conceptualize his or her approaches to and experiences of teaching and learning. As Nancy Van Note Chism, Professor Emerita of Education at IUPUI observes, “The act of taking time to consider one’s goals, actions, and vision provides an opportunity for development that can be personally and professionally enriching. Reviewing and revising former statements of teaching philosophy can help teachers to reflect on their growth and renew their dedication to the goals and values that they hold.”

What does a Teaching Statement Include?

A Teaching Statement can address any or all of the following:

• Your conception of how learning occurs
• A description of how your teaching facilitates student learning
• A reflection of why you teach the way you do
• The goals you have for yourself and for your students
• How your teaching enacts your beliefs and goals
• What, for you , constitutes evidence of student learning
• The ways in which you create an inclusive learning environment
• Your interests in new techniques, activities, and types of learning

“If at all possible, your statement should enable the reader to imagine you in the classroom, teaching. You want to include sufficient information for picturing not only you in the process of teaching, but also your class in the process of learning.” – Helen G. Grundman, Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Make your Teaching Statement brief and well written . While Teaching Statements are probably longer at the tenure level (i.e. 3-5 pages or more), for hiring purposes they are typically 1-2 pages in length.
• Use narrative , first-person approach. This allows the Teaching Statement to be both personal and reflective.
• Be sincere and unique. Avoid clichés, especially ones about how much passion you have for teaching.
• Make it specific rather than abstract. Ground your ideas in 1-2 concrete examples , whether experienced or anticipated. This will help the reader to better visualize you in the classroom.
• Be discipline specific . Do not ignore your research. Explain how you advance your field through teaching.
• Avoid jargon and technical terms, as they can be off-putting to some readers. Try not to simply repeat what is in your CV. Teaching Statements are not exhaustive documents and should be used to complement other materials for the hiring or tenure processes.
• Be humble . Mention students in an enthusiastic, not condescending way, and illustrate your willingness to learn from your students and colleagues.
• Revise . Teaching is an evolving, reflective process, and Teaching Statements can be adapted and changed as necessary.

Reflection Questions To Help You Get You Started:*

• Why do you teach the way you do?
• What should students expect of you as a teacher?
• What is a method of teaching you rely on frequently? Why don’t you use a different method?
• What do you want students to learn? How do you know your goals for students are being met?
• What should your students be able to know or do as a result of taking your class?
• How can your teaching facilitate student learning?
• How do you as a teacher create an engaging or enriching learning environment?
• What specific activities or exercises do you use to engage your students? What do you want your students to learn from these activities?
• How has your thinking about teaching changed over time? Why?

* These questions and exercises are meant to be tools to help you begin reflecting on your beliefs and ideas as a teacher. No single Teaching Statement can contain the answers to all or most of these inquiries and activities.

Exercises to Help You Get You Started:*

• The Teaching Portfolio , including a section on teaching statements, Duquesne University Center for Teaching Excellence. This website includes five effective exercises to help you begin the writing process
• Teaching Goals Inventory , by Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross and their book Classroom Assessment Techniques . This “quiz” helps you to identify or create your teaching and learning goals.

Evaluating Your Teaching Statement

Writing A Statement Of Teaching Philosophy For The Academic Job Search (opens as a PDF), The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan.

This report includes a useful rubric for evaluating teaching philosophy statements. The design of the rubric was informed by experience with hundreds of teaching philosophies, as well as surveys of search committees on what they considered successful and unsuccessful components of job applicants’ teaching philosophies.

Further Resources:

General information on and guidelines for writing teaching statements.

• Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement , Faculty and TA Development at The Ohio State University. This site provides an in-depth guide to teaching statements, including the definition of and purposes for a teaching statement, general formatting suggestions, and a self-reflective guide to writing a teaching statement.
• Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement , Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Iowa State University. This document looks at four major components of a teaching statement, which have been divided into questions—specifically, to what end? By what means? To what degree? And why? Each question is sufficiently elaborated, offering a sort of scaffolding for preparing one’s own teaching statement.
• Writing a Meaningful Statement of Teaching Philosophy , McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University. This website offers strategies for preparing and formatting your teaching statement.

Articles about Teaching Statements

• Grundman, Helen (2006). Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement (opens as a PDF), Notices of the AMS , Vol. 53, No. 11, p. 1329.
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does it Matter? , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .

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Six Tips for Writing an Effective Teaching Statement

Melanie M. Cooper, Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Teaching is a major component of almost all faculty positions. Surprisingly, then, even an almost complete lack of experience and training–in teaching and student learning–will probably not prove to be a major obstacle to your obtaining a faculty position. Many institutions, particularly research-intensive universities, typically do not require candidates to provide any evidence of teaching expertise or even knowledge of how people learn. However, it is almost certain that you will be asked to write a teaching philosophy statement as part of your application package. If you have never done this before it can be quite daunting, but fortunately a quick Internet search will provide plenty of resources and examples. These sources provide very specific advice. For example: You should consider why you want to teach, what methods you will use to teach, in what circumstances you will be teaching, and how you will know when your students have learned.

My aim for this article is not to tell you exactly how to write a teaching statement—but rather to point out some specific dos and don’ts that might help you stand out from the crowd. Remember that the review committee will have a large number of application packages to read, and you want yours to stay in the active pile.

