The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in my classroom.

Naima Shifa Faculty

Building Connections

The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in my classroom. So students know – right away – that they can approach me. I also want students to feel confident that it’s okay to make a mistake. It actually helps them to learn to put more effort into the subject. 

My teaching is interdisciplinary; I teach math and my research interest is public health. My students are from every discipline. If you're interested in math, I will show you how to use it in real-life situations. That is my goal. So I think that the interdisciplinary approach at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø is a strength and makes us different from others. You can be a math person, but you can also see the beauty of math in any discipline.

The interdisciplinary approach also helps students connect with the world around them and think critically about the society they live in. It gives them the tools to be successful human beings.

Our Community Stories

Victoria de Dios
Focusing in on Film

Victoria de Dios

I originally chose 51³Ô¹ÏÍø as it seemed the best fit for my interests – both academically and socially…

Discover Victoria de Dios
Daniel Villa
Where Opportunity Meets Hustle

Daniel Villa

Daniel Villa ’26 never envisioned himself spending a winter term in another country. It’s not that the…

Discover Daniel Villa
Ha Chu
Pivotal Moments

Ha Chu

“It changed my life,” says Ha Chu ’26, recalling an interaction early in her time at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø with Larry…

Discover Ha Chu