“The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.” ~ Thomas Jefferson
My philosophy of teaching centers around the importance of individual thought in making informed capable decisions in life. So, my overriding goal is to empower students to think independently about critical issues using past and present fiction and non-fiction. But, education is so much more than learned skills and the ability to analyze or support ideas. As critical as those things are, education further gives us the power to enjoy life and experience self-determination. To that end, I intend students to see our classroom as a safe, yet vigorously challenging place in which to freely exchange ideas and learn from others.