Hello! My name is Jennifer Rau and I am a 2nd grade teacher. I'm originally from El Paso, but have lived in Austin for the past 13 years. I worked in real estate management for 16 years before I decided to return to college and pursue a career in education. I graduated from Texas State University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Disciplinary Studies and hold a EC-6th/ESL teaching certification.
Education has always been important to me. I have a passion for teaching and enjoy the elementary school environment. Facilitating the academic and social growth of young children is hard, but very rewarding work. My goal as an educator is to instill the value of education in my students. I feel every child has the ability to learn and reach their potential. The pride that comes with achieving educational goals builds self worth and every child should have a competent teacher guiding them toward their goals. I believe that every teacher has a responsibility to ensure that the classroom is a safe, nurturing environment for children to learn, make mistakes, and grow as an individual.
As a life-long learner, my educational goals include completing my Master's Degree in Literacy Studies and becoming fluent in Spanish. My hobbies include reading, writing, cooking, movies, and live theater. I also enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and my dog, Sam.