About My Teaching

I build my classroom around relationships, because students learn best when they feel known and supported. From there, I focus on giving them ways to actually experience what they are learning, not just hear about it.

In my language classes, that means treating language and culture as inseparable. This is especially true in Russian, where students usually begin with very little cultural background. I use regular bellringers—short readings and prompts on culture, history, and daily life—to give students a broad foundation. Then we go deeper in selected areas through hands-on activities. One example is Maslenitsa, a traditional Russian festival marking the end of winter. During that unit, students take part in games, make blini, watch and discuss videos, and create decorations. I also build in high-frequency expressions so students can communicate more naturally and feel successful early, even in a language with a steep initial learning curve.

In Russian, there is no true high school textbook, so I built one. I started by adapting material from a college-level text and supplemented it with my own original materials. Students keep these materials, including appendices and glossaries, in a binder that serves as their textbook. It gives them a clear reference point and ties the course together.