Keys in the News
Keys School, Palo Alto: Kathleen Jalalpour
The Mercury News
Posted on Thursday, October 14, 2004
Kristina Nicholas
Years of service: 28
Background: Growing up in Eureka, Jalalpour, 53, went to Berlin as an exchange student in 1972 and stayed for 14 years. She graduated with a master's degree in economics from Free University of Berlin. "My children were born there, and I started teaching there," she said. After having taught every grade, from kindergarten through college, Jalalpour said, she settled on middle school because of the students' energy and enthusiasm. She currently teaches math at Keys. "Keys is a very small school, with only one class at each grade level, so I teach math to the same kids for four years from fifth grade through eighth grade," she said. "By eighth grade, I've gotten to know them very well, and graduation is a tearful event."
Extracurricular activities: Pigeon Players Community theater
Hobbies: "I commute to work by bike every day, 12 miles round trip, which is healthy, but just as importantly, shows students that you don't have to be dependent on cars in this society," Jalalpour said.
Toughest day at work: Any day when she has more than 100 papers to correct.
When she was a student: "My parents were both high school teachers, and I remember how hard they worked and how poor we always were, so I grew up telling myself I'd never go into teaching. Just genetic masochism, I guess," she said.
Favorite subject: Economics
Biggest challenge: "Keeping up enough energy," Jalalpour said. "Teaching is almost like stand-up comedy. You have to be 110 percent focused, you have to be funny, and you have to read your audience."
Favorite thing about teaching: "The autonomy—you design your own classroom, your own approach and your own style. Kids are an easy audience. They laugh on cue, their eyes light up when they finally get something, and they come and visit you years later and tell you you made a difference," she said.
Secret to getting kids to listen: Make learning fun.