Neha Malik, Jackson-Reed’s newest social studies teacher, never thought she’d end up teaching at a high school. 

A lifelong resident of the area, Malik was “raised across every letter of the DMV.” She was born in Takoma Park, Maryland before moving to the suburbs of Baltimore. Then she moved to Virginia for high school before coming to DC about six years ago for undergrad at Georgetown University. At school, she studied International Relations and Political Science, with a focus on Culture and Politics, which she described as “special interests” of hers. 

After graduating, Malik worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). There she worked on global sustainable development and global education projects, reflecting  her belief that education “is a tool that has transformed societies for the better.”

Although she played a more administrative role in the organization, she says, “I got to sit in on a lot of really cool meetings, do a lot of really cool research on how to create sustainable education financing systems in areas that are in conflict zones, post-conflict zones, or have just been historically underdeveloped and exploited.” 

Her specific areas of research were in Sub-Saharan Africa, Iraq, and Latin America, where she worked with banks to reduce interest rates and expand financing for things like classroom equipment, school buses, scholarships and microfinance loans. But she said that early in 2025 “it all came crashing down overnight.”

The fact that she expected to be fired didn’t make the transition any less hard. Malik described her reaction to hearing the news about USAID as her “quarter life crisis.” 

She explained that being fired “was really surprising and lonely” but that she “pivoted to education because that’s what [her] background was in.”  Malik says she is “grateful because [teaching] is way more fulfilling than sitting in front of a laptop every day.”  She adds that she feels she has more impact in the classroom. 

So, after a quick stint as an ELA teacher at HD Woodson, completing the 24-25 school year there, Malik was hired as a social studies teacher at JR at the start of this year. 

Currently, Malik teaches World History II, Middle Eastern Studies, and Latin American Studies. She says she likes teaching classes with more specific subject matter because she really likes “the opportunity to nerd out and get paid for it!” She also says she appreciates the opportunity to “exchange knowledge and really continue to create that knowledge.”  

Malik also likes teaching students from different backgrounds who “have connections to the areas and regions” she is teaching. “So I’m excited to learn from them and also share my framework and analysis that I’ve been able to gain through my education,” she explains. 

Through classroom discussions, Malik and her students develop paths of inquiry and explore topics they’re unfamiliar with. Malik emphasizes that she wants her students to be comfortable asking questions and being curious within the school community. 

Another core tenant of her teaching philosophy is seeking truth. There are often many versions of the truth within history, but Malik considers finding truth as a “collective project.” She says that “by focusing on the facts and personal experiences, we’re able to kind of develop an image of what truth might look like.” Malik says she strives to highlight the human element of the matters she teaches and makes sure that her students are always holding that first and foremost. 

She also focuses on students examining things through the lens of facts and international law since she comes from an international relations background. She focuses on what is mandated by organizations like the UN, as well as how events across the world connect to our own history. 

Malik is excited about her time at JR, stating that she can’t wait to explore different constitutional frameworks and have her students develop sustainable grassroots projects in her Latin American studies class. She says she is curious about the various Jackson-Reed clubs and hopes to attend some Tiger sports games soon. 

We live in a diverse and globalized world where everything is interconnected, and Malik stresses the significance of understanding our multicultural country. 

She points to her own experience as evidence for the importance of studying the world: “I lost my job. I had to move…I almost lost where I was living. But I never lost my knowledge. And that is something that can’t be taken away from me.” •