Teacher Interview with Mrs. Jennifer Klein

By Katarina Todorovich and Mia Tomanelli

In our fifth segment of Wise Words with Warhorse by Mia and Katarina, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Jennifer Klein. Mrs. Klein is one of the many amazing teachers in our social studies department at Weston High School. She currently teaches AP US History, World Studies, and Facing History and Ourselves. Mrs. Klein is a fan favorite and teachers love the energy she brings into the classroom, making history interactive, meaningful, and fascinating!

We opened our interview with Mrs. Klein by asking why she decided to go into education. Interestingly, she explained that she originally wanted to be a lawyer, but towards the end of college, she knew that being a teacher would be perfect for her. As a teacher, Mrs. Klein was able to combine her intense passion for history and her love for being around students with her eager desire to learn and educate others. Mrs. Klein’s love for history was greatly inspired by her time spent in Florence, Italy, where she studied at the American School. Divulged in her studies, Mrs. Klein majored in history, minored in Italian, and completed a masters program in education. 

We asked Mrs. Klein what her favorite part of teaching was, and she had plenty of responses. First, Mrs. Klein loves to interact with students when they are eager, and excited to learn more about history. Specifically, Mrs. Klein loves to teach APUSH, because she knows students are there because they truly love to learn about history. When students say thank you as they leave the class at the end of the day, Mrs. Klein admires how the students are so appreciative of our education and take charge. Mrs. Klein loves to watch students work to improve, as she sees students for extra help and encourages them to take ownership of their own learning.  

Mrs. Klein also loves to focus on wellness. She enjoys being outside, reading, and doing yoga. She also loves to travel with her family to national parks, paddle boards during the summers, and listens to podcasts. 

As for her advice for highschoolers, Mrs. Klein says it’s important to interact with people more and put the phones down. She says to be more present in the moment, and resist the influence of social media. Rather than being influenced by perfect lives and what you see, focus on being yourself and doing things you enjoy.

Mrs. Klein also stresses the importance of listening to yourself. There is no denying that there is an incredible amount of pressure and competition in Weston, but it’s important to be focused on the present and what you are interested in. She says that “it’s normal to not have everything figured out!”

Finally, Mrs. Klein says to appreciate what you have and not to always look to the next thing. Students tend to rush the end of their high school experience, however, it’s important to be present in the moment. Mrs. Klein said to not rush out of here, and savor your time in this special time and special place. 

As for students that are about to graduate, Mrs. Klein says to find the little voice that makes you excited and passionate. Follow a career that aligns with what you think about and enjoy doing in your spare time; find excitement in your daily life and then follow that!

We would like to sincerely thank Mrs. Klein for interviewing with us! As always, please email miatomanelli@students.westonps.org and katarinatodorovich@students.westonps.org if you have any recommendations for more teacher interviews!