hi! i’m Emilie!
I currently live in Minneapolis, by way of New York, DC, South Dakota (it's complicated), and Haiti. Geography isn't our main focus here, so let's move on.
Storytelling and history are two things I'm fascinated by and passionate about (I’m also really passionate about raccoon memes and 80s synth pop, but I haven't found a way to create a class about those yet). I love sharing the information I know with others, and few things bring me greater joy than a student feeling empowered by learning new information. In teaching history, I find it is incredibly important to make the coursework as relatable as possible. To achieve this, I use several approaches: I teach with a variety of media, I create engaging in-class group activities, and I encourage topical conversations.
Regarding my educational philosophy, I strongly believe in providing students with a liberal arts education. No matter what field a student chooses to enter, the liberal arts provide an avenue for critical thinking that is so incredibly necessary in our world. I think that history is the backbone of the liberal arts. It is essential to know history, not so much to support the cliche of “history repeating itself,” but to understand what it means to be a human being in a global world. Understanding history means also understanding its primary sources (rather than textbooks which have interpreted the primary sources for the student) and to glean as much information as possible through experiential learning and through the arts and literature, which I think are absolutely essential to learning.
In addition to sharing my love of history through online and in-person classes, I help small businesses with marketing and content strategy.
When I'm not doing any of the above, you will more than likely find me drinking coffee, running, or spending time with my family.
I look forward to learning with you soon!