Teaching Philosophy

Principles of Learning:

Activating our Antennas:

 

As much as we interact with the world outside of us, the world interacts with us by sending messages in the form of language and/or iconography. We consume these messages unknowingly and are shaped by their reality. Activating our antennas is a method I use to show students that signals are always being emitted; it is our job to activate our antennas by becoming self-aware of messaging being delivered.

Courage:

 

When Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt, only a small minority chose to leave. Eighty percent of Jews chose to be taken care of, albeit as slaves, rather than freedom. This remarkable statistic reminds us that courage is not only about acting, but about choosing to take the action despite it being unpopular. Bringing the classroom in conversation with the challenges of the world, my goal in fostering courage is to inspire students to think as individuals and as trailblazers.

Teach Toward Excellence:

 

We cannot demand excellence from our students if we do not require excellence from our educators. Teaching towards excellence means always challenging students to think deeply and critically by raising our expectations of ourselves and from our students.

Seek Truth:

 

In a world with massive information at our fingertips, it is easy to be misinformed. Moreover, as narratives and personal stories dominate, truth for some is difficult to find; for others still, it is indiscernible from lies. Through the Socratic method, an inquiry-based approach to teaching, my goal is to not only foster curiosity, but cultivate an appreciation for seeking truth.