Six Tips to Help You Stand Out

1. Write a teaching statement! This may seem obvious, but if a teaching statement is asked for, you better write one. Strangely, some applicants omit this part of the package, or give it short shrift—perhaps giving it a cursory nod. Be assured, if the committee asked for a teaching statement, they will expect to see one. A teaching statement reflects how you think about what will be one of the most important aspects of your new position. Even if you have minimal experience with teaching, you certainly have been taught, so you are in a position to reflect on what worked for you, what didn’t, and conclusions from your own experiences. If you get an interview, your work on this statement will serve you well, providing a basis for developing clear ideas about teaching. As a side product—it may even benefit your future students!

2. Write it yourself! Even though you may not have thought seriously about teaching before, don’t be tempted to “adopt” a teaching philosophy you find elsewhere. Besides being ethically problematic, if you submit a flowery, overblown teaching statement that has no connection to your own experience or reflection, it will come across as false. In addition, if your teaching statement is dramatically different from the writing style of your research plans or other documents in the application packet, the review committee will notice.

By contrast, a weak, pro forma statement that you “care about students” is not likely to impress. Spend some time on serious reflection. This is your teaching statement. Give yourself the time to actually compose your thoughts. When you are finished, edit it. Poorly written and ill-thought-out statements are not likely to get you to an interview, no matter how brilliant your research plans or accomplishments.

3. Target your teaching philosophy to the institution and position where you are applying. While your overall philosophy might remain the same, if you are applying for a tenure-track position at a research-intensive university where class sizes number in the hundreds, you will need to be realistic about what you can do. For example: You will not be able to meet with each student individually. A research-intensive, graduate student– and postdoc-centric institution will appreciate knowing how you will approach this type of educational situation. On the other hand, when applying to a primarily undergraduate institution, where student–faculty interactions are their bread and butter, you would be wise to acknowledge that fact. Customize teaching statements for each institution—application review committees will notice if you are out of touch with their mission.

Learn more on the Blog

4. Consider what classes you would like to teach, and recognize that you might be asked to teach classes that are out of your “comfort zone.” Different institutions have differing class sizes. Classes may be large and small; consider the mechanisms you might use to help people learn in both contexts. Again, this is going to depend to some extent on the type of institution you are applying to. Some published advice will recommend thinking about the teaching and learning circumstances that worked for you. But take note: This is a perilous approach. Most students are not aiming for a Ph.D. in chemistry and frankly may not respond well to approaches aimed at the best, most motivated students in the class (i.e., people like you). You should explicitly acknowledge these differences and indicate your openness to the alternative approaches and techniques needed to reach a broad range of students. It will be your job to teach the students and you may not have exactly the students you want!

5. Participate in workshops and courses for faculty candidates . If you have the opportunity, take advantage of the fact that many institutions offer workshops or courses to help you prepare for life in the professoriate; they can also help with writing academic application documents, such as your teaching statement. There may also be the opportunity to participate in a workshop that is held outside of your campus. For example, prior to every fall national meeting ACS offers the Postdoc to Faculty workshop, which helps postdocs transition to academic careers. These types of workshops and courses provide an opportunity to reflect on and discuss your ideas with others and can really help you formulate and clarify your ideas about teaching and learning. More to the point, taking part in such opportunities provides evidence for a sincere commitment to effective teaching.

6. Keep it focused and short: between one and two pages is appropriate. Remember that the search committee will possibly be reading hundreds of teaching statements. Your readers will not be inclined to look favorably on a long, meandering discourse about your epistemological framework or on an exposition of why you care so much about students, particularly if you have never seriously engaged in teaching before. Write your teaching philosophy statement in clear language and make your points succinctly.

Melanie Cooper , Ph.D., is an Alumni Distinguished Professor at Clemson University. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees, as well as her Ph.D., from the University of Manchester, England. She is an AAAS Fellow and was a member of the first class of ACS Fellows. She has held a number of elected positions within ACS and was the Chair of the Division of Chemical Education in 2007 .

Other useful resources:

1. Austin, R. N. Writing the Teaching Statement . Science Careers, April 14, 2006.

2. Haugen, L. Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement . Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Iowa State University, Web page.

3. Lang, J. M. 4 Steps to a Memorable Teaching Philosophy . The Chronicle of Higher Education. August 29, 2010.

4. Montell, G. How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy . The Chronicle of Higher Education. March 27, 2003.

5. Montell, G. What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does It Matter? The Chronicle of Higher Education. March 27, 2003.

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Tips on Writing an Effective Teaching Statement

A teaching statement is a required application document for virtually all faculty positions. For many graduate students and postdocs who have focused exclusively on research, though, a teaching statement can be a challenge to construct.

What is a Teaching Statement?

A teaching statement is a personal document. It needs to contain your personal thoughts and experiences and include concrete examples of your teaching and mentoring style in the context of your discipline.

Some points you might want to include in your statement (taken from the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching ):

• Your conception of how learning occurs
• A description of how your teaching facilitates student learning
• A reflection of why you teach the way you do
• The goals you have for yourself and for your students
• How your teaching reflects your beliefs and goals
• What, for you, constitutes evidence of student learning
• The ways in which you create an inclusive learning environment
• Your interests in new techniques, activities and types of learning

What if I Don’t Have Much Teaching Experience?

