As a citizen of our beautiful planet, a lifelong learner, and an environmental educator I aim to instill excitement, curiosity, and personal empathy in all those I have the privilege to know and learn alongside. I believe that teaching, like bird identification, requires attention, patience, and deep care for context and individuality. Just as a birder thoughtfully observes, I approach teaching through four critical steps: observing the equivalent of size and shape, color, behavior, and location in those I learn with. 

First comes size and shape, or the importance of seeing the whole learner. When identifying a bird, the first step is to notice its overall form. Similarly as an educator, my first responsibility is to recognize each learner as a whole, complex individual, not merely a vessel for information nor one of 23 bodies in a classroom. I begin by creating an environment where students' identities, cultures, and experiences are valued and built up as the center for context. Building strong, empathetic relationships is foundational to my teaching, because students learn best when they are seen and respected.

 Next we celebrate diversity as birders observe plumage, the colors that make each bird unique. In the classroom, be that indoor and outdoor, I teach to each student's strengths, passions, and ways of knowing. I move away from the "banking model" of education, instead creating spaces where students' ideas are not only welcomed but necessary for collective learning and growth. Through practices like collaborative investigations, multi-lingual lessons, storytelling, and arts integration, I support the vibrant diversity that is essential to learning. 

Bird behavior gives a birder clues, how a bird moves, feeds, and interacts tells its story. Similarly, learning is dynamic. I emphasize processes over product, guiding learners to develop skills they can use beyond the classroom. I model inquiry, reflection, and adaptability, showing students that learning is lifelong, iterative, and full of wonder. By allowing space for mistakes, questions, and exploration, I strive to help students be capable, thoughtful masters of their own learning. 

Finally, birders know that location matters. A bird’s habitat tells us why they are there and how they fit into a larger ecosystem. In teaching, I situate learning within students' lives, families, communities, and the urgent socio-environmental contexts of our time. Inspired by global wholistic learning, I encourage learners to think critically about where they are in relation to other ecosystems around the world, encouraging a deeper understanding of sustainability and interconnectedness. Through place-based education and action-oriented projects, I invite students to see themselves as active participants in shaping a more just and compassionate world. 

Teaching is never a one-way transmission, it is an engaged, reciprocal act. Each time I teach, I learn. I learn about others, about myself, and about the shared world we are building. Like birding, teaching demands patience, care, attention, and a belief in the inherent beauty and possibility within everything. My goal is to nurture that possibility, one thoughtful observation at a time.