My personal teaching style has been enriched by a collection of pedagogical approaches I have gleaned from articles, conferences, productions, and colleagues. I have synthesized these approaches and combine them with my own to create a teaching style that is creative, conscientious, and critical.

I strive to foster critical thinking, facilitate the acquisition of life-long learning skills, prepare students to function in an information economy, and to develop careers. I believe education should be more than the nuts-and-bolts transference of facts, it must be engaging and educate the whole student. To achieve this, I often incorporate current events, real life issues, and technology. I model inclusion and promote what it means to be an educated, practicing member of the theater profession. I offer students the tools they need to become an artist or educator on every level.

Although my fundamental teaching philosophy rarely changes, I adapt my strategies to create a dynamic class setting. I feel my primary function is to serve as a facilitator and allow students to think for themselves. This real-world approach creates responsible "thinkers," and prepares students for careers. For this to be achieved, many of my projects motivate students through creative and fun ensemble work. This "fun-losophy" fosters student responsibility, personal development, self-assessment, and the development of a balance of scholarly and personal life. My students often find themselves presenting in non-traditional ways. In the past this has included role-play, mock game shows, original videos, scripted performances, field trips, and the creation of web pages. Additionally, I use and promote technology as a tool of the theatre and artist trade. WebCT, Email, Internet-based research, and computer created documents and presentations are common in my classroom.

I measure my effectiveness as a facilitator through personal reflection, soliciting ongoing feedback from students and peers, evaluating student teachers' effectiveness, critiquing the quality of student performance, and other more objective sources including standardized evaluation forms and student grade distribution. I make every effort to stay up to date on learning styles and theatre trends through professional development, and participation on the national level.

A variable in my student base is that each one learns differently, and comes from a different background and level of experience. I feel as a good instructor I cannot ignore this reality. If students need extra help on issues that don't necessarily fall in line with the curriculum of the class, I am always available for appointments. Everyone is included.

My teaching educates life skills, moral self, and prepares students for tomorrow. Theatre education is beneficial to all people and is transferable to many life domains. I choose not only to incorporate the required standards, but I encourage teamwork and cooperation in exploratory and interactive ways. Through my teaching, I show students the success and connections between people in life.

Teaching is important to me. I work to be remembered. My students know that if they are willing to try, I am willing to work the extra hours with them. Above all, my students know that I love what I do, I hope this passion will be contagious.