TEACHING STATEMENT

I decided to become an educator the day I was on the train to Wuppertal, Germany to see a Pina Bausch performance. Having been raise by educators, I didn’t expect to pursue a similar path, but the value and importance that’s been placed on my learning has deeply influenced my desire to dedicate my life to education. My dream is to reinvest in education. I believe advising students, constructing curriculum and building community are methods of approaching this type of reinvestment.

As an instructor I focus on developing learner-centered environments within which I can nurture equality. It is important for me to have and create a safe space for my students in which they can explore themselves as living, moving, and feeling beings. Within an embodied practice in the classroom that is based in anatomical and somatic studies, my practice is to teach self-acceptance and appreciation through movement. I cherish movement that flows from within and is driven by instinct, thus, I encourage my students to pursue experimental inquiry founded in personal expression and experience.

An ideal teaching and learning environment thrives on creativity, embracing multiple perspectives, intelligences and individuals. Thus, I seek to embody the ideologies of my lessons, in order to engage my students in a collaborative, yet individually led stimulating learning experience. I want to inspire my students not only through movement, but also through language, imagery and theory that will guide their creativity and deep explorations in my classroom.