Many research-focused trainees have not taught courses during their graduate school and postdoctoral training. They may have served as teaching assistants or given guest lectures but have not had to develop course syllabi, learning objectives, activities, and assessments.

While it seems impossible for a trainee with minimal teaching experience to construct a compelling teaching statement, that is simply not true. First, your teaching statement should be student centered (like your teaching!), which means focusing on the student outcomes you want to achieve through your teaching methods. In addition, you probably have more experience than you think. For example, you can pull from whatever teaching/mentoring experiences you have encountered in your graduate or postdoctoral training. This will probably include experiences outside the classroom, which is perfectly fine.

If you mentor students in lab on protocols or experimental procedures, you have done teaching. If you have engaged in outreach or extension, you have done teaching. If you have trained as a teacher through a hands-on program like the Graduate School Teaching and Communication Certificate , you have evidence-based knowledge to draw on. Highlight those experiences in your teaching statement.

The key to an effective teaching statement is to describe your teaching/mentoring experiences and what you learned from them in concrete and specific ways. This may also include things you learned not to do.

It is also important to reflect critically on your past, present and future experiences with teaching and describe how you will ultimately function as an effective instructor at the university you are applying to.

Reference Courses and Resources at Your Target Institution

As for all faculty application materials, a teaching statement should be tailored to the institution you are applying to. You need to do your research to determine the courses offered in the department you are applying to and consider which ones you think you are qualified to teach. Ideally, you will pick some “service” courses (i.e., intro courses the department offers to a wide range of students) and propose at least one higher-level speciality course focused on departmental majors or graduate students.

Thus, you should consult the course catalog at each institution you are applying to and list a few courses in the department you think you could teach. This action demonstrates to hiring committees your thoughtfulness and planning as you took the time to dig a little deeper into the program and envision yourself teaching there.

In addition, you will want to learn about teaching resources available at your target institution. Do they have a center for teaching and learning? If so, you may describe how you will engage with their programming and services to improve your teaching practice. Thinking ahead, most tenure reviews will evaluate (at least to some degree) your teaching effectiveness. So, being proactive in getting feedback on your teaching when you start is a smart move.

You can hopefully improve your teaching with time and show a nice upward trend in your course evaluations from your first year teaching to your intermediate first, second or third year pre-tenure review. Noting your willingness to take advantage of on campus resources for teaching and learning also demonstrates you have done your homework on your potential employer and are envisioning how you will use those resources to succeed in your faculty position.

Value of Teaching Experience Varies by Institution

If you have not utilized the Academic Career Readiness Assessment (ACRA) , you should definitely check it out.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, interviewed life science faculty at a variety of institutions —  teaching-focused, research-focused, and teaching & research-focused — about what they value in potential colleagues interviewing for faculty positions in the areas of teaching, research and publication record in addition to more subjective measures such as candidates’ collegiality, recommendation letters and institutional “fit.”

What came of those interviews? First, previous teaching experience is not a priority for research-intensive institutions. Not a single research-intensive faculty surveyed (note that the sample size was small) indicated significant responsibilities as a teaching assistant or more thorough experience (being fully responsible for organizing and teaching a course) was expected in faculty candidates.

In contrast, 2/3rds of teaching-intensive institution faculty surveyed mentioned they valued candidates being fully responsible for organizing and teaching a course with a comparable student population (i.e., undergraduates). Prospective candidates’ familiarity with teaching practices also varied by institution type (see pg 2 of ACRA ).

To summarize much of the data collected in the ACRA rubric development work : Research-intensive faculty selected the same five core qualifications from the applicant competencies list: scientific vision, scientific independence, fundability, scholarship, and fit.

• Teaching-intensive faculty selected: teaching experience, teaching philosophy, commitment to diversity, fit and collegiality.
• Research- and teaching-intensive faculty selected: collegiality, teaching experience and teaching philosophy, mentoring and research with undergraduates, and scientific communication

So, the nature of the institution you are applying to will affect the type of qualifications valued in the faculty hiring process. As a baseline, assume that you need to demonstrate teaching competence.

Try to Learn More about an Institution from Those Working There

While you can find a large amount of data on departments and institutions online, including courses offered, resources available to new faculty and priorities for tenure review, some details can only be gleaned from talking with individuals working there.

As a final piece of advice, then, I would highly recommend you speak to assistant professors in departments you are planning to apply to to better understand the expectations of junior faculty in that department at that institution.

Speaking with new faculty is also a great way to learn about how newly hired faculty are supported. Do teaching responsibilities ramp up from year 1 to year 2? Are there resources in place to aid you in your teaching and research?

You could do this outreach in a manner that is respectful of assistant professors’ time. If they don’t get back to you, don’t annoy them. Remember that they are busy people. However, you might be surprised with how many agree to a quick 15-20 minute phone call for you to ask them some thoughtful questions.

Some of your more detailed questions about the institution could wait for the job interview stage but if you can get some early details, they may help you determine how to prioritize your applications: if from your discussion with an assistant professor at a particular university reveals that the research and teaching priorities at that place fit well with your goals, you might devote extra effort to that application than for a place where the fit seems less than ideal.

