Ethics Among Us: What Playing the Game Can Teach Us About Morality and Society

Please see FAQ (updated Nov. 9) and discount information at the end of this section.

Long before I became a professional writer, I was intrigued by symbols. Language and literacy are fundamentally about understanding, interpreting, employing, and adjusting symbols. We begin with letters or sounds, create syllables, words, phrases, and so on until we have established a vast library that reaches to the stars. Literary symbols are, in fact, made from other symbols that exist in language, culture, nature, emotion. In teaching interdisciplinary classes that focus on developing English writing and reading skills through the lens of art criticism, analyzing and interpreting stories and their symbols, I aim to engage students not just in the enhancement of their own traditional literacy, but in a broader ability to “read” the arts, natural sciences, society, culture, and more, and to “write” themselves into the world with an informed, nuanced, dignified voice.

I earned my MFA in English from Queens University of Charlotte’s program in Latin America, where I was mentored by Mary Gaitskill and Francisco Goldman. My career in writing, editing, and tutoring English from the basics of grammar for non-native speakers to developmental work on novels and dissertations has spanned most of the past decade, while being punctuated by projects in various industries.

When I’m not playing with words, I’m playing in the dirt: gardening, spying on animals, hiking, and just sitting under the stars. Some fun or possibly strange facts about me are that I enjoy parsley enough that I will eat it as a salad, I circumnavigated the globe using different forms of mass transit when I was 20, and my favorite classes that I took during my undergraduate studies were Economics of Religion and Discrete Mathematics.

FAQ and Discounts:

Q-Do you offer discounts?
A-Yes! Almost all returning learners get discounts, and discounts are greater for courses completed in sequence, and much greater for courses purchased as a bundle. I do not offer discounts on ongoing classes, camps, or classes that I have already priced below $18 per session, but enrollment in such a class will qualify you for discounts on other classes.

Q-What are your course sequences?
A-Course sequences are identifiable through their names and information listed in their descriptions. Story & Symbol 101 is intended to be taken before any other course in the Story & Symbol series. My introductory course in ethics is intended to be taken before my other courses in ethics, Economic Thought 100 before other courses in econ, etcetera.

Q-What is a course bundle?
A-I have several classes that engage with the same sort of material from different angles (e.g. fashion or environmental issues). If you know that your learner has a deep interest in one of these subjects and will likely want to take several or all of the courses I offer that deal with them, we can design a package and enroll your learner at a significant discount. 

Q-My child doesn't like to use the microphone or video camera. Is that OK for your class?
A-For most of my classes, this is perfectly fine! If a class really needs for learners to participate with full audio and/or video, I try to make that clear in the listing. Feel free to reach out if you are not quite sure.

Q-What is your refund policy if my learner misses class?
A-In addition to Outschool’s refund policies, I have changed my personal policy and no longer issue refunds for no-shows to one-time classes. If you communicate with me ahead of class, I am happy to transfer your learner to another section, but I will not issue a refund if there is no communication about the absence. For multi-week classes, I will issue partial refunds on a case by case basis, but generally I will consider the learner’s access to the recording as being sufficient without refund. I no longer send messages within the chat or email system to remind learners or parents that class has started.

Q-My learner really loves your classes on Outschool! How can we make sure that there are more available at the right times?
A-I’m always glad to hear that people enjoy my classes! I split my time between several platforms, and the best way to get me to offer more on Outschool is to leave helpful reviews, request class times that work for you, and share my classes on social media or directly with friends, relatives, and delivery people who might have learners who would be interested in the work we do, here.