The 4 “C”s is the essence of my philosophy on life, so it is no surprise it is at the heart of my teaching philosophy. It started as the 3 “C”, but was expanded to include one addition “C” word that I could not resist - Connection. Any assignment I have my students complete will be purposed with at least one of the “C”s, often times more than one, and more often that you might think will contain all four.

Although the importance of the 4 “C”s is not prioritized, the order in which I introduce them is. I start with Contemplative Thinking. I want to slow my students down and get them immersed in depth of thought. In the stream of consciousness, digitally mediated world we live in, where content is consumed in seconds (the average time between mouse clicks being 5 seconds), I want my students to come to a screeching halt. Stop. Look. Listen. See. Contemplate. What is the essence of meaning?

In conjunction with Contemplative Thinking is Connected Thinking. I want my student connecting the essence of meaning to the self. How can I relate to an idea? How can I understand it? How does it affect me? How can I shape an idea or be shaped by it? All these questions and their answers require connection as both a bridge and a foundation.

Creative Thinking is about daring to imagine, pushing boundaries, and having original ideas. It is more than an expression of artistry that produces an end product that is appealing to others. It is about process. Training minds to think imaginatively and originally. This is the essence of voice. Your creative thinking is the space where voice can and will emerge. I want to tap into this.

Critical Thinking ensure an approach to any idea or experience that has at its foundation objective evaluation. In making sense of our story, helping others, and working toward revision, we are actively seeking a truth that lies beyond ourselves. We work toward a mutual understanding of self and other that is rational and non-judgmental. A good faith effort to seek object truth while empathetically acknowledging the subjective experience others allows the space to be closed and meaning to be negotiated.