Marilee Malott

By: Nora Cooper

Starting the 2016-2017 school year, Houston High School was fortunate to receive fourteen new teachers. The Pony Express interviewed new teacher, Marilee Malott. Ms. Malott’s responses have been edited for clarity.

PE: Where did you grow up and go to High School?

MM: I grew up in El Cajon, a small suburb of San Diego. I attended Granite Hills High School there.

PE: What did you enjoy studying or participating in in High School?

MM: World History and English Literature were definitely my favorite subjects in school. I was also a cheerleader on a squad that both cheered at games and competed nationally.

PE: Where did you go to college?

MM: For my undergrad, I attended Whitworth University in Spokane, WA. For my MA, I attended Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT.

PE: What did you study/participate in in college?

MM: I double-majored in History and English Literature for my BA. My MA is in English Literature.

PE: Do you have any children and/or pets?

MM: Yes, I have a daughter, Jasmine, who is in college and a son, Gavin, who is in the 3rd grade at Peabody Elementary in Cooper Young. We have two dogs: Buster and Jack.

PE: Have you ever taught before? If so, where and for how long?

MM: Yes, I taught for 13 years at two private schools in the Pasadena, CA area: Bethany Christian School and Maranatha High School.

PE: What’s your favorite part about Houston High?

MM: So far, it’s definitely the people. All the teachers and administrators have been so welcoming, and my students are fantastic. They come to class ready to learn, and that makes such a difference!

PE: What’s your favorite part about being a teacher?

MM: I learn something new every day! Whether it’s a student’s observation about an image in a poem that I’d never considered in that particular way or a colleague suggests a new way to present a difficult concept, I love that each day is exciting and interesting. Teaching is NEVER boring.

PE: What would you be doing if you weren’t teaching?

MM: Probably reading a book somewhere or writing my own!

PE: How is working at Houston different from what you’ve done before?
MM: My previous teaching experience is in private schools, so there are some differences in terms of resources and uniforms, but AP students are AP students, and I’m finding that what I need to teach to prepare students to be successful on the exam is largely the same.