Lauryne Jean Joseph and Hannah Coggswell contributed to this article.
Jasleen Anand is a new English teacher at Malden High School. She received her bachelor’s degree at McGill University in 2005 before acquiring her master’s degree in education at Harvard in 2012. This allowed her to kickstart her career in Pune, India, where she worked with homeless children for a year and a half. From there, she became interested in working with children. Initially, she was not planning on becoming a teacher, but that was before she took a captivating teaching class that led her to pursue work in education.
Outside of school, Anand enjoys spending time outdoors, with her hobbies consisting of going to the beach and the pool, hiking, walking in her neighborhood,, exploring local cafes, and cooking. On Sundays, she teaches Sikh History at her Gurdwara, a local temple.
With the school year starting, Anand has been adjusting well. Since joining Malden High, she has found that “the faculty and administration have been super supportive, welcoming, gracious.”
Fellow English teacher, Lucia Musilli, said she is “really intelligent,” and “a good fit for Malden High School.” English teacher Anne Mooney is “excited to have someone who has high standards for students.”
Recalling her interview, Principal Mastrangelo remarked that Anand stood out because she had a great deal of experience and was “ fantastic, very calm, and clearly student-centered.”
Not only has Anand made a positive first impression among faculty, but she is also well-liked among students. Sophomore Kailey Bae shared that “I specifically like how strict she is with taking phones because it lets us be more productive.” Sophomore Ryan Huang added that “she gives a lot of feedback when doing assignments, and it helps us improve as writers.”
Anand is still adapting to the new curriculum. Her commute is longer, which is tough, and the school is big, so she grows tired easily, but besides that, everything else has been positive for her. She loves the school’s diversity and how engaged her students are in class. Sophomore Vicky Chen said, “I feel like I’ve talked a lot more in her class than in any other English class.”
During her time here at Malden High School, Anand highlighted her hopes to establish strong relationships with students and families and do meaningful work with the students—work that will motivate them and engage them on a personal level. She finds the diversity at this school special.
Anand declared, “I hope to be here for a long time.”
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