Instructor Information

Background about me 👩🏻‍🏫:

Some of you might be surprised to learn that English is my second language. How did that happen?! Well, my mom and I moved to the United States when I was thirteen years old.  We came from a tiny country called Bulgaria, which is in between Turkey and Greece, first moving to San Francisco, and then in 2003, to San Diego. When I started school in the United States, I was in eighth grade, and I was placed in English as a Second Language classes. It was all quite the cultural shock, but with the help of great teachers and reruns of my "Friends," I soon started to improve my skills!

• Education: I began my higher education at the community college level, at Cuyamaca College in San Diego. From there, I transferred to the University of California San Diego, where I obtained my Bachelor's in English/Writing in 2012. After taking a year off from school, I returned to Antioch University Los Angeles to obtain my Masters in Fine Arts, with a focus in Fiction. 

• Teaching:My work experience began at the community college level. I taught my first course at Cuyamaca College in 2014. By 2015, I was also teaching at Southwestern College and San Diego Mesa College. At first, I taught only in-person courses, but by 2017, I had moved almost entirely online, teaching transfer level writing, advanced composition, literature and creative writing. 

• Personal: I currently live in San Diego with my husband and two dogs, a husky and a shepherd/mastiff mix and my one year old daughter. We love to go to the beach and do indoor rock climbing, and we also love to travel, having been to Ireland and Scotland most recently. In my spare time, I take full advantage of my Netflix account, recently focusing on serial killer themed shows, like The Ted Bundy Tapes or MindHunter. 

My teaching philosophy 💡

My teaching philosophy is based on the idea that I am here to help my students be their best and reach their educational and career goals through support, encouragement, and strong connections. Rita Pierson, a teacher for forty years, says, “Every [student] deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be,” and for me, those are words by which to live and teach. I believe instructors play a vital part in students’ academic success. At the community college level, I have had the privilege of working with incredibly inspiring and hard working students who have overcome countless obstacles, and I am determined to provide each of them with individualized, supportive, and warm learning environment. I meet my students where they are, develop relationships with them, challenge but support them to succeed, and show them I genuinely believe in their ability to reach their goals. My philosophy is based on the idea of empowerment. The students I have worked with have much to offer, and I am excited to share in learning with them and empower them to succeed and know their worth.  It is an honor to contribute to their undoubtedly bright futures.