Rachel Linnemann: A Legacy of Education & Connection
Rachel Linnemann in her classroom at Ella Baker Middle School
Rachel Linnemann is a passionate Special Education teacher and second-generation educator who’s redefining what it means to create an inclusive, student-centered classroom. While she didn’t initially set out to become a teacher, her journey—from working in youth-development nonprofits to leading her own classroom—highlights the power of connection, resilience, and growth.
What does your everyday in the classroom look like?
I teach special education academic classes at Ella Baker Middle School, primarily seventh and eighth graders. I teach a math class and an academic resource class where students learn study skills, social skills. I also case manage students. So I support them with their accommodations, their needs. A lot of it is building relationships and figuring out what students need. Meeting them where they're at.
In my day, there are a lot of moving parts and a lot of collaboration with school staff. I often see the same students across different settings, which helps me understand what works for them and what doesn’t. I love that variety—every day brings something new. In my role, there’s a lot of paperwork and data tracking, but it’s all worth it because I get to build real, lasting relationships with my students.
How do your students inspire you?
It's incredible to see kids being part of the process of mentoring and championing for what they believe in. Yesterday a student of mine was about to make a decision that he knew he was gonna get in trouble for. And the whole class of kids stepped in and gave him positive affirmations. One of my students said, “You're not that guy, you're not that guy. Like stop, you're not that guy.” And I almost cried after work because I just know that somebody told him that when he was about to make a decision, or he heard somebody tell another student that and he decided to bring that for another kid.
My students inspire me every day. I see my kids taking risks that I don't know if I would have taken at their age. They’re doing vulnerable work as 11, 12 year olds. I'm constantly blown away. I hope that they continue to nurture that part of them that wants to keep trying and it's the coolest thing ever.
“My students inspire me every day. I see my kids taking risks that I don’t know if I would have taken at their age. They’re doing vulnerable work as 11, 12 year olds. I’m constantly blown away. I hope that they continue to nurture that part of them that wants to keep trying and it’s the coolest thing ever. ”
What was your pathway to becoming an educator?
Before I stepped into the classroom, I worked at College Possible. That role felt organic—after-school programming, relationship-building, helping students figure out what they wanted to do with their lives. Later, at Project Success, I got to expand the secondary-pathway conversation beyond college: “What kind of future do you want to build?” I loved being part of that process and going to different schools throughout Minneapolis.
Rachel working with students at Project Success
Eventually, a few friends encouraged me to look into teaching. I enrolled in the Minneapolis Special Education Teacher Residency (MSTER) at St. Thomas. I didn’t know if I’d love teaching, let alone working in special ed—but as soon as I started, I knew I had found my place. I love the small class sizes, the focus on individual growth, and the deep relationships I get to build every day.
Were their teachers who inspired you in your youth?
My dad is a physics Professor at Michigan State University. He is very passionate about his field. While he's retired, he's still involved. I think for him, education was a pathway to figure out how to move forward in his life. He teaches college students and has lecture hall of thousands of students. So it's a very different domain than mine. His love of teaching comes from getting to share his love of physics with his students. And so he‘s like the guiding force for a lot of people to explore this very specific field. Whereas, right now, I don’t have a specialized content because I'm still new in the field. For me, teaching is very much about the students and their relationships and the classroom environment.
I'm definitely inspired by him and my mom! My mom taught community education with subjects in home economics. So I guess we're a family of teachers!
“For me, teaching is very much about the students and their relationships and the classroom environment.”
What is your advice for aspiring educators?
Be patient with yourself. Don't expect to become the teacher you envision overnight. I still have to remind myself of that—imposter syndrome is real. I also have to remind myself each day that the teacher I'm becoming is still becoming. And that's okay, because there are some truly great things I'm already doing.
Each year has gotten better as I've added more tools to my teacher toolbox. I'm not there yet, but I'm striving to improve every day.
