Staff Spotlight Profile

Abigail Rothstein, Middle School English and Humanities Teacher, knew her life was destined for academics from the age of four years old. Having grown up in LA and knowing she wasn't interested in going into "the biz" led her 3,000 miles away to Brandeis University in Boston. At Brandeis, Abigail received a Bachelor's Degree Education Policy with a minor in Environmental Studies, and a Masters Degree in Secondary Education.

Teaching was always in the cards for Abigail, who would play "school" as a child. She could usually be found teaching "lessons" to her younger sister and stuffed animals, using a whiteboard, attendance sheet, and her prized teacher's edition textbook from a class she had completed the previous year.

Finding her passion for education so young led Abigail to consider a career in education policy, where she would focus on the sociological and philosophical study of education. Volunteer work that she did during her undergraduate degree, including work with Outdoor Education, and the Children's Defense Fund Freedom School, led her to contemplate educational changes at a macro level and how they could be implemented.

When deciding her next step to be able to make the most difference, it was clear that being in the classroom was where she belonged. "I do believe that change happens on a grassroots level, in the classroom one day at a time, one student at a time," Abigail said. "I think after contemplating the issues in education through my past experiences made me notice that each person on the ground, each teacher, was doing the hardest work."

Abigail took her first teaching job here at CESJDS in 2018 working with Middle School students. "There is so much beauty in teaching students of this age," Abigail said. "The students are able to explore, and question everything put in front of them and that is a huge part of my [teaching philosophy]. I want to produce critical thinkers and more developed writers."

Abigail feels rewarded as a teacher when she notices her students' confidence, as she struggled with classroom confidence herself. "To see a student who has been struggling with confidence in their academic identity get something, or feel empowered by something is really what makes me feel good about teaching." Aesthetics are also very important to Abigail, who spends time curating her lessons to include strong visuals, and multimedia pieces along with traditional elements. She is also the leader of the Green Team, where she facilitates a group of students taking on yearly environmental projects. This year the groups goal is to "adopt" an Australian koala that was displaced after the recent wildfires.

Outside of work Abigail is interested in yoga, meditation, hiking, and camping. She enjoys hanging out with her friend group in downtown DC and is also active in several groups for young professional Jews. Abigail's biggest passion is travel and is currently planning a trip through the Soutwestern states.

After moving to the area only a year ago, the CESJDS community has been instrumental in helping Abigail build her life in DC. "I immediately just gravitated towards our community," Abigail said. "I have found some of my closest friends at JDS. The level of support I receive here professionally and personally is invaluable."