Phone:
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Montclair State University - MAT NJ CEAS in Health & Physical Education K-12, Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TSD) CPR & AED, First Aid, Concussion Awareness Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying (HIB) Prevention Rutgers University - B.S. Sport Management Option
Mr. Pomante
Hello All,
My name is Gaetano Pomante, and I am excited to be a Physical Education teacher in the school district that I received my K-8 education. West Paterson, now Woodland Park, will always be my home, and I am thankful to be in a position to give back to the community that helped cultivate my mind, body, and character: Panther Pride! I had my first Physical Education class at Charles Olbon when the school taught grades K-4, next I attended Memorial where I formed fond basketball and baseball memories, and now I share my passion for health, exercise, and sports/games with students at Beatrice Gilmore. During the summer months I coach tennis, basketball, and multi-sports camps with the US Sports Institute.
My undergraduate studies began at Rutgers University where I received a B.S. in Sport Management. Using my degree from R.U., I interned at Equinox and became a General Manager of a personal training facility in SoHo, NYC. However, I altered my career path when I became a substitute teacher in Passaic County, NJ. I realized teaching was the profession for me while substitute teaching during the day, and earning my Master of Arts in Teaching at night from Montclair State Universtiy. My core values include family, health, and education: as a teacher, I have the privilege and responsibility to inspire students to adopt similar values.
My teaching philosophy encompasses five essential elements:
1. Safety – physical and emotional safety are paramount.
2. Social responsibility – students will take responsibility for their actions and they will consider the rights, feelings, and needs of others.
3. Critical thinking – students will be guided during class, but they will be asked to think critically as well.
4. Lifelong physical activity – my aim is to create an engaging learning environment that encourages students to participate in physical activities outside of school for the rest of their lives.
5. Fun!!! – the more fun we have, the more likely a student is to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
Ultimately, my goal is for all students to be physically competent and successful. My definition of success is defined by the 10 time NCAA national championship winning UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
