<Previous Teaching Artist - Next Teaching Artist > Rachel Atkins
Primary Discipline: Theatre Areas of Specialty: Theatre Integration (Literacy and Social Studies), Playwriting, Teacher Professional Development
Based in: Seattle
Biography: Rachel Atkins is the Scriptwriter and Education Director for Living Voices, the educational theatre company with whom she has 11 different multi-media shows in ongoing tours. She also works as a master teaching artist for Seattle Repertory Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre and Arts Impact. Rachel has adapted numerous productions for Book-It Repertory Theatre’s mainstage and touring seasons, and was an Annex Theatre Hothouse 2004 playwright. Her play Money Changes Everything will be produced at Annex in 2010. Her work has also been seen locally at Seattle Children's Theatre, the Empty Space and 14/48: The World's Quickest Theatre Festival. Previously, she was the Scriptwriter/Dramaturge and Director of Education for Ardeo Theatre Project in St. Julien l’Ars, France. Rachel has nearly 20 years of writing, teaching and directing experience, working with K-12 students and teachers in Seattle, New York and France. She graduated from Dartmouth College and holds her Masters in Educational Theatre from New York University.
When asked about her approach as a Teaching Artist, Ms. Atkins wrote this: "My teaching philosophy is based in co-intentional education: starting where the students are and empowering them to participate in their own learning. I place strong emphasis on the development of student-centered work. So often, my “best” students are the classroom teacher’s “worst”: the students who learn kinesthetically, interpersonally, visually, who need to talk things through out loud or get up on their feet and try things out. I believe strongly in the power of theatre to increase a student’s understanding of all curriculum areas. I have developed and led a wide variety of arts integrated lessons. When students become what they are studying, when they step into the shoes of a character from a book or a figure from history or an element in an electrical pathway, they truly understand what they’re learning—and they don’t forget it."
Suitable for Grades: K-12 Curriculum Integration Possibilities: Literacy/Reading/Writing, Math, Science, History/Social Studies,Other Arts Disciplines
Additional Interests/Experience:
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