"It isn't enough that a professor sets the bar high. That's the easy part! The hard part is equipping students with the tools and the courage to leap over it. So when students describe me as "tough but fair," I think that's quite an endorsement. I believe human beings want to become our best selves. We have a secret desire to be challenged in ways we find meaningful, within contexts where we feel supported. We *know* we have more inside of us, and we sometimes feel like we don't know how to access it. I construct classes and grading systems that get students to take creative and intellectual risks, and I strive always to reflect my deep respect for their courage and their effort. As one recent grad put it: "Your classes were tough while I was in them, but I learned things to apply to life rather than just to pass the class. Your teaching has helped me actually learn the material. Thank you for working so closely with us and for going out of your way to help everyone individually!"
