Rachel Teigen Brackett, music specialist, Lakeview Elementary
Kudos to Rachel Teigen Brackett, Lake Washington School District’s “Staff Star” for March 2011.
On a warm spring day at the end of last school year, all of the students at Lakeview Elementary gathered in the gymnasium for a sneak preview of the primary choir’s evening performance, titled “Splish Splash.” At the front of the room, nearly 100 students in grades one through three were anxiously waiting for their chance to perform in their sunglasses and leis, and music specialist Rachel Teigen Brackett was ready to lead them.
Just how did Rachel manage to get over 100 first through third grade students to agree to perform in front of the entire school? According to the students’ parents, “She’s a shining star who makes every child love music.” Rachel is a talented musician in her own right – she sings, plays guitar and the piano and is skillful with other instruments as well.
That love of music also means getting up a little bit earlier. The primary choir meets between the months of April and June on Tuesday mornings before school. Students in grades four to six can join the intermediate choir that meets on Tuesday mornings from October through March. Rachel also runs a guitar club for fifth and sixth grade students after school in the spring.
“My primary objective as an elementary music teacher is to give kids a highly diverse and entirely positive exposure to music and the arts,” Rachel says. Each class at Lakeview comes to her room twice a week to sing, dance, play instruments, listen, compose, and explore the many elements of music and the arts.
Her co-workers nominated her as a staff star because, “Rachel knows her students, she encourages them, helps them with goal setting, and plans curriculum for every class that enables them to have a passion for music that will help them shape their lives,” according to one nominator. “Students work hard for Rachel, they respect and admire her. Rachel has a compassionate, kind heart for all her students but makes her expectations clear.”
In addition to music education, Rachel also runs the leadership and safety patrol team at Lakeview, with the co-leadership of Nancy Knight, the PE teacher at the school.
Rachel is also passionate about education – she continues to seek out new opportunities to learn and excel in her profession. She received her Bachelor of Music Education Degree with a minor in Theatre from Pacific Lutheran University in 2002, and obtained her Master’s Degree in Education from Lesley University, specializing in “Creative Arts and Learning” in 2005. Last year, Rachel achieved National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood Music. She also teaches a course for undergraduate education majors at Northwest University.
Rachel has been with Lake Washington School District (LWSD) for six years, starting out at Samantha Smith and Margaret Mead Elementary Schools then moving to Lakeview Elementary, where she is currently in her fifth year. Prior to working for LWSD, Rachel taught in South Tacoma and Seattle.