My love of children and desire to teach began when I was very young. Often I would gather the neighborhood children together for lessons mimicking the lessons I had that day in school. I even set up a classroom in our basement, complete with desks and a bulletin board! At 15 I started working at a children's daycare center, and 3 years later I was employed as a full-time preschool teacher at Willowcreek Children’s Center in Sandy.
I lived in Korea for over a year and while I was there, I taught children English and spent time working with children in an orphanage. Upon returning, I finished my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education from Utah State University. I was introduced to the Montessori Method over ten years ago and implemented the Montessori principles in a preschool I owned and operated in Bountiful until our family moved to Riverton. I became very involved in the homeschooling community and taught several classes of mixed-age groups in this community and founded a commonwealth school in the area. I was excited to learn of a Montessori charter school coming to South Jordan and left my job as the director of a multi-age program in south Provo to work at Mountain West Montessori Academy.
As a lifelong learner I am currently working on a Master's Degree from Westminster College with an emphasis in Montessori. I have a passion for education and I am active in studying and learning how to improve my pedagogy.
I am happily married to a brilliant scientist and together we have four wonderful children.
Email: rakester@mwmacademy.org
Serving K-9 students as a tuition-free, public charter school based on the globally-established Montessori philosophy of education.