Ms. Kelly Walsh has been an educator at Saint Francis for nearly two decades. Through serving as the Social Studies Department Chair and teaching both AP Macroeconomics and AP United States History, she strives to enliven these disciplines beyond the textbook. Ms. Walsh also moderates the Stock Market Club and the South Asian Student Association on campus. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
The Lancer: Where did you grow up, and how was your educational experience from high school to university from the student perspective?
Ms. Kelly Walsh: I grew up in Burlingame. I similarly went to a Catholic high school, though smaller than Saint Francis. I, too, was an editor of my high school newspaper, so I support student publications. I loved my high school experiences. I had teachers, particularly in my AP and honors classes that I think really prepared me for the transition to college-level coursework. I had two favorite educators. One was my journalism teacher and newspaper and debate moderator. He also happened to be our athletic director, and I saw him in multiple different venues outside of class because I played tennis and softball. The other would be my AP US History teacher. She taught me to think critically and really taught me how to write. As for college, I went to Santa Clara for undergrad and received two degrees. I got my BSc in economics, hence my passion for the subject and why I love teaching it, and my BS in political science with a US History minor, hence my other teaching interest. I went to the University of Chicago for graduate school, and I’ve always loved history, politics, and economics and how they intersect.
TL: What inspired you to enter the world of teaching? Were there any particularly transformative anecdotes, or was it a gradual realization that you wanted to work in education?
KW: It was definitely gradual and not intended. My intent was to go to law school because I’d taken the LSAT and had been accepted somewhere. During a little break between undergraduate and graduate school, I took a job teaching high school, and it kind of grew on me as a profession. But I definitely would not have guessed in my senior year of college that I would become a high school teacher.
TL: What makes Saint Francis special for educators? And how do you think that is reflected in the student experience?
KW: I really enjoy the colleagues I work with. I think that something unique about the educator community here is a commitment to academic excellence. I work with colleagues who similarly want to get better and improve student experience all the time. And then secondly, I enjoy the students because they are engaged. They don’t just come to school–they’re part of the broader Lancer community.
TL: What is the most rewarding and most taxing part of teaching?
KW: I enjoy the subjects that I teach—APUSH and AP Macroeconomics—because they allow me to continue reading and learning about their current implications. For the second part of the question, maybe there are some teachers who say they love grading essays. I’ve yet to find one.
TL: Could you describe your teaching philosophy and some examples of it in action?
KW: I aspire to have students become better critical thinkers, regardless of what class they’re in. And I want students to have a larger sense of a global community and know the importance of becoming engaged in it and effecting positive change. I think you would find this in my economics class in all the current events that we delve into, literally almost every day. Teaching about the Federal Reserve, their meetings, and decisions about interest rates makes it pretty easy. In my APUSH class, the themes that we consistently visit throughout the course content are tied to the larger issues of social justice.
TL: Why do you believe that social studies is valuable for students to study and pursue, despite the deterrent of endless subjective interpretation and the absence of definitive answers?
KW: I think there’s merit in studying the past and where we have gone wrong. For example, I don’t think you can look at any of the contemporary conversations on race and equity if you don’t have an understanding of US history where we fell short in terms of Reconstruction and the civil rights movement. I hope when examining these things, maybe we can do better, even if it’s difficult to agree on how.
TL: What are some of your hobbies outside of the classroom?
KW: My husband and I love to travel. This summer, we were in Belfast and Derry. It was fascinating to go see firsthand the history of Northern Ireland. I was amazed at how alive the historical tension between the Protestants and Catholics was in everyday life. I enjoy watching sports in general, especially baseball. The Giants are usually my favorite. But I’ll follow the Niners and the Warriors too when I can. I also love reading, though I don’t get as much time to read during the school year as I would like. I’m currently rereading The Worldly Philosophers by Robert Heilbroner, which looks at various economists throughout history. I’m trying to pick out some excerpts for my classes.
TL: What gives you hope for our generation, and what do you caution us against?
KW: Not everything is on a smartphone, folks. I do worry that sometimes we spend too much time looking at screens, and I think that has some real repercussions on social skills, wellness, sleep, and all those things. So I’d say step outside, get some vitamin D and fresh air, and maybe be off Snapchat at three in the morning. But you guys still give me hope, and it’s one of the reasons why I like this job. Teaching keeps you young. There is this positivity and a hot prospect for change that I see in youth. And that’s invigorating. It’s probably reflective of the valley we’re in, but interest in entrepreneurship and tech has definitely increased throughout my time at Saint Francis, which is good.
TL: What’s your best piece of advice for high schoolers transitioning to college and adult life?
KW: I think some basic financial literacy is pretty key. Do not accumulate credit card debt. Look closely at the college decisions you make and what they will cost in terms of debt.
TL: We’d like to end the interview with a few fun, lightning-round questions. First, what’s your favorite piece of literature?
KW: Probably The Grapes of Wrath. College and graduate school took me down the nonfiction route, but if I look back to high school, that was my favorite read.
TL: What’s your favorite TV show and movie?
KW: I’ve really enjoyed Billions, which looks into investors and the ethics of their profession. It’s a little dark though. I also liked Ted Lasso. If I’m looking for a good classic film, I’d have to go with The Godfather.
TL: Do you have a favorite food?
KW: Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.