Learning details about a place from what you can find on the internet, as well as from faculty working there, will not only allow you to develop more tailored materials, this process will also help you determine if working in that particular department and that specific institution fits with your own values and priorities.

More Resources

• How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy (NC State Graduate School workshop)
• Biology position
• Chemistry position
• My own teaching statement
• Samples of a variety of application materials from UCSF
• Vanderbilt Center for Teaching: Guide to Teaching Statements
• UCSF Office of Career & Professional Development: Academic Career Resources
• Including guides to & examples of application materials
• CIRTL: Center for Integration of Research, Teaching, & Learning
• How to write a teaching statement that stands out
• Teaching Statement as Self-Portrait
• Writing Teaching & Diversity Statements
• How to writing a statement of teaching philosophy that shines
• For more on the development of ACRA
• Academic Packways
• ImPACKful Tips

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Teaching personal statement examples

Giving you the chance to show why you'd be a great teacher, your personal statement is an important part of your application and worth taking the time over

What is a teaching personal statement?

Your personal statement is used to explain why you want to become a teacher and your suitability for the role. While your application form briefly outlines your qualifications, skills and work experience, your teaching personal statement is where your personality shines through.

Take your time with it. Many candidates often spend a few weeks on this part of the application as you don't have to write it all at once. You should get someone to read over it and be prepared to receive constructive feedback and write a few drafts before you send it off.

It's important to:

• use examples based on your recent teaching experience
• tailor your personal statement according to the school/age group
• use good, clear, written English, using first person terms such as 'my' and 'I'
• be original and honest
• avoid clichés and general statements, such as 'I've always wanted to teach'
• demonstrate a passion for teaching.

While it's crucial to get it right, your teaching personal statement is only a small part of the application process. Find out how else you'll need to prepare to  get a teaching job .

How to write a personal statement for teaching

Your personal statement should be between 500 and 1,000 words. It's crucial that you  don't copy  and that the statement you provide is  your own work .

This is your opportunity to:

• write about any relevant skills and experience you have
• explain your understanding of why teaching is important
• detail why you want to become a teacher
• list any extra skills or experience you have, such as volunteering or first aid.

See  personal statements for postgraduate applications  for more guidance.

The nature of your personal statement will vary, depending on the type of teaching you'd like to pursue. Take a look at some of our example personal statements to get an idea of how they differ.

Personal statement for PGCE primary

As well as focusing on roles in which you've gained experience with primary-age children, a PGCE primary personal statement should demonstrate your well-rounded personality and any skills that could be useful for the range of extra-curricular activities primary schools provide (such as the ability to read music for recorder lessons, or drama experience to help with school plays).

Personal statement for PGCE secondary

Many good PGCE secondary personal statements acknowledge the challenges involved in teaching older pupils and provide examples of where the candidate has worked to overcome these problems. As secondary teaching roles are geared towards teaching a specific subject, training providers are looking for more evidence of your subject and degree knowledge.

Personal statement for School Direct

If you're applying for the salaried School Direct route, you should discuss the experience you've gained in the classroom prior to your application. One of your references will need to be from an employer, or someone who can comment on your work ethic and suitability for teaching. Don't worry if your degree is unrelated to the subject you'd like to teach - you may still be able to apply by completing a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course .

Find out more

• Discover how to structure a teaching CV .
• Find out what it's really like to be a primary or secondary school teacher .
• Search postgraduate courses in teaching .

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How to write a teacher personal statement

Your personal statement is your first opportunity to show the school you’re a great fit for the job, and gets you closer to being shortlisted for an interview. The more you show how your skills and interests match the school’s ethos and values, the better. We’ve spoken to a range of teachers to get their top tips for success.

What experience do you have?

Schools want to hear about your trainee experience with different subjects, key stages, types of school, and working with a range of pupils.

Think about your approach to teaching, how you keep pupils engaged, and how you communicate with different kinds of people (children, staff, parents and carers). Ensure you provide evidence for how you have improved student engagement and built positive relationships with pupils.

Schools will be interested in your approach to behaviour management, so think about your go-to strategies.

Are you engaged in teaching theory and research?

Think about any research that has affected your teaching practice. Explain what has worked well and if it didn’t, what you learnt.

Are you up to date on safeguarding statutory guidance?

You need to demonstrate your awareness of the importance of safeguarding and the requirements of Keeping Children Safe in Education . Include any examples of how you worked with a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

What are your skills and qualities?

Are you a well-organised, confident, and motivated teacher? Say it, and provide examples! Schools are looking for great communicators, team players and relationship builders. Make sure you say how you create a positive learning environment, and consider skills like time management, organisation, and flexibility. Schools will also want to know how you overcome challenges.

How can you contribute to wider school life?

Set yourself apart by showing how your hobbies and achievements could contribute to the wider school community. Could you run an after school club or organise school trips?

Search for roles

Teaching Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write a teaching statement, a 1-4 page document that describes your teaching experiences and pedagogical approaches.The first time you write a teaching statement is often in the context of an application for an academic job or teaching position.

What is a teaching statement?

A teaching statement, or statement of teaching philosophy, highlights academic job candidates’ teaching qualifications, explains their pedagogical approaches, and demonstrates how they will contribute to the teaching culture of prospective institutions.

