My focus as a teacher and program leader is on creating projects with skills that are easy to master, to create engagement, self-esteem and a sense of satisfaction. I provide activities that are difficult enough to build a sense of achievement, without being too frustrating for learners. Amy Chua's writing on the "virtuous circle" of learning new things, combined with my own experience as a creator who, as Ira Glass says, has better taste than skill, leads me to create learning experiences where an amateur can create something beautiful. My goal is always to help learners develop a sense of empowerment and artistic identity, integrating the arts with daily life. I also believe that access to humanity's cultural heritage, and the ability to contribute to that heritage, is a fundamental human right; my peace and justice studies at Walsh University informed my desire to share creative activities with people who don't consider themselves artists.