Monday Draayer

6th/7th Grade Language & Literature Teacher

Monday has a Bachelors of Art in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Education from Seattle University and a Masters of Arts in Teaching for Special Education from the University of West Georgia. Before joining Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School in 2022, Monday worked in Clayton County Public Schools as a middle school teacher in Special Education. This will be Monday’s sixth year in the classroom setting as a Special Education teacher. Monday was born in the high desert of Utah, moved along the west coast throughout their 20s, and has called Atlanta home since 2020. They have fallen in love with the trees, art, and people of the Southeast.

Monday’s background with young people started in food justice work, growing and cooking food with middle school students at various food education nonprofits in Seattle, WA and Oakland, CA. Their passion for accessible education and disability justice led them to the classroom. Monday enjoys connecting with students through the intersections of art and storytelling. Their passions are all rooted in creating a world where everyone has clean water, nourishing food, and can be loved for being themselves.

As a neurodivergent and disabled person, Monday creates accessible learning spaces that are full of understanding and advocating for the infinite ways of being in this world. Their work in education is also deeply tied to their experiences as a queer and trans person. As a white educator, Monday is committed to continuously deconstructing their biases and understanding the systems of oppression that most impact students of color. Monday builds authentic connections with middle schoolers and believes every student deserves trusting and safe teachers.

Monday can be found swimming anywhere you can find water, reading speculative science fiction or poetry, or dancing to house music in a friend’s backyard. Monday’s closest people would say that their patience to understand and love of learning brings warmth into the classroom.