Link to my resume

Centering student voices is my biggest priority when it comes to my teaching craft. I cannot even begin to think about what it means to teach if I do not take into consideration the lives, experiences, and motivations of my students first and foremost.  I believe that education is the greatest tool that any of us have to move through life with meaning and purpose, but every group of students will interpret that differently. Molding my teaching style to see and reflect the realities of my students legitimizes their perspectives and allows for the learning process to unfold organically. Human beings, especially children, are innately curious and look for ways to fuel that drive toward understanding, and I believe that my classroom is a space to exercise that in a safe, meaningful way.

 

“Safe”, however, does not mean to be coddled, sheltered, or unchallenged. Instead, I hope to cultivate a space where students are aware of what it means to think, guided by what one knows to be true, and equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate a world that we all share. Allowing students to see themselves reflected in the lives of others – and how the world is therefore reflected in them – is ultimately my goal as an educator and what I hope for all human beings on this planet. Because of this hope, my teaching is geared towards social justice and the recognition of reality as it stands, as well as what it could be. By imagining my classroom as a collaborative space, it allows me and my students to co-create an environment where everyone feels loved, respected, and challenged.