By: Grace Meyer
Daniel Mirsky is a social studies teacher for OFC. This is his fifteenth year teaching, but his first at Brookline High School. Previously, he has taught at schools in Colorado, Connecticut, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Boston, and Chelsea.
Did you choose the work here because of the OFC program?
Yeah, I did. Pretty much every student population I’ve taught has been a group of students that for some reason or another are nontraditional. By nontraditional I guess I really mean struggling with something. The program within Brookline High is very nontraditional and does some really cool stuff with students who really need it. I’m totally drawn to this school because of this program and also the head of the social studies department, Mr. Shiffman, he’s a guy who I’ve worked with before and who I really deeply respect. An opportunity to work with him was a really big draw for me.
Is that how you learned about the job?
Yeah, when I came in for interviews he was like the point person. And it’s not like he was the one who hired me, it doesn’t work that way, but he was involved in the process and he was like, “Dan, you should really consider this.” And we had conversations about where I wanted to be next in my life, so when this opportunity came up I was like “Oh my god, that’s the place, that’s the program, that’s the dude.” These are all things that are really appealing to me.
That’s great. How did you decide to become a teacher?
Well, everyone else in my family is in public service, like social service. I think I grew up knowing that whatever I was going to do would be working with people, but I never really knew what. But then I got to college and realized… truth be told I realized everyone in my family fixes people when they feel like they’re broken and I felt like teaching was an opportunity to help people before they break. You know, kind of preventative. So I think that’s why I’m drawn to the population I am, it’s like helping them avoid the injury.
Like steer them on the right path?
Yeah, or like help them make choices that will get them back to a path that works better for them. I don’t know if I could actually steer anyone. I don’t have this fantasy that as a teacher I’m going to decide your fate for you, you know? So I can’t really change them, but I can help them make their own choices.
What do you like to do outside of teaching?
Lots of stuff. I like to play sports. I’ve played lacrosse my whole life; I still do. I ride my bike to work everyday, which is kind of like a sport in its own right. It’s a pretty intense, extreme commute. I love to cook. If I have a sort of artistic hobby it’s cooking. I do all the cooking in my family and it’s a passion.
Grace Meyer can be contacted at [email protected].