Because hiring committees for academic jobs cannot observe the teaching of every applicant, they rely on other means of evaluating a candidate’s teaching. These alternatives may include a teaching demonstration during a campus visit; a teaching portfolio consisting of student evaluations, sample syllabi, etc; and/or a teaching statement. By illustrating a candidate’s teaching experiences and philosophy with concrete examples, a teaching statement helps the hiring committee imagine what it would be like inside the candidate’s classroom.

Teaching statements will vary from candidate to candidate (and one candidate’s teaching statements may vary from application to application). The sections below offer guidelines to help you prepare, write, and revise your own teaching statement.

Preparing to write a teaching statement

An effective teaching statement involves both reflection and research. Thinking about your teaching and your goals can be helpful before you begin writing or revising your teaching statement. This process can also prepare you for interview questions that address teaching, should your application lead to an interview.

Brainstorming

Before you begin writing your teaching statement, it can be useful to think more generally about your teaching philosophy. Once you’ve brainstormed some ideas, you can then focus on how to clearly and succinctly communicate those thoughts in a teaching statement. For some general brainstorming strategies, you can consult our Brainstorming handout; the following questions will help you brainstorm more specifically about your teaching philosophy:

• What goals do you set for students in your courses?
• How do you enact those goals?
• How do you evaluate how well those goals are being met?
• What is your plan for developing your teaching? What other aspects of pedagogy would you like to develop in your practice?
• What can a student expect to experience in your class?
• What is the relationship between your teaching and research?
• What are the unique challenges or opportunities to teaching in your field?
• What is your favorite aspect of teaching? Why?
• What is your favorite course to teach? Why?
• How do you effectively teach students with diverse identities and backgrounds?
• How do your beliefs about student learning affect your instructional choices?

Consulting models

Looking at sample teaching statements can give you a better sense of the genre and can help you determine what elements you would like to include in your own teaching statement. Students in your program, recent graduates, and professors may be willing to share models, and many examples are also available online through libraries and faculty resource centers.

As you look at sample teaching statements, think about what you do or do not like about each statement. The following questions can help you determine how you might construct your own statement.

• What is the most memorable part of the teaching statement? Why?
• How is the teaching statement organized (e.g. thematically, chronologically)?
• How easily are you able to follow the structure of the statement?
• What is the writing style of the teaching statement (e.g. formal, conversational)?
• What impression of the writer does the writing style convey?
• What image of the writer are you left with after reading the entire statement?
• How well can you imagine yourself as a student in the writer’s class?

Researching the institution

Different institutions will have different teaching cultures and, therefore, will value different types of teaching statements. For example, a research university and a community college may have different approaches to teaching, so the same teaching statement is unlikely to appeal to both institutions. Instead, you should try to tailor your teaching statement to each individual institution (and department) to which you are applying.

As a first step, you can explore the institution and department websites to learn how much emphasis they place on teaching. You might also research the department faculty, their areas of expertise, and the courses they have recently taught. By learning about your audience, their teaching expectations, and their values, you can tailor your teaching statement to demonstrate how well you will fit into the department’s teaching culture.

You might also think about the department’s needs by considering current offerings and what they can tell you about the priorities and values of the department. Without making assumptions, you can ask yourself:

• How do the department’s offerings compare with common or standard course offerings in the field? How do they compare with courses you have taken or taught?
• How does your current research relate to the department’s course offerings?
• Which courses would you be prepared to teach?
• What future courses might you envision creating for the department?
• Does the department offer any special courses, seminars, or initiatives relevant to your research or teaching experience?

Although a targeted teaching statement is important at any point in the application process, the timing of the hiring committee’s request can also inform you about how targeted the statement should be. For example, if the committee requests a teaching statement after they have already reviewed your initial materials, then you should be even more purposeful in demonstrating how you will fit into their specific teaching culture and how you can contribute to their department’s teaching needs.

Drafting a teaching statement

Because teaching statements are variable in design and structure, you will have many choices to make during the drafting process. Here are some common decision points, considerations, and challenges to keep in mind while writing your teaching statement.

Organizational strategies

Teaching statements do not have one set organizational structure. Instead, you can employ different organizational strategies to emphasize different aspects of your teaching. Here are a few examples that you could consider:

Think of your teaching history as a narrative (past, present, future). How have your previous experiences informed your current practices? How might those practices transform within different contexts in the future? This narrative strategy allows you to build upon past experiences to point towards future development.

Structure your statement around your teaching goals, methods, and assessment. How do your goals inform your methods, and how do you assess the extent to which those goals have been reached? This process-oriented strategy can help you highlight connections between goals and outcomes and show how those connections inform your practice.

Identify themes, concepts, ways of thinking, or learning strategies that are prevalent in your teaching. How do these elements help students learn? This approach can characterize what’s distinctive about your teaching and how it serves students.

Be specific and concrete

Including specific details and explanations in your teaching statement will help the audience picture what it’s like to be in your classroom. Rather than simply mentioning a particular innovation or strategy, include examples of how it has helped students in practice.

Explain terms that could be open to interpretation by your reader. For example, if you mention the importance of critical thinking in your teaching statement, explain what that means to you as an instructor.

