I recently moved to the Austin area from Portland, Oregon, where I worked as a 7th grade Language Arts teacher. I believe that educators should act as facilitators to learning, not merely lecturers. To this end, I strive to give students the tools to make their own discoveries rather than just 'giving them the answers.' Learning new skills can be tough, but it also can (and should!) be fun. My number one goal in education is to inspire students' curiosity, that way even when a subject is difficult, students can approach it with a sense of wonder instead of dread. This sets the stage for becoming a lifelong learner and thus benefiting from all the enrichment that mindset offers.