My best and favorite teachers were masters of their content and real life people. They taught out of genuine care for their students and diligence to their subject matter. And most importantly, they were honest.

Without honesty there can be no trust. Without trust, no relationship. And without relationships, there can be no learning. It is no wonder that the best relationships I had with past teachers are ones that were rooted in honesty and trust. I learned a lot in those classes and we all had fun doing it. My goal is create a classroom environment where I can build and maintain similar relationships with my students in the service of deep learning. My rules are short and simple: Respect yourself and others, and worry about yourself, not others. Teachers need to be responsible for their students and students need to be responsible for themselves.

All students are capable of learning. How much responsibility they are willing to take for their education and how much hard work they are willing to put in to achieve their goals are the two factors that will determine how much they will learn. Through positive relationships, founded in trust, I can help my students achieve and succeed if they truly want to.