These three words best exemplify my goals in teaching, coaching, and learning. They drive the delivery of my lessons as an educator and are what I encourage my students to demonstrate as learners.

My students enter the classroom, expecting a lecture on a business, accounting, or tax topic; however, they leave feeling inspired, with a call to action and an answer to the question, “Why does this matter?” They are immersed in an interactive session filled with multimedia content and hands-on exercises, delivered by an enthusiastic instructor who exudes passion and marries the content they are learning with real-life examples and implications.

Each and every one of us engages in learning for our own reasons and comes to the classroom with different levels of enthusiasm, motivation, and drive. My role as an educator is to facilitate the mastery and understanding of information and to commit to the individual growth of students, both on a personal and professional level.

My courses begin not with a repetition of the course outline and a lecture of expectations, things to bring to the classroom, or grading criteria. Rather, they begin with me taking the time to learn and understand my students: who they are, what they hope to learn and achieve both inside and outside the classroom, and what inspires them to learn. They then move onto the question, “Why does this matter?” I facilitate a discussion of what students can expect to learn throughout the term, how the course integrates into other courses they have already taken, how the course content can be utilized in their day-to-day lives, and how the coursework will help them work towards their goals. By understanding this, students no longer see the course as a mandatory business, accounting, or tax class. Rather, they see it as an opportunity to heighten their business acumen as a future leader and to develop a skill set and way of thinking that can apply across a broad range of industries and situations.

Teaching is exciting and I want students to share that energy and excitement with me. To do this, I am a facilitator, a mentor, a teacher, a coach, a supporter, a sensei, an educator, and an entertainer. I design frameworks and content that facilitate learning and stimulate and guide students to master knowledge and techniques for learning.

My commitment as an educator is accomplished in the following ways:

• Not your standard class. Classes should be about more than reading, memorizing, and regurgitating information. My lessons focus on engagement and impact and include hands-on exercises and games. Concepts are learned not only through lecture, but through real-time practice as well. Students in my classroom learn about a concept and then immediately jump into an activity that may include a jeopardy game, team exercise, sample problem, or quiz show (such as, “So You Think You Can Cost?”). Students experience learning through speech, visuals, exercises, and multimedia content rather than by reading from a textbook or off of a slide.

• Flipping the classroom. When we teach others, we retain over 90% of what we learn. As such, students in my classroom can expect to participate as much as I do. It is important to me that students work with one another and present concepts and ideas to one another. This not only builds their communication skills and business acumen, but also creates networking opportunities. To facilitate this, I cultivate, encourage, and focus on developing a safe learning environment and share my personal experiences with students.

• Mentorship inside and outside the classroom. Theory is great, but students need to be able to apply and see the practical applications of a concept to understand and master it. I bring practical experiences from my employment as a business consultant and as a customer service and operations leader to the classroom and actively share stories and examples. I take a vested interest in my students and go above and beyond to support their career and personal goals. I make it an effort to connect students with professionals, provide career advice, and help them prepare for interviews.

• Practice makes perfect. I strongly believe that mastery of content comes with reinforcement and not by cramming before a final exam. To achieve this, students must have the opportunity to practice concepts actively. Students in my classroom do this by engaging in activities, quizzes, and exercises consistently and receiving materials, opportunities, and active feedback that allows them to track their progress and understanding in real-time.

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