Rachel Dender has always had a passion for teaching and for reaching out of the box to promote children’s understanding. She earned her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University in Inclusive Elementary and Special Education and has been inspired to teach from a young age. With a Master’s degree from Hunter College in TESOL, she has expanded her horizons in understanding language barriers and difficulty with language and communication for all learners alike. In addition to her years of experience at as a classroom teacher and private tutor, Rachel has taught dance and theater in camps for many years, which was where her passion for working with children and teaching was first ignited. She expands this knowledge of creativity and spirit across all academic subjects and has found that by integrating the arts into all areas of instruction, she can reach all kinds of different learners. Rachel reaches each child by integrating areas of strength into their areas of challenge.
Through her work at camp and in her current position, Rachel has worked with students from first grade through fifth grade. She currently works as a teacher in an a specialized District 75 elementary school supporting students on the Autism spectrum. Due to her love of dance and music, Rachel infuses her academic instruction with connections to the arts as she teaches literacy, mathematics, and writing along with other subjects. As a special education teacher, Rachel has a multitude of instructional strategies she uses to help students not only connect with the curriculum, but also master it. It has always been important for Rachel to see each individual student’s strengths and help students grow to their potential.
Rachel believes that helping students find a personal connection to content is crucial, and from there, all students will be successful in their own ways. Rachel currently resides in midtown east and enjoys spending her time in theater, fundraising for Alzheimer’s, and spending time with friends and family.
