If you’ve ever wondered who on campus has traveled to the most states, it’s probably Jessie Ewald, a new upper school English teacher. She has visited 49 states and driven across the country nine times. “The only state I haven’t been to is Alaska,” Ewald said. “So I need to plan a trip to Alaska, clearly.”
Ewald grew up in the Bay Area but left home to attend boarding school on the East Coast. “There was something exciting also about leaving home and being a little bit more independent,” she said. “You can really assert your own identity.”
In college, Ewald discovered her passion for the humanities. “I just got so excited about literature. I really got kind of obsessed with it,” she said. She started taking history classes, despite not being a “history person,” which led her to double major in both English and history.
“I love thinking about why the world is the way that it is, and what it means to be a human,” Ewald said. “I love language, and I love reading people who are really skilled with language.”
It took her a while to realize she wanted to be a teacher, but once she did, she said, “It seemed really obvious, and working with teenagers is such a delight because [they] all are so surprising.”
Ewald returned home after teaching at a boarding school on the East Coast for a couple of years. She subsequently taught in the East Bay for three years before joining Castilleja, where she now teaches English I, AT English: American Voices and serves as a ninth grade advisor.
“I was really excited to come [to Castilleja] because I really liked the way that people here talked about the purpose of teaching English,” Ewald said. She specifically appreciated “the perspective of the English teachers here and how serious and skilled they were about teaching writing.” She was drawn to Castilleja’s community as well: “There’s an empowering energy being around women and seeing girls as leaders.”
Ewald’s literary interests center on American and 20th-century literature. “Toni Morrison is probably my favorite author, so I’m really excited to teach ‘Sula,’” she said. “I’ve taught ‘The Bluest Eye’ and ‘Beloved’ before, and I just think [Morrison] is so brilliant.” She’s also fascinated by experimental literature, particularly modernism and postmodernism. For fun, she enjoys reading pieces from John Steinbeck, whom she called “the iconic California writer.”
As a teacher, Ewald said she hopes to cultivate curiosity and confidence in her students. She wants them to feel “excited and empowered to really love what they’re studying.” Ewald also emphasized the importance of discussion as an academic and a life skill both inside and outside of the classroom.
Outside of class, Ewald’s love of exploration continues. She has visited numerous national parks and enjoys hiking and backpacking with her dog, Mouse, a “mystery mutt.” She hopes to return to Yosemite and the Desolation Wilderness and one day hike the Lost Coast in Northern California.
When she’s not outdoors, Ewald loves “Severence” and listening to “sad indie pop girls” such as Lizzy McAlpine, Clairo, Chapell Roan, Boygenius and Lucy Dacus. Her favorite snacks? Anything with dark chocolate, berries and savory bagels.