Use concrete examples from your teaching and classroom experiences to illustrate how your teaching philosophy informs your practice. How does your philosophy shape your students’ experiences in the classroom?

Incorporate inclusivity

While some applications will also require a diversity statement, the teaching statement is your opportunity to express how you consider diversity and foster inclusivity in the classroom through specific examples. Incorporating inclusivity throughout your teaching statement demonstrates that it is an integral part of your philosophy and practice rather than just a required element tacked on at the end. Here are some questions to help you reflect on how you might incorporate inclusivity in your teaching:

• How does your course material reflect contributions from diverse perspectives?
• How do you encourage collaboration among all students?
• How do you help students from diverse backgrounds feel welcome and safe in your classroom?
• How do you cultivate an inclusive learning environment that encourages students to think about the effects of racial, cultural, gender, socioeconomic, and other differences?
• How do you make your instruction accessible to students with physical disabilities and learning differences?

How do I keep my teaching statement both professional and personal?

As with most writing, knowledge of your intended audience can help guide choices around style. You can use the information you gleaned from researching the institution to develop a sense of their values and level of formality. You might also consider models, especially those from applicants at comparable career stages or applying to comparable institutions, and assess the type of language and tone used.

Especially if you are writing a statement as part of an application, your teaching statement should be unique to you. See our handout on Application Essays for more general advice on writing in application contexts.

What if I’m not an experienced teacher?

Although having extensive teaching experience may help you to draw examples for your teaching statement, prior teaching experience is not required to write a quality teaching statement. In some fields, opportunities to teach are few and far between; committees will be understanding of this, especially at institutions where research is prioritized. Regardless of whether you have much teaching experience, be sure to frame yourself as a teacher rather than a student.

Here are some strategies to help you draft a teaching statement, even if you aren’t an experienced teacher:

• If you haven’t taught your own courses, draw upon experiences when you served as a teaching assistant for another instructor.
• If you don’t have any experience teaching in a classroom, think of other transferable experiences like tutoring, coaching, or mentoring that illustrate what you would be like as a teacher.
• If you have time, seek out teaching-related opportunities, such as giving guest lectures or mentoring junior colleagues.
• If you really have no teaching experience, imagine and describe what you will be like as a teacher, propose courses that you could teach, and provide concrete techniques that you will employ in the classroom.

How do I unify diverse teaching experiences?

Having extensive teaching experience may seem like the optimal situation for writing a teaching statement, but teaching experiences that span a broad range of courses or positions may feel disjointed or difficult to connect in a single teaching statement. In these cases, remember that you can use the diversity of your experiences to highlight your strengths and the approaches that you implement in the classroom. Here are some strategies that can help you identify commonalities across your disparate teaching experiences and construct a cohesive narrative:

• Use a strategy like webbing to help you draw connections between the ideas, theories, and/or practices from your various teaching experiences. For more information about this strategy, see our Webbing video.
• Highlight the flexibility of your teaching and explain how your unique combination of skills can contribute to your success in different teaching contexts.
• Focus your teaching statement on the skills and experiences that are most transferable to your targeted position.

Remember that you don’t need to include every teaching experience in your teaching statement. Your CV will cover all of the courses that you have taught, so your teaching statement can be an opportunity to focus on specific experiences in more detail.

Revising a teaching statement

An effective teaching statement is often the product of a series of revisions. Once you have written a draft, the strategies below can help you look for opportunities to strengthen your statement for specific application contexts and audiences.

Review your application holistically

Consider how your teaching statement fits into your application as a whole. Your teaching statement should complement your other application materials without being redundant. For example, your CV likely lists the courses you have taught; your teaching statement should not repeat the list but may highlight certain courses. Similarly, whereas a research statement will go into detail about your scholarship, your teaching statement can be a place to explain how your research and teaching inform each other. Think about how your entire application paints a cohesive picture of you as an applicant, and determine whether any elements are missing and where they could be included.

Seeking feedback

After you have developed a draft of your teaching statement, seek feedback from multiple sources. Professors, especially those who have served on hiring committees, can provide informed suggestions about the genre, but other helpful readers include fellow students, roommates, partners, family members, and coaches at the Writing Center. Asking these readers for feedback about your entire application can help you identify redundancies or gaps that you could address. See our Getting Feedback handout for advice on how to ask for effective feedback.

Editing and proofreading

Like all application materials, your teaching statement should be free of mechanical errors. Be sure to edit and proofread thoroughly. See our Editing and Proofreading handout or Proofreading video for some strategies.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Meizlish, Deborah, and Matthew Kaplan. 2008. “Valuing and Evaluating Teaching in Academic Hiring: A Multidisciplinary, Cross-Institutional Study.” The Journal of Higher Education 79 (5): 489–512. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2008.11772114 .

Montell, Gabriela. 2003. “How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy.” The Chronicle of Higher Education , 27 Mar. 2003. https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-to-Write-a-Statement-of/45133 .

O’Neal, Chris, et al. 2007. “Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy for the Academic Job Search.” Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. University of Michigan. http://www.crlt.umich.edu/sites/default/wp-content/uploads/sites/346/resource_files/CRLT_no23.pdf .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to write your teaching personal statement

Home » How to write your teaching personal statement

Teaching Personal Statements

What is a teaching personal statement?

