Maeve McAlear also contributed to this article.
For Kieran Redmond, teaching history is more than memorizing names, dates, and events. It’s about helping students understand the world around them, question what they see, and learn to view an issue from different perspectives.
Redmond, one of Malden High School’s newest social studies teachers, joined the school for the 2026-2027 school year after teaching for two years at Lawrence High School. Although he described himself as being “on the newer side” as a teacher, he brought classroom experience and a clear idea of what he wants his students to take away from his classes.
Redmond explained how he has “always really enjoyed history” and “enjoyed learning about history.” For him, “learning about the past and social studies in general” is helpful for students to “understand the world around us and kind of why the world is the way it is.”
While Redmond has a big passion for history and teaching, he has many interests outside of education. He loves bike riding, hiking, and outdoor running. He also enjoys watching movies and trying new shows and series that he hasn’t watched yet.
His interest in film and movies has contributed to a strong relationship with his students. He has an ever-changing list of favorite movies and is also a big Letterboxd user, which surprised sophomore Sidney Dugue, one of his students. Dugue expressed that he wouldn’t expect his extensive “knowledge about movies,” from Redmond’s demeanor. Redmond said that he recently watched The Odyssey, which gave him a blast from the past when he read the epic in high school.
His interests as a history enthusiast also shape the subjects he enjoys teaching. Among his favorite topics are the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement, particularly because they took place alongside one another while containing both widely known events and compact stories that are often overlooked.
Redmond’s approach to teaching is centered around the independence of students. Rather than seeing himself as the person who only deposits information to kids, he describes his role as helping students develop the ability to learn and think for themselves.
“I say my philosophy is that most of the work really needs to be out with the students,” Redmond expressed. “I see myself as someone who could set you up to learn and coach you through that learning.” He described the process as a “give and take,” demonstrating that while he can support and guide the students, they also have to take responsibility for their own learning. This balance has already been noticeable to the students in his class.
“I really hope they can process information about what happens in the world and how to understand it and see different perspectives and find those deeper meanings,” Redmond said.
He connected those skills to students’ lives outside of school, particularly when they encounter news and events happening around them. His goal is for students to develop “the tools” to understand those events, recognize different perspectives, and ultimately “make their judgements.”
Dugue described Redmond’s teaching style as “very organized, but still digestible.” He mentioned that his classroom has a structured seating arrangement that still allows students to have fun and stay engaged.
For sophomore Diandra Nakamya, another one of Redmond’s students, his classroom has also encouraged her to participate. She described him as “chill” and a laid-back teacher who gives students independent work and enough time to complete it in class, reducing the amount of work that they need to take home.
She also shared that students participate more in his class because he doesn’t put excessive pressure on them. Instead, he gives them a moment to think before responding. She hopes he continues allowing students to “share their opinions and thoughts,” something she believes he does especially well.
Redmond works with students during the classroom, aiming to create a space where students can work independently, yet receive support when required.
The Malden High staff noticed this focus even before he officially became a part of the school community. Gerard Tanetta, Malden’s director of Social Studies and Arts, was involved in the hiring process. He was looking for “someone who could build good relationships with students, but at the same time challenge them.”
During the hiring process, Redmond taught a mock lesson in front of a panel that included students. Tanetta said the students were impressed by the way Redmond connected his do-now activity to the lesson and felt that his teaching style was supportive of students.
Social Studies Teacher Leader Kurtis Scheer, who assisted on the interview committee, has since seen Redmond teach at Malden. “He’s really engaging, getting students up and moving, challenging them with some complex texts,” Scheer emphasized. At the same time, Scheer articulated that Redmond is supportive of students who need extra help and is available when they need assistance.
Jenkins House principal Jason Payeur also noticed Redmond’s ability to connect with students during the hiring process. Payeur said Redmond appeared knowledgeable, supportive, and comfortable working with young people. He also remembered that Redmond had a “really good interview,” and remembered Redmond’s demonstration lesson. He said Redmond was comfortable with both teaching and interacting with students and described the lesson as “excellent.”
One of the first things Redmond noticed after arriving at Malden was the diversity of the school community; he knew before coming to Malden that the school included people from many different backgrounds, but experiencing that diversity in person made a different impression on him.
“I haven’t been surprised at how many different languages I’ve heard here in Malden,” Redmond remarked. “There’s so many I’ve heard, and it’s really cool to see so many people,different people from different backgrounds coming together. We all may be a little bit different, but we all have so many things in common,” he claimed. “At the end of the day, we’re all people, and you can find that common ground.”
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