I chose this needlepoint as a metaphor to describe my teaching:

1. It was made for me by Martha because she knows that I enjoy my friends, but I also enjoy my space and my sleep. It was such a generous gift because I felt very seen and known when she gave it to me. I think trying to truly know and see my students and appreciate them for who they are is a part of my teaching ethos.
2. It is a mix of love and boundaries, like teaching.
3. It took time to make. And patience. It is handmade. It feels deeply human father than mechanized, which is how teaching feels to me.