UCAS Teaching Personal Statement

Your statement is the biggest part of the UCAS application process for becoming a teacher, and is the part you should spend the most time on. Try to make sure that you aren’t repeating things that have gone elsewhere in your application. All statements are different and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through, but the main themes you want to include are:

• Why you want to be a teacher 
• What you understand the role of a teacher to be
• What your teaching experience or your relevant experience with young people has taught you
• Proof that you have the skills needed for the classroom
• That you understand the Scottish education system
• That you understand the Curriculum for Excellence

"I’m originally from Dublin, but moved to Scotland to work in a primary school four years ago. At St David’s I work in a promoted post as a Development Officer. I’m a member of the management team and I’m also developing play-based learning. I would encourage anyone to teach here – there’s so many great opportunities." Aoife Lambert – Primary Teacher at St David's RC Primary School

How to write your personal statement

Your personal statement can be up to 4,000 characters long, around 1,000 words. It might sound a lot, but it may be less than you think, so it is important to be concise and not use convoluted language. But it is also vital that you give yourself plenty of time to write it, and try to write multiple drafts to give yourself every chance of getting it right.

You need to outline why your skills are relevant to a classroom environment. Talk about any classroom experience you have. Talk about lessons you’ve observed and what it taught you about your own teaching practice. Talk about other relevant experiences you have with young people. Discuss the transferable skills you have from previous roles/education and how they relate to teaching.

Write it in Microsoft Word first and make sure you thoroughly proof-read it as the grammar and spelling need to be impeccable. If possible, get someone else to read it over for you. Don’t use different formatting such as bold or italic text, and ensure it is 100% your own work.

"I wanted to be a teacher from a young age. I knew I could help young people to better themselves and felt my work would have purpose. As a Business and ICT teacher, I cover a variety of subjects including Business Management, Administration, IT and Tourism. I teach pupils to be enterprising and develop practical skills for creating and running businesses while acquiring ICT skills." Mary Osei-Oppong – Business Education and ICT Teacher at Brannock High School

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If you want to study for a teacher training degree that leads directly to qualified teacher status (QTS), then you'll need to write a strong personal statement that reflects your ambition and experience.

Remember, if you're applying to a non-QTS degree and planning to qualify as a teacher through the postgraduate route then your experience in schools is less important at this stage, but will be crucial in three years' time.

Teaching training: experience is essential

Degree courses that lead to QTS usually require you to meet certain criteria over and above their entry grades, often asking for you to have built up experience of working in a classroom or learning environment.

Universities may insist that you have a minimum of two or three weeks’ classroom experience, and they will want this to be recent or current. If you have worked in two or more contrasting schools or with different age groups, that’s all the better.

If you've had additional experience of working with children or students in other settings, that may also provide some useful content for your statement, although it won’t be sufficient on its own.

How to expand on your classroom experience

• Outline your classroom experience and reflect on what you did, what you observed, and how it has informed your understanding of the role of teachers, the challenges they face, the nature of teaching and learning, or the interaction between the two.
• Most importantly, describe some of the skills or qualities you’ve seen teachers use in the classroom, and show how you’ve demonstrated some of them yourself.
• Reflect on any effective strategies you have seen teachers use to create a motivating and engaging learning environment, the way they interact with and inspire pupils, the way the classroom is managed, the way behaviour is managed, the way the curriculum is planned, or anything else that has made an impact on you.
• Also reflect on anything significant you have gained from any experience of working with children in other settings.

More teacher training statement dos and don'ts

• Explain why you want to teach , why you are interested in your chosen age range, and (if appropriate) why your specialist subject?
• Say something relevant about your academic studies , and demonstrate your own enthusiasm for learning.
• Mention any personal accomplishments or extra-curricular activities that you might be able to contribute to a school community.
• Expand on any relevant skills or qualities you've demonstrated in a part-time job.
• Comment on any current professional issues you’ve read about in, for example, the Times Educational Supplement (TES).
• Don't forget the basics – the presentation, organisation, coherence, spelling, grammar, and punctuation of your statement will be crucial.
• Don't include bland clichés such as 'I love children,' 'I was born to teach,’ 'I am passionate about teaching,' 'I have wanted to be a teacher from a young age' – or the word 'babysitting.'

If you are applying for a general degree in education that doesn’t lead directly to QTS, then demonstrate that you understand what the course involves, explain why you’re interested in it, and relate your academic interests and experiences to it.

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• Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE)
• If you do not have a degree
• If you’ve worked as an unqualified teacher
• If you want to do a teaching apprenticeship
• Tuition fees
• Student finance for teacher training
• Bursaries and scholarships
• Salaried teacher training
• Funding and support if you're disabled
• Funding and support if you're a parent or carer
• Funding and support if you're a veteran
• Train to teach in England as a non-UK citizen
• Qualifications you'll need to train to teach in England
• Fees and financial support for non-UK trainee teachers
• Apply for your visa to train to teach
• Teach in England as a non-UK qualified teacher
• Get an international relocation payment
• Gain the equivalent of English QTS, from outside the UK
• Ukrainian teachers and trainees coming to the UK

Your teacher training personal statement

Your personal statement is your chance to make yourself memorable with teacher training providers and show them why you’ll make a great teacher.

