My Teaching Philosophy
Four principles guide my approach to teaching.
First, I use psychological science to teach psychological science, drawing on the accumulated empirical findings of how best to facilitate learning.
Second, I teach each student as an individual, embracing the challenge to devise novel ways to clarify and enliven the material for each unique learning style.
Third, I strive for clarity and transparency. I want my students to focus on understanding and critically assessing the content, not on struggling to guess what I am asking for.
Fourth, I want students to enjoy learning and thinking in my class. I try to design assignments, lectures and discussions that are interesting and novel. Most importantly, I have fun when I teach. I believe enthusiasm is contagious, and I want my students to see how much I love what I do.
Courses Taught
The Wandering Mind: Psychological and Neuroscientific Approaches to Attention and Distraction, Columbia University, Summer 2012, Spring 2013
Science of Psychology, Columbia University High School Summer Program, Summer 2012 and 2013
Mind, Brain and Behavior, Columbia University, Spring 2012
Student Reviews
CULPA, Columbia’s student-run site, which recently awarded me a Silver Nugget for teaching quality
