My goal as an educator is to create a relaxed but rigorous learning environment that encourages students to ask questions, make mistakes, and think critically. The courses I teach typically include three components: (1) teaching the foundational concepts and material, (2) providing opportunities for students to ask their own questions and direct their own learning on specific topics of interest, and (3) practicing science communication and writing skills. Developing a solid foundation of scientific knowledge is important, but gaining hands-on experience developing questions and hypotheses, designing and implementing experiments, and applying concepts to new problems or questions are vital for getting students invested in their own learning. I want students that leave my classes to have mastered the course material, but also to have gained confidence, critical thinking skills, and enthusiasm for science and nature that they can apply outside of the classroom.