Rachel inspires a love of literature and writing in her students through creative and engaging curriculum. As an English teacher in the Upper School, she works with students in grades 9-12, guiding them through classic and contemporary texts while helping them develop their own voices as writers. Rachel's classroom is a space where ideas come alive, where students engage in passionate discussions about literature, identity, and the human experience. She believes that reading and writing are not just academic skills but tools for understanding ourselves and the world around us.
Rachel holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Dartmouth College and a master's degree in Creative Writing from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Before joining Meridian seven years ago, she taught at a public high school and worked as a freelance writer and editor. Rachel's teaching approach is student-centered and inquiry-based. She designs units that allow students to make connections between texts, explore themes that matter to them, and develop their own critical perspectives.
Her writing workshops encourage students to take risks, experiment with different genres, and revise their work with care and attention. Rachel is also the faculty advisor for the school's literary magazine and has helped students publish their creative work in regional and national publications. She regularly brings visiting authors to campus and organizes field trips to literary events and performances. Outside of teaching, Rachel is an active member of the local writing community.
She facilitates writing workshops for adults, reviews books for literary journals, and is currently working on a novel. Her passion for literature and writing is contagious, and her students credit her with helping them find their voices and confidence as thinkers and writers.
