I love challenging kids to think.  Critical thinking is is one of the most important things we can teach our students.  Thinking skills are necessary for them to become active, vibrant contributors to our democratic society.

My approach to learning is simple.  Get kids excited.  This can be accomplished in many different ways.  Whether it be engaging dialogue, challenging their current way of thinking, or simply encouraging them to look at something from a different perspective, once you convince a student that thinking matters, they will learn.

I tell my students on the first day that I want them to learn something new EVERY DAY.  I am not going to be upset if they don't take a pearl of wisdom from my classroom on a daily basis, but they should keep their eyes and ears open to new ideas always.  Sometimes the greatest lesson a child learns is one from outside the classroom.