A seasoned C.P.A. with a Big 8 accounting firm, Dave Kolinchak traded in his “dream job” to become a National Board Certified math teacher when he discovered his passion while volunteering for a Junior Achievement program in an underserved community. Today’s #TeacherTuesday wows his students at New Hope – Solebury Middle School where he replaced his former eight grade Geometry teacher after returning to school to obtain his master’s degree in secondary math.
Dave was featured this morning on FOX 29 Good Day Philadelphia.
Dedicated to building community, Dave started a peer tutoring program more than a decade ago, shaves his head annually to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation (pediatric cancer research) in memory of two of his students, and has coached at the school and in the community. This dynamic teacher also sits on multiple school committees and serves as an executive team member in his Education Association. What’s more, Dave is not above dressing as a turkey to entertain the students for half-time festivities during the school’s pre-Thanksgiving student football game.
Why did Dave make the career switch? “Watching the students get excited, work even harder when everything started to click, and seeing their self-confidence grow as they mastered the content was what drew me to teaching,” he said. And he adds, “I want to pay it forward and be that teacher who sees the best in my students and always guides them toward it.”
Tell us what other teachers serve as amazing role models and we’ll feature them in an upcoming post.