Latin & Grammar/Composition|  Ascent Classical Academy Douglas County

ABOUT ME

I was born and raised in East Tennessee, and, despite my considerable stint in academia, I still carry a bit of that regional flavor with me, whether an occasional twangy resurgence of my accent or my tendency to view things through a rural lens. I believe, first and foremost, in the value of hard work both in intellectual and physical pursuits. I earned my PhD in Classics (ancient Greek and Roman history, literature, culture, and language) in 2019 from the University of Colorado, Boulder. I have an MA from the University of Kentucky, where we learned Latin in an immersive way. Classes were taught in Latin, we turned in assignments and gave presentations in Latin, and even ate together with Latin as the language of conversation.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

In my nine years as an instructor at the college level, I have had the privilege to teach a considerable number of classes on a wide range of subjects. This experience has given me special perspective, not only on presenting the content of those courses in their own rights but on how to show meaningful interactions across topics that may initially seem unconnected. While I rely heavily on the time-honored tradition of lecture combined with Socratic discussion, I appreciate that teaching and learning are ever-expanding. There is always something else to do and something new to learn to improve the classroom experience, both for students and teachers. Teaching is one of the most difficult and exhausting professions, yet I cannot imagine a life without it. Even in the current troubled state of education, I cannot bear the thought of leaving for something easier and more lucrative because, ultimately, it is a question of investing in the future.