Teaching Philosophy.
I aim to combine the best of two academic cultures—Russia and the U.S.—in my classroom. From Russia, I bring flexibility and trust in students' independence. From the U.S., I embrace active learning, student engagement, and inclusive pedagogy. My goal is to create a space where students feel both supported and empowered to take ownership of their learning.
I prioritize accessibility and open communication. My students know that I’m always available—via office hours, email, or informal conversations—to answer questions, provide help, or just chat. This stems from my own experience navigating inaccessible faculty as a student, and I work intentionally to be a different kind of instructor.
I design my courses to reduce stress while maintaining academic rigor. For example, I offer optional homework to promote responsibility and remove barriers for students without access to paid homework platforms. I balance graded quizzes and midterms with ungraded practice to help students focus on learning, not just grades.