Holistic Learning
My teaching philosophy informs my approach to coaching and parenting. My own personal learning style, in addition to my formal education, has shaped my philosophy.
It is essential to give students the opportunity to delve into varied activities that challenge them to think creatively, allow them to explore who they are, and determine what gifts they have. Rather than limit students to a single discipline or narrow course of study, a strong education enables students to interweave and intersect with various disciplines, allowing them to become well rounded individuals with perspectives necessary for innovation and leadership.
My undergraduate Philosophy thesis on “Physical Philosophy: Embodied Wellness,” argues for the concept of “flow” and how maintaining wellness is necessary to achieve life goals.
It was difficult for me in high school to have to choose between arts or athletics because of scheduling conflicts, and I began advocating for a more holistic approach to education. I was the most productive when I was challenged and had various creative outlets. I compensated for my documented processing disorder learning disability through exposure to a broad spectrum of courses and activities. I experienced the value of self-discipline through athletics, precision through music, detail through visual arts and communication through literary arts.
Participating in a variety of fields provides a student more opportunities for growth and interaction with different peer groups. Secondary school especially should be a time of discovery within the framework of educational achievement. I believe that teachers can lead by example to help others find and follow a path that maximizes individual strengths. I encourage students to cultivate new skills and achieve their goals through hard work. The role of a teacher is to expand the word view of their students, guiding them to new experiences in a safe space. While setting high expectations, a teacher must also motivate and inspire.
I have never been shy about innovating, building programs with potential for success despite pushback from bureaucracies. I reactivated a long dormant newspaper for my high school, bringing it online to address budget concerns. I founded the Zumba and student instructor program at Bryn Mawr College as the first student to begin teaching other students, faculty and staff. At Teachers College I developed wellness offerings including Zumba and Yoga for the graduate students and faculty. I was the youngest adjunct faculty at a Philadelphia area community college, teaching an in-depth course bridging the physical component of Zumba with its physiology that students could apply to other disciplines of movement. I created the first holistic wellness experience for Cooper Aerobics in Dallas, designing a client program incorporating nutrition, diet, exercise, training and physical health.
I believe teachers and coaches must innovate like this, reaching broadly beyond a single approach to a subject, because students learn in different ways and are engaged by different techniques. As a teacher and coach, I must listen to the student or client, understand their background and also be a learner myself, along with them, as we reach together to communicate and succeed.
