I have always been curious about why the world developed the way it has. I majored in History as an undergraduate at Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut and I think one reason I went on to l... aw school was that every law, ever written, deals, in its own way, with public policy and the values that people are attached to. I just find that the political and historical processes compelling and, strangely enough, hopeful. I say this because I really do believe that studying humanity's efforts to improve itself sustains the hope within all of us that we can do better, too. Curious, inquiring people have hope. They boost themselves out of bed in the morning eager to find out what news they missed overnight. These people have an attachment to the world around them. They care about Asian tsunamis, dubious Russian elections, and the distinctions between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. I have tried to guide my students toward their own worldly connection by helping to instill in them a true hopefulness and confidence, as well as helping them to foster a real appreciation for the amazing capacity curious, bright minds have for illuminating the world. And that’s why I find teaching social studies so compelling. read more

I have lived here in Washington, DC for more than twenty years and my family and I really enjoy all the museums and cultural events that Washington has to offer. We have also been lucky enough to tr... avel both internationally and, here, in the United States. We plan our own itineraries and when we travel internationally we make a special effort to stay in locally-run motels and hostels to take in as much of the local culture, as possible. And we do a lot of walking. That has always seemed to me to be the best way to get to know a new place. I also very much enjoy cooking. And after thirty years of cooking, I still make an effort to prepare meals that come from different regions of the world. In fact, when my son was younger, the idea was, in part, to provide him with a stronger connection to the places and cultures that we were studying, here, at home. I really enjoyed teaching and tutoring because I am curious about how the world works and sharing that enthusiasm with my students is very gratifiying. So, by what means of inspiration, philosophy, and, occasionally, cajoling, do I encourage my students to take. I suppose the trail that I follow takes up the tenets of “constructivism” with a strong emphasis on reading and writing and discussion all aimed at helping to propel real learning to a more indelible, meaningful level. If you can read, write, and think you are headed, in my opinion, in the surest direction for success.read more