Rachel Henighan, 2nd grade teacher

The thing I love the most about working and teaching at SWS is the culture of fun, deep and ongoing learning for kids and adults in the school community.

The thing I am most proud of (at this moment) is learning how to make caesar salad dressing from scratch.

In my free time I enjoy taking our dog to the dog park, reading, cooking new things, swimming with my family (my husband and two daughters) and exploring beautiful places.

I see the role of the teacher in the learning process as similar to the people who do the rough-in during construction. I listen to interests and needs, gather materials and set them up to work well, create boundaries to keep people safe, ask the (hopefully) right questions at the (hopefully) right times and guide the process while leaving the final outcomes open to students and the process of learning and working together.


Rachel has taught at Stoddert Elementary School and Capital City Public Charter School, as well as volunteered on the board of Amazing Life Games Cooperative Preschool and as a math support teacher at Bancroft Elementary School. She lives in Takoma DC with her husband, dog, cat, guinea pig and two daughters, 8 and 10. She has a Master’s from Bank Street College of Education. She is always looking for ways to connect making beautiful things to knowing more about the world. She feels right at home as SWS.