It’s a pleasure to meet you, albeit virtually!

If you’re on this page, it’s because you know a little bit about who I am. What you might not know is that my go-to karaoke song is “Billie Jean,” that I’m a lover of 90s sitcoms and collector of 90s R&B records, and that as a native Brooklynite, we could have a lengthy and spirited debate about pizza. What you also might not know is that at my core, I’m an educator. It’s literally in my blood. My dad and mom, aunts and uncles, and bubbes and zaydes were all educators. I like to joke that I had no say in the matter. As we know, there’s a bit of truth behind every joke. 

Because education is such an integral part of who I am, if you want to know me, you have to know what I believe about education. Perhaps, my beliefs will align with yours. Perhaps, they’re a bit different. Either way, reach out and let’s chat.

Philosophy of Education

Mission

All students are capable of achieving success when faced with the challenges of an intellectually rigorous, conceptual curriculum – an ambition essential to the preparation of active citizens in complex democratic systems. Such an aspiration is predicated on a clear and consistent pedagogical approach in which the teacher serves in the role of architect, designing and structuring the learning experience while encouraging student autonomy and flexibility within established constructs. For such an outcome to be achieved, student learning must revolve around, and be defined by, a four-point framework upon which all classroom instruction is based: Relationships; Ownership; Critical Thinking; Personal Management.

Relationships

All learning is relational. It is relationships that afford students the steady, stable foundation necessary to get them through the vicissitudes of their learning. In this way, relationships are they key component between and amongst those persons in a classroom setting, as it is these persons who give students the permission to take risks, fail, and grow. A learning environment that facilitates such relationships will also foster and promote social and cultural interactions, diverse perspectives, and emphasize the value of background knowledge and personal experiences. An environment of this sort makes learning relevant, personal, and meaningful.

Ownership

When learning is personal, students are free to pursue their interests, curiosities, and passions. When students are afforded the time and space to prioritize progress over perfection in this pursuit, learning is engaging, connected, and relevant. Learning, in this way, becomes an active, as opposed to passive, exercise; learning becomes a practice, as opposed to a product; learning becomes a journey, as opposed to a destination. When made personal, learning belongs to the student, as opposed to the teacher. And, when it is the student who owns it, meaningful learning will occur.

Critical Thinking

As the bedrock of any democratic society, critical thought is essential to learning – the importance of which is made evident by its facilitation of rational, divergent, and empathetic thinking. It is the presence of critical thinking in learning that allows students to challenge their preconceived notions and develop their personal belief systems. It, too, is what allows students to perceive of the world in an open-minded manner, thus helping them to move beyond their own sociocentrism. Additionally, unrestricted and untethered to a specific subject or discipline, critical thinking transcends the traditional school model, serving as an underlying feature of all intellectual and academic pursuits. As the engine that drives all learning, critical thinking is necessary for students to grow into engaged, active, and participatory citizens.

Personal Management

Personal management is a catch-all term for learning that is self-guided, self-disciplined, and meta-cognitive. For learning to move from a teacher-centric to student-centric model, learning itself must be rooted in student self-management, ranging from organization to prioritization to cognition. This transfer of power in the classroom is then contingent upon students developing the skills and ability to act on their individual learning pathways without direct supervision. In this way, it is the student who is responsible for their learning, affording them the freedom and independence to dictate and determine the next steps in their education. As the foundation upon which meaningful, student-led learning may occur, personal management is critical to student success when presented with an intellectually rigorous, conceptual curriculum.