About Me

Hello there!

I'm Ms. Rachel Koh, and I'll be your 7th Grade Social Studies teacher this school year. This is my 12th year at Kennedy Middle School, and I love being here. 

I was born in Singapore but grew up in Perth, Western Australia. I graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature, and History (double major). I then moved to the U.S. for graduate school, and completed an Master of Arts (MA) in Education from Santa Clara University, with a single subject credential in Social Studies. I've also obtained a single subject credential in English and Language Arts from UCLA. I spent the majority of my teaching career prior to moving here working with high school students on the Autism Spectrum, and have also taught English in an international school. 

When I'm not teaching, I'm underwater SCUBA diving and taking photographs of sea creatures -- it feels like a whole different world underwater! I also love playing video games (PS4), roleplaying and board games, eating good food, and spending time with my cats, Cyrus (after the great Persian King) and Figaro. Otherwise, I run 40+ miles a week, and my goal is to complete all the world Abbott majors, and eventually ultra marathons, particularly the UTMB Eryri Snowdonia. 

The 7th Grade World History curriculum is personally close to my heart, because it explains a lot of my family history - how my ancestors immigrated from the port city of Quanzhou in China to the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia during the early 1500s - via the very same trade routes we're going to explore this year in our classes. A lot of what we'd learn this year resonates strongly in our modern world; you'd see evidence of this history in how our world as we know it came to be. You might even find connections and explanations as to why your society, your culture, beliefs and practices, or your lives are the way they are. Remember, history is not standalone nor just the study of the past, but rather, patterns that rhyme. 

7th Grade is starkly different from 6th Grade. Your teachers have higher expectations of you, the work is more demanding and challenging, and there may be many more deadlines to meet. History might not even be your favourite subject. However, I like my students to TRY their very best. Just know that you're not alone, and that your classmates and teachers are all here to help you succeed!

I'm in my room early most mornings, brunch, lunch, and most afternoons after school so you're always welcome to stop in for a chat or if you've questions to clarify. I'm always reachable by email, and I'm usually quick to respond. Please reach out! I hope you enjoy 7th Grade, and I look forward to teaching and learning with all of you!