Earl "EJ" Walls '11

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Earl "EJ" Walls '11

Job Title:

English Teacher

Department:

English

Email:

ewalls@bishopodowd.org

Phone: (510) 577-9100

ext.

903

Started at O'Dowd:

2024

Degrees:

BA in Communication, Minor in Spanish, San Diego State University '15 (Magna Cum Laude)

Originally from:

San Leandro, California (Dutton & Mac)

Why I Teach:

I teach because I believe in the inherent brilliance of young people and find joy in facilitating their process of self-discovery. I learn as much - if not more - from my students as they learn from me, and my favorite part about teaching is cultivating an interactive space for us to question, challenge, and explore ourselves and the world around us in order to create shared understandings of our places in it.

Most powerful teaching technique:

My most powerful teaching technique is showing students that I genuinely care about their lives both in and outside the classroom. I think establishing that positive relationship goes a long way in the learning experience, especially when offering constructive critical feedback. This looks like asking questions, listening actively, and showing up as my whole authentic self while encouraging them to do the same.

Why are the subjects you teach important?:

I believe literacy is the most basic and foundational tool for learning and growth. Language is the vehicle through which we access the world and interact with other social beings. If students can identify themselves as competent readers, writers, and speakers, they can unlock their potential and grow into their highest selves, allowing them to do their part in improving the world in whatever ways they see fit.

Favorite quotes:

"At exactly which point do you start to realize, that life without knowledge is death in disguise?"
- Talib Kweli

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
- Desmond Tutu

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
- Assata Shakur

Favorite trivia:

My distant cousin, Carlotta Walls LaNier, was the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine and the first Black woman to graduate from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas following the passing of Brown v. Board of Education (google her!).

Recommended visual media:

Films: The Sandlot, Liar Liar, Meet the Parents, Daddy Day Care, Rush Hour, Remember the Titans, Coach Carter, Four Brothers, I Am Legend, Inception, Dr. Strange.

TV Shows: Avatar the Last Airbender, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, A Different World, Martin, The Wire, Snowfall, This Is Us, The Ms. Pat Show, Reservation Dogs, Gente-fied.

Music Videos: Remember the Time by Michael Jackson, Drop by The Pharcyde, California Love by 2Pac & Dr. Dre, Hey Ya! by Outkast, Say Wassup by Jay Rock, Alright by Kendrick Lamar. "