The GNA Insider will begin to feature a new aspect of campus life—an informal “teacher of the month” award. This will be done to show off the teachers who have been working hard all year round and deserve recognition.

The first teacher to have the privilege of being the teacher of the month is Mr. David Prushinski. This teacher has taken on more classes than he taught in previous years, going as far as to even add an advanced placement course to his roster. His teaching spans from normal biology courses to college-level education.

Educators do not get enough credit for everything they do in making sure that their students are ready to continue in life after their school years.

Mr. Prushinski has agreed to answer some questions about himself and about teaching.

What inspires you every day to come to school?

The students. Every day is different; you never know when you will have a frustrating day or a really fun and impactful day. You guys make every day different and exciting. 

What do you like most about teaching?

Having fun. I enjoy laughing and joking with kids and I feel that this is really important to help students learn. If you’re enjoying yourself, then the context is meaningful.

What does it feel like when you see your students succeed with something in your class?

It feels like all of the thought and work that goes into creating and designing lessons was worth it.

When did you decide to become a teacher, and why did you choose this field?

I decided I wanted to be a teacher in my freshman year in college. I had some very good teachers in high school and I loved science, so I decided to combine the two.

What is the greatest success you’ve had as a teacher?

My greatest success has to be every time I get an email or bump into an ex-student and they tell me that they are doing what they love in a science field such as med school, field research, or teaching.

How do you encourage class participation?

I try to keep a lighthearted, joking environment in my class because I think this puts kids at ease and it makes them more likely to take risks such as participating, even when they might feel a bit uncomfortable.