Hi, my name is Rachael Kelly and I want to tell you a little about myself. First, I am so excited to begin my first international teaching experience at Cornel! I am originally from a small town in rural upstate New York, but have been living and teaching in Denver, Colorado for almost 3 years. Teaching is a part of who I am and a major drive for many of my life-long goals.

I did all of my schooling in New York where I worked in schools part-time and with a youth mentoring and tutoring program established through the multi-cultural center at my college. From New York, I moved to New Mexico to fulfill my student teaching requirements. This was my first experience being immersed in a completely new culture. It was a great experience and has been a major stepping stone in my love for travelling. After New Mexico, I moved to Denver, where I have taught for 2.5 years in fully-inclusive settings using both my elementary and special education degrees.

As a teacher I believe my job in the classroom is to help students develop strong communication skills, motivate them to be independent learners, and determine what motivates academic success in each of my students. I aim to do these things by building meaningful relationships and providing a positive environment for my students. I encourage positive and independent learning inside and outside of the classroom by helping students develop their social-emotional and cognitive skills. My goal as a teacher is for all of my students to be learners and for us to have fun doing it!

When I am not teaching I enjoy seeing live music, being outside near water, riding my bike, hiking to see beautiful landscapes, being around fun people, eating delicious foods, writing/reading, laughing, and dancing. I’m excited to do all of these things in Taiwan with new people! If you want to know more about me, feel free to ask!