Introduce yourself! What class[es] do you currently teach, how long have you been at ASIJ, and what do you like to do outside of school? 

I’m Ms. Anjali! This is my second year at ASIJ, where I teach English 9 and SUPA Creative Nonfiction. Outside of school, I like to read fantasy novels, binge dramas and anime, play ultimate frisbee and soccer, and travel (45 countries and counting).

When did you discover your love for English? Did you always love it?

Honestly: fanfiction. I started reading and writing it online at age 14, and being part of such an active community is what made me fall in love with the power of language to connect with others.

What is your opinion on AI and Chat GPT? How, if at all, do you incorporate it into your teaching?

I consider AI a tool as much as Wikipedia and Grammarly. In English 9, we recently used character.ai to chat with characters from A Raisin in the Sun and assess how accurate the responses of the bots were.

Which is your favorite English skill: Reading, Writing, or Speaking?

How unfair to pick! If I had to, probably Speaking – I always enjoy listening to class discussions.

Please give a book recommendation and explain why students should read this book. 

Kindred by Octavia Butler. Unexpected sci-fi doing what it can do best: expose our current conflicts.

If you could teach a course based on your niche interest, what would it be? 

I have actually taught courses on “Sci-Fi & Fantasy” and “Pop Culture & Fandom” and I’d love to teach them again.

What do you want students to take away from your classes? 

I care the most about students developing their own voice while learning from the voices of others, especially the ones that we don’t always hear.