On Nov. 3, 2023, Lexington teacher De’Shawn Washington became the first Black male in history to receive the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year award.

Every year, one licensed PreK-12 Massachusetts public school teacher is chosen to serve as both a liaison to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and an ambassador to other teachers in the state. In commendation of his teaching, Washington has been awarded Teacher of the Year for the coming year. His representation of Black male teachers encourages a rising amount of diversity in the field of education.

Washington was nominated by Christopher Wai, principal of the Maria Hastings Elementary School in Lexington, where Washington works. 

“Mr. Washington is one of the best teachers that I’ve ever seen. He really does create such a great community in his classroom. And within that community, he has expectations that every student must achieve, but also he creates a community of trust,” Wai said.

Hastings follows the principle, “everyone learns, everyone belongs”. Washington upholds these standards by fostering an inclusive classroom environment and helping students achieve the skills they need for the future. 

“Whenever a new school year starts off and you meet your new teachers, you’re like the seed for them. And they have to plant that [seed] onto [the] soil and then they have to water [it], they have to cultivate a relationship with you and know what your interests are. Along the way, we do a little bit of pruning. That pruning process is what allows for the flower to really grow, the tree to really grow into what it’s going to become,” Washington said.

Although Washington discovered his passion for teaching early on, he first pursued a career in accounting because he worried that teaching was not a well-earning profession. However, when Washington volunteered by teaching students about financial literacy at a nonprofit organization, he realized teaching was his calling in life. Washington decided to obtain an elementary school license at UMass Boston and has been an elementary school teacher for the past seven years.

Throughout his teaching career, Washington also drew inspiration from other Black male teachers – particularly Dwayne Nunez, an assistant principal at Young Achievers (a pilot school in Boston, Massachusetts) from 2017-2018. 

“[Nunez] really built the culture that allowed me to then build as a foundation, as a teacher at the time in Boston and bring it over to Lexington, how to build a foundation where kids feel that they are a part of a community, but also that they have decision making power,” Washington said.

Grateful for the voice and responsibility he has acquired, Washington is eager to showcase great teaching in Massachusetts. Washington pursues this work by adhering to personal morals. For example, Washington believes that one of his most important tasks as a teacher is to help students pursue their passions and show students their capability to succeed. 

“Our brains, only about 15% of the time, focus on the moment. We either do a lot of imagining what’s going to happen or reflecting on the past. Enjoy this time that you have. Enjoy this moment,” Washington said.