Dr. Adam Richter
Honours B.A., M.A. (History), Ph.D. (History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Subject: Language Arts / Writing and Communication
What will my child walk away with? Your child will walk away with improved communication skills and the confidence that comes with them. As a teacher, I am passionate about helping students at every skill level to develop communication skills that will serve them throughout their academic careers and beyond.
What can families expect? Families can expect a stimulating, humorous, and accepting classroom environment. I believe that the development of effective writing and communication skills requires a safe and fun environment, one in which students feel safe enough to take risks on the page and in front of their peers.
What does class actually feel like? My classes are intellectually lively with a strong sense of humour. Having taught courses in the history of science at the university level, I am used to making complex and unfamiliar material feel relevant and engaging to students of different academic backgrounds. I take a similar approach at Brain Power, guiding students through complex material in a way that feels relevant and fun.
How do you challenge a curious mind? I push students to develop clear and original arguments about the subject at hand. Anyone can fall back on familiar arguments and ideas. The skill worth building is the ability to take a position, anticipate objections, and defend your reasoning with evidence and precision. This requires a willingness to probe your own beliefs and values. It also requires curiosity about other points of view.
Credentials and Experience Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto. M.A. in History, Dalhousie University. Honours B.A. (Specialized), Glendon College, York University. Recipient of the Nathan Reingold Prize from the History of Science Society. Published in Notes and Records: The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science, where I also served as guest co-editor. Course instructor at the University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, and the University of King’s College.
Why Adam? Why Brain Power?
My interdisciplinary background — spanning history, philosophy, and science — gives me an unusually broad toolkit for teaching students to write and speak across disciplines. My goal is not to teach literature or grammar in isolation. Rather, my goal is to teach students to communicate ideas that matter.