I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Philosophy and German. This course of study has motivated me to pursue an MA in German and continental philosophy. While this area is fascinating in itself, I am very thankful for my philosophical education because it has also sowed within me a deep commitment to teaching, teaching that aims not only for understanding, but also for creating and encouraging interest in specific topics and in learning itself. While I agree that the goal of teaching is to help someone learn a certain topic, the greatest achievement in teaching I have experienced is giving someone the ability to reason, and the drive and ability to begin teaching themselves. I enjoy teaching certain topics because of their power to bring this about, including languages, mathematics, and (of course) philosophy. All of these areas stretch from an elementary to an advanced level, and I consider it of cardinal importance to equally value the successful communication both of elementary topics, such as algebra 1 or German word order, and complex ones, such as deontological critiques of utilitarian ethics. By valuing all levels of difficulty, I am able to give students a firm foundation, with which they can grasp truly complex ideas in the topic at hand and in their future learning. While my interests in the areas described are powerful and abundant, I also enjoy painting, composing, hiking and camping.