You do not have to write it all at once – you can start it and come back to it. Successful candidates often take a few weeks to write their personal statements.

How long should my teacher training personal statement be?

Your personal statement can be up to 1000 words. 90% of successful candidates write 500 words or more.

What should I write about in my personal statement?

Your personal statement should include:

why you want to be a teacher

why you want to teach the subject or specialism you’re applying for - if you’re applying for primary, describe why you want to teach this age group

the experience and personal characteristics you have, and why they would make you a great teacher

You can include any information you think is relevant to demonstrate your knowledge, qualifications, and experience. Teacher training providers want to see your passion and that you understand what a career in teaching involves.

How to write your personal statement

When writing your personal statement you should make sure you check your spelling and grammar in your application. You want to make the best possible impression.

You can use ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help you write your personal statement. You should not rely on it to write your entire statement because:

AI tools use bland language and will not be able to give details about you as a person. Using them may result in your application being unsuccessful

your account to apply for teacher training may be blocked if you consistently submit personal statements that look like they have been written with AI tools

Do I use the same personal statement for each application?

You can use the same personal statement for every course you apply to.

However, there may be some instances where you’d like to tailor it to different courses.

For example, if you want to apply to train to teach maths and also to train to teach physics. In this case, you might want to change your personal statement to talk more specifically about the subject you’re applying to train to teach.

Should my personal statement be different if I’m training to teach primary or secondary?

You should use your personal statement to explain why you feel passionate about teaching a specific age range or subject.

If you’re applying for a primary course with a subject specialism, or you’re particularly interested in certain primary subjects, you can talk about that, too.

If you’re not sure if you want to teach primary or secondary, you can find out more about teaching different age groups .

Do I need school experience?

You do not need school experience to apply for teacher training, but it can help strengthen your personal statement.

Teacher training providers like to see that you have a good understanding of teaching, how the school system works and what your transferable skills are. You need more than just good subject knowledge and school experience can be a great way to get this.

Getting some school experience can also be a good way to make sure teaching is right for you before you apply for a course.

Find out how you could get school experience .

Get help with your personal statement

You can get help with your personal statement from our teacher training advisers . They have years of teaching experience and can give you free, one-to-one support by phone, text, or email.

Advisers can also help you understand more about what teaching is really like, which can help improve your application.

Having a teacher training adviser was really beneficial when editing my personal statement and preparing for interviews. My top tips for the application process would be to get an adviser, and to think about what transferrable skills you have when writing your personal statement and answering interview questions. Felix, former teacher trainee

Start your application

Create an account and start your application for a teacher training course.

Apply for a course

Get free one-to-one support

Maximise your chances of submitting a successful application with the support of a dedicated adviser with years of teaching experience. Chat to an adviser through phone, text or email.

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Whether it's just an idea or you're ready to apply, you could get personalised support from an adviser with years of teaching experience. Chat to them by phone, email or text as little or as often as you need.

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How to Teach Personal Statement Writing

If you are looking to read about how to teach personal statement writing, I’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn more and to see valuable resources!

At the start of a new school year, I like to assign my students a personal statement as one of the first writing assignments of the year. However, I don’t just assign this to my students and set them free. Instead, I use this personal statement teaching unit to take time to teach my students all about personal statement writing.

It usually always happens like this. I’ll assign the personal statement in August. Students write their personal statements. And then in October or November when students start putting together their college essays, I remind them of their personal statements. And bingo! They have a stellar first draft of their college essay.

When I teach personal statement writing in my classroom, I like to dedicate several days to the assignment. I like to take time with direct instruction. In the lesson, I teach students about what a personal statement is and why they should have one.

What students should include in a personal statement:

• Formal tone
• Professional language
• Precise words

Ideas for students’ personal statements:

• Biggest accomplishment
• Strengths and talents
• Goals and aspirations
• Unique and defining attributes
• Unusual obstacles

After students read and discuss the sample statements, I assign the personal statement and give them some time to begin brainstorming ideas. I like to take some time on the brainstorming part of the writing process to allow students adequate time to think about what they want to write about. From there, I have students start to outline the structure of their personal statements. From there, we move to drafting, peer editing, and revising.

Teaching Personal Statement Writing

This personal statement writing unit will help your students write phenomenal personal statements that stand out! This personal statement unit includes a presentation for direct instruction and student materials to help students brainstorm, plan, write, and finalize their personal statements.

Ideal for a class assignment or for preparing students to write college entrance essays, this teaching resource includes everything you need from personal statement prompts, to student handouts, to example statements, to peer editing, and more.

Help your students stand out in the crowd by focusing on effective personal statement writing!

What teachers are saying:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Extremely satisfied

“ This is a great resource for writing the personal statement. My students found it engaging, relevant, and thought provoking. The guided packet made this a great resource for the kids to complete a unit on personal statement writing. Thank you!”

“ My 11/12th graders struggle every year with the personal statement. This resource helped them brainstorm ideas and narrow down their choices. I will be using this with juniors and seniors for a long time!”

“ This is a fabulous resource for teaching personal statements! I love how examples are included for students to read. It is so nice to not hunt them down on different websites! I also love how the pre-writing prompts match up with the brainstorming activities. Thank you!”

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