Philosophy of Teaching 

As a senior lecturer in the BA department at Antioch Seattle, I am committed to opening the minds and hearts of my students, empowering them to develop the skills they need to pursue their studies. W.B. Yeats speaks to the heart of the matter: “Education is not the filling of a pail, it is the lighting of a flame.” My teaching is devoted to igniting curiosity and kindling wonder in my students, while providing resources for them to keep their flames alight. I consider myself to be a midwife to the creative process. I seek to remove obstacles, evoke inspiration, nurture voice and encourage expression. 

My teaching addresses both the individual and the collective, the personal and universal. I thrive in bringing a multi-dimensional interdisciplinary approach to undergraduate instruction. Honoring both the artistry and craft of teaching, I draw upon pedagogy ranging from Parker Palmer, MC Richards and Rudolf Steiner, to Bruce Ballenger, Wendy Bishop, and Peter Elbow.  I also carry influences from personal mentoring from Terry Tempest Williams, and studying with Sharman Apt Russell, Peter Levitt, David Starkey and Brenda Miller. 

I enjoy all that goes into teaching, from preparing courses and classes, to holding a space for dialog, to fostering collaborative learning, to giving in-depth feedback to students. I look to balance the information I provide with experiential learning and reflection.  I honor emergent curriculum, work intuitively and adjust lessons in response to the participants’ needs. I appreciate the dance of spontaneity and structure and how the material comes alive in new ways with each group of students. 

The flame I carry for teaching is both visionary and practical, kindled by caring and compassion.  I hope to pass on wisdom to my students to lighten how they carry the burden of the future on their shoulders.