Tufts used the cognitive method known as elaboration. According to Slavin, “Cognitive psychologists use the term elaboration to refer to the process of thinking about the material to be learned in a way that connects the material to information or ideas that are already in the learner's mind (2015).” Asking relevant questions in class can not only grab a student's attention, but will also push the student to process their own experiences in order to respond. Tufts was a fan of hip-hop and brought music with lyrical content that he felt was relevant to the topic of discussion of the day. In this way he not only shared one of his passions with the students, but he was also able to elaborate on ideas in a way that also seemed relevant. Using elaboration can help students assimilate information more efficiently and provide opportunities to make meaningful connections with it, such as class discussions or writing exercises. I find that as a student writing or discussing a topic has the potential to greatly improve my confidence in that particular topic. As a teacher, I would like to use elaboration to relate important ideas and information to students, in hopes of empowering them to be