I majored in English with a theater minor at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota and later graduated from the University of Chicago with a master's degree in social work. I also hold additional master's degrees in Irish Literature where I wrote a dissertation, titled, Celtic Utopia: Lady Gregory's Interlacement of History and Mythology and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Northwestern University in Creative Writing.
At Northwestern I worked as a TA (Teaching Assistant) for...
I majored in English with a theater minor at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota and later graduated from the University of Chicago with a master's degree in social work. I also hold additional master's degrees in Irish Literature where I wrote a dissertation, titled, Celtic Utopia: Lady Gregory's Interlacement of History and Mythology and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Northwestern University in Creative Writing.
At Northwestern I worked as a TA (Teaching Assistant) for OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) where I coached twelve students on the fundamentals of creative writing, including voice, point of view, character development, narrative arc and pacing. As an undergraduate, I tutored students at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University, utilizing the Socratic Method whereby I would ask leading questions designed to elicit desired responses based on the questions asked.
I endorse a combination of the student-centered, constructivist approach to learning, positing that all knowledge is based on prior knowledge, and inquiry-based learning. I first taught in 1989 and most recently taught at Northwestern in 2020.