My approach to teaching/teaching philosophy begins with my belief that learning stems from genuine curiosity, and that “knowledge” is most useful when it contributes to my students’ own curiosity and interests. Across pedagogical environments – from the traditional classroom setting to one-on-one tutoring sessions to informal creative writing workshops – I make sure to build rapport with my students so I can gauge their interests and backgrounds. From there, I tailor my feedback, comments, and activity prompts to encourage active learning. In the community course I taught last semester at Columbia, I set the learning goal that students walk away with new insights and ideas that can contribute to their unique projects of interest. In a museum and object-based learning environment, my teaching encourages students to make autonomous observations and personal associations; my role in the process is to provide guide rails, context, enthusiasm for the material, and support in their own discovery.