Importance of Culture: James Kelly, EPM'13

A first-generation college student and public school graduate, James Kelly is passionate about improving schools and committed to making sure that all students have access to a quality education. That dedication was solidified in the three years prior to coming to the Ed School when Kelly taught in one of the lowest-performing schools in St. Louis.

“My middle schoolers craved access to strong educational opportunities, but they looked down the street to Vashon High School where just one in 100 students make it to their sophomore year of college,” he says. “I am deeply committed to improving schools to ensure that all of our students have access to educational opportunities that can help them actualize their potential so that they can fulfill their dreams.  I came to HGSE to be a better leader for students like mine.”

Earning his master’s from the Education Policy and Management (EPM) Program, Kelly says that he’s learned a lot this year about what is possible in schools. His time at HGSE has also reinforced his belief in the importance of culture, both in a classroom and a school as a whole. He hopes one day to open a school in which he will create a culture that will enhance the outcomes of his students.

“I had the good fortune to have Jimmy Kelly as my advisee and a student in two of my classes this academic year,” says Senior Lecturer Karen Mapp, director of EPM. “I could always count on him to contribute to our class learning community in ways that revealed his ability to take risks and to interrogate his own perceptions and ways of confronting and solving educational challenges. His willingness to be vulnerable and to speak passionately and truthfully set an example for his classmates; Jimmy's class comments often moved us to a new and provocative space as we explored issues of equity and fairness.”

Upon learning that he had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for EPM, Kelly answered some questions about his time at the Ed School and beyond.

How did you stay inspired throughout the year? I stayed inspired by remaining in touch with my students. I received phone calls, text messages, and emails from my students throughout the school year. They reached out often to check in on how I was doing and to let me know what was going on with them. My students have fueled my passion for education constantly.

Is there any professor or class that significantly shaped your experience at the Ed School? Tom Hehir was deeply influential to me, because he is such a strong advocate for student populations that are often overlooked. Tom is inspiring because he is not just an academician; he has spent much time working on the front lines as an advocate. He is certainly a role model for what effective advocacy can look like.

What will you change in education and why? I will work to ensure that conversations around improving schools include what I believe are three deeply important components.  First, I believe that relationships in schools are the most prevailing and efficacious tools for change. Educators must be willing to work with their students and the communities where their schools are located to create a new future together. Second, I believe that expectations play a crucial role in determining student outcomes. In the words of Jaime Escalante, “the children will rise to the level of the expectations.” Educators must set expectations far beyond the lowest common denominators expected by accountability measures, and must endeavor alongside students to help them grapple with the material.  Learning is a messy process, but we learn most from challenging situations. So I hope to enliven whatever space I’m in with a focus on expectations. Third, I believe none of the work we do can be done without a focus on social justice. I worked in one of the most segregated cities in the nation; progress could not be made without a deep commitment to social justice. Too many students in schools are exposed to just one perspective of history; this is what Chimamanda Adichie calls “the danger of the single story.” Using a social justice lens, we can expose the narratives of the many stakeholders in history, and we can analyze contemporary social issues from multiple lenses.

If you could transport one person/place/thing from HGSE to your next destination, what would it be? Certainly my classmates. They are a group of passionate, deeply principled people who will be advocates for students wherever they are. I know they will work to amplify the voices of those in the communities they serve, and I am confident that they will use the cases we have studied to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.  My classmates both humble me and make me incredibly hopeful for the future.

Read profiles of the other master’s students being honored with the 2013 Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award.