Dr. Michael Czerwinski
Math Teacher

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: University of Chicago (bachelor’s); Rensselaer Polytechnic institute (master’s, Ph.D.)
Hobbies: Puzzles (Crosswords, Jigsaw, Mechanical, Brainteasers, etc.)
 

After earning his Ph.D., Dr. Michael Czerwinski planned to find a small college and teach physics.

“Teaching was my plan from the start,” Czerwinski said of his plans for after college. “I thought I was going to that for the rest of my life.”

Instead, Czerwinski started working at a data science company that took him away from education, with the notable exception of teaching part-time at Cardinal Stritch University. He continued in data science for the next 25 years, when the COVID-19 pandemic altered his professional path.

Looking for a career that allowed him to give back to the community, Czerwinski started researching what it would take to become a full-time high school teacher. He enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s Alternative Careers in Teaching program, which provides adult learners with a bachelor’s degree or higher a pathway toward certification as a middle or high school teacher. After completing the program, he started looking for a position teaching high school math, an area of need for St. Thomas More coming into the 2021-22 school year.

Czerwinski looks forward to assisting both students who excel at math and bridging the gap for those who struggle with the subject. “I really want to try to do my best to encourage students to feel comfortable with math, even if they are not ‘math people’.”

High school students are a new adventure for him, but even in his short time in the classroom, they have inspired him to continue perfecting his teaching style and sharing his passion for math. “It is a nice feeling, when I see the look in their eyes when ideas click in them, and that means a lot to me.”