This year, Vestal has welcomed many new teachers and staff to the district. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Malloy-Buczek, a new English teacher here at VHS. Mr. Malloy-Buczek came to Vestal after teaching at Harpersville High School for 15 years. He received his bachelor’s in English from Binghamton University in 2003 and two master’s degrees in English Literature and Education from Binghamton University in 2005 and 2008, respectively.
Mr. Malloy-Buczek found his desire to teach English while he was obtaining his first master’s degree, but said that he has “always had an interest in thinking.” He believes teaching can “serve as an interface between me, others, and the world at large, which allows encounters to take place that encourage some kind of learning”. Growing up, his favorite school subjects were English and band. His band director had a profound influence on him. Mr. Malloy-Buczek said, “He expected the most out of his band. He wasn’t always the nicest guy, but he was striving for excellence, and if he felt like you were in that effort with him, then he was the best person to be around.”
An avid long-distance runner, Mr. Malloy-Buczek coached track at Harpersville. It was during his time as a coach that he experienced what he says was the craziest moment of his teaching career. While on a run with his distance runners during practice, a student began to have a serious allergic reaction. Usually, Mr. Malloy-Buczek ran with the students, but it happened that on that specific day, he had chosen to drive alongside the kids. Because of that choice, he was able to quickly bring the student suffering the reaction back to the school, where he received medical attention. I also asked Mr. Malloy-Buczek what his favorite moment has been during his teaching career. He responded with a laugh, saying it may sound like he’s sucking up to his classes, but that the greatest moment of his teaching career was “seeing the degree of seriousness and attention with which I was welcomed here on the first few days in my English classes.” He saw it as a sign that he had found the right place where his talents as an educator could flourish and be appreciated.
I asked Mr. Malloy-Buczek if he could give one piece of advice to his students. “What would it be?” He gave an insightful response, saying, “To always be open to the possibility—and the probability—that there are many ways to view things and to reflect upon that on a regular basis.” I also asked what advice he’d offer to new teachers. He said that it’s important to remember that teaching is an evolving process and to be receptive to the advice and experiences of the teachers who have worked at the school for a while, as well as the students and administrators. He also said it’s important to remember that you were hired for “certain reasons unique to you” and to hold onto those.
Being an English teacher, Mr. Malloy-Buczek has read many books in his life. I asked if he had any favorite authors, and he listed a few, such as Philip Roth, Thomas Pynchon, and Toni Morrison. Ultimately, though, he said he cannot pick a favorite because what he gravitates to depends on where he is in his own life at that time. Similarly, while he cannot pick a favorite book, some titles he loves are Franz Kafka’s The Castle and Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird.
I asked Mr. Malloy-Buczek how he likes Vestal so far, and he responded with a smile, saying, “I feel absolutely privileged and honored to be able to teach here. My students have not just been receptive to what I have to offer but responsive to it. People seem self-motivated, engaged, and determined to heighten and enlarge their experiences as individuals and humans in this world. And the fact that I get to play a part in that reminds me of how lucky I am to be here.”
To close out the interview, I asked Mr. Malloy-Buczek what the most important value he holds is. He told me after thinking for a moment, “Behaving and living with a sense of dignity.”
Mr. Malloy-Buczek is an insightful and talented English teacher, and Vestal is extremely lucky to have him join the family this year.
