PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING

My aim in teaching is to impart to my students a love of learning and an enthusiasm for the ancient Egyptian civilization—an extraordinary culture that lasted over three millennia. Through the study of their art, architecture, language, history, and religion, we can come closer to understanding how this ancient society functioned, why it endured for so long, and what wisdom it holds for us today.

In my classes, I foster a welcoming and enjoyable learning environment that addresses multiple learning styles while also keeping the material fresh and engaging. I create new materials as needed in order to help my students successfully understand difficult concepts. One example is the Middle Egyptian Grammar Summary that I created for my students in order to present this complicated grammatical system in a clear and concise manner, emphasizing its most important components and serving as a handy supplement to the standard grammars available today.

I have found that teaching is just as much a learning experience for the teacher as it is for the student. A pertinent question or thoughtful observation by one of my students can challenge me to look at material in a way I might not have considered. When this question then leads me to do additional research that I can bring back to the class, everyone benefits from the new insights gained.