Speaking from the Heart: An Instructor and Her Student Reflect
with Dr. Karen Phillips and Yarin Reindorp
Today we speak with Yarin Reindorp, a junior in Columbia’s School of General Studies, and her former teacher in organic chemistry, Dr. Karen Phillips, who was a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Chemistry at Columbia. Dr. Phillips shares teaching techniques and philosophies that she employs in her courses—techniques that tackle dead ideas about collaboration, student empowerment, and equity. Yarin,
who also serves as a student consultant for the Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning, then discusses her experience as a student in Dr. Phillips’ course and the profound impact it had on her learning.
Dead Ideas in Teaching and Learning