By Meagan Sundstrom and Grace Sewell
Class of 2015 and 2017
Mr. David Kujawski of Bird Middle School was a finalist for the 2016 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. Although he did not receive the award, Mr. Kujawski accomplished something that only a few educators achieve in their careers.
In a long process of applications, classroom visits, and interviews, a committee selects the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year after about two months of review.
Despite the award being given to Audrey Jackson of Boston Public Schools at the end of this April, Mr. Kujawski views the experience as one that confirms his dedication to teaching.
“Being a State Finalist affirms that I made the correct choice to dedicate my life to education,”
said Mr. Kujawski. “The truth is that no one goes into teaching saying that they want to be a Teacher of the Year Finalist; we teach because we love getting kids excited to learn and grow, both socially and academically. The recognition motivates me to keep growing and to support other educators in their pursuit of excellence.”
A graduate of Dickinson College, Mr. Kujawksi received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies, as well as an M.A.T. from Simmons College and a STEM certificate from the Teachers College of Columbia University.
Soon after becoming an environmental educator, Mr. Kujawski decided to pursue a career in formal education, as he was in search of a more intellectually stimulating occupation.
“When I look back on my life’s work, I want to say that I played an instrumental role in improving the educational experience for my students,” said Mr. Kujawski. “The prospect of lifelong learning and improving the lives of kids are the main reasons why I chose teaching as a profession.”
Upon deciding to be a teacher, Mr. Kujawski began to teach at Bird Middle School in 2008, where he is currently a sixth grade science teacher. But unlike many other teacher-driven approaches to instruction, Mr. Kujawski’s approach is very interactive and student-driven.
“My students learn science by doing science,” said Mr. Kujawski. “I place very little emphasis on memorizing information that can be looked up on the internet, establishing an environment where students drive the course of our day-to-day classroom discoveries.”
Offering a student-centered learning environment in which middle schoolers establish their own ideas and formulate explanations to preconceptions is just one of the various teaching qualities that supports Mr. Kujawski’s nomination for Teacher of the Year. He also actively involves himself in improving STEM activities and is currently a part of the NEA/BetterLesson Science Master Teacher Project, for which he provides teaching plans, lesson materials, and video reflections in order to assist them in creating a model currilucum. His work for the project has been published twice during the past year, and he has also been awarded multiple teaching fellowships throughout his career.
Mr. Kujawski’s hard work does not go unnoticed within his learning community at Bird Middle School.
Eighth grade teacher Ms. Carrie Conley said, “He makes the transition to middle school easier for the sixth graders. The students are very engaged in his classroom and he provides an inquiry based learning environment.”
Although he did not receive the award, Mr. Kujawski’s position as a finalist gives Walpole Schools statewide recognition. His student-driven learning environment and passion for education offer Bird Middle School students opportunities to learn interactively with a dedicated teacher.
