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As Aristotle remarked, a sense of wonder is the beginning of all inquiry. My role as a teacher is to challenge my students to take ownership of their learning so they become engaged in an active, two-way process of critical inquiry that honors their own curiosity. I stress that critical evaluation of ideas first requires understanding those ideas as laid out by others. Intellectual inquiry therefore demands that we step outside our usual frames of reference to explore issues from different angles. It also requires an openness to rethink our own ideas; and recognition of the distinction between ideas and individuals. I ask my students to practice the art of thoughtfully and constructively challenging ideas while respecting the conveyor of those ideas. This allows us to create a community of learners where everyone can build on each other's knowledge, learn from our different experiences, and grow together intellectually.

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"When I enter a classroom at the beginning of the semester the weight is on me to establish that our purpose is to be, for however brief a time, a community of learners together. It positions me as a learner. But I am also not suggesting that I don't have more power. And I'm not trying to say we're all equal here. I'm trying to say that we are all equal here to the extent that we are equally committed to creating a learning environment."

~ bell hooks