My personal teaching philosophy is, ultimately, to aid and direct students in their own quest for knowledge. I prefer to act primarily as a facilitator and less as a director. I believe that students learn best and most efficiently when the subject matter holds meaning for them, and when the content and format are relevant to their own interests. Although an educator can certainly stimulate some of this motivation, the thirst for knowledge must be quenched where and when it occurs. Stimulation is most effective when the teacher reacts sincerely to students’ interests and provides students with the tools and guidance to continue exploration on their own. Forcing content and format onto students that is disjointed from their interests will inevitably result in sub-optimal results.