Athlete, Dancer, Coach: New PE Teacher ‘Meant to be in Fort Lee’

Tara Trovato is one of the newest teachers in the district, but the first-year Physical Education teacher at is certainly not new to teaching.

Trovato, who grew up in Totowa and now lives in Elmwood Park, is currently in her seventh year as an educator, having taught sixth, seventh and eighth grade Health and P.E. at Park Middle School in Scotch Plains and then seventh and eighth grade Phys. Ed. at Roosevelt Middle School in West Orange before her arrival at School 2 this year.

“I’m just new to the district,” Trovato said. “But my experience is in middle school; this is my first elementary school.”

A 2005 graduate of East Stroudsburg University, where she earned a dual certification in Health and Physical Education for K-12, Trovato said the transition from middle school to elementary school was a challenge at first.

“But I love it now; it’s different, but in a very good way, because when they come to class, they’re excited,” she said. “I think elementary physical education is so important because they do get it first from me.”

A three-sport athlete—basketball, volleyball and track—at Passaic Valley High School, Trovato, who said basketball was her “number one,” quickly adding “volleyball as well,” has several years' coaching experience too. She coached volleyball at West Orange for the five years she was there in a competitive travel league, as well as junior varsity basketball at James Caldwell High School for six years. She said she hopes to be able to continue her coaching career in Fort Lee, where she’s already volunteering as a seventh and eighth grade girls’ basketball coach in the in-town league.

“I’d love to get more involved because that’s what I do,” Trovato said. “I’m not someone who goes to work and goes home. I just want to get my name out there, be involved and help with the program.”

She also said she’s “very thankful for the opportunity” in Fort Lee, especially after budget cuts in West Orange hit hard, and—lacking seniority—she found herself without a place to teach.

“I truly believe things happen for a reason, and I’m meant to be in Fort Lee,” said Trovato, who also teaches at once a week. “Good things are happening, and I love it here.”

Trovato recently sat down with Patch at School No. 2 for this edition of ‘Fort Lee Schools One-On-One.’ Here’s how the rest of the interview went:

Who or what inspired you to be an educator?

I’d have to say my mother because she’s a physical educator herself. She was actually my teacher. She still teaches at [a private school in Totowa]. And I’ll never forget, one day, she comes home and says, “Guess who’s your new Phys. Ed. teacher?” It was fun because you never think that would happen, but she was my Phys. Ed. teacher for the last three years that I was in elementary school. And it was just something that I always wanted to do ever since she became my teacher.

How would you describe your educational philosophy?

My goal is for everyone who comes to my class to have a good time, to succeed, to learn and to want to learn, but I understand that there are different types of learners.

You think it’s only about sports. I mean I love sports; I love to be competitive. I’ll try anything. But it’s not only about that. A lot of people think, “Oh, you’re a Phys Ed. teacher; you probably just dribble a basketball.” But that’s definitely not what I do.

I emphasize sportsmanship over winning. I always say to them, “There may be something that she’s good at that you’re not, and vice versa.” But I want everyone to feel comfortable and safe in the environment when they’re with me.

I’m very positive. I’m someone who gives feedback all the time because I think they need to hear it. I’ll say your name, and “good job,” or correct them plus a positive.

I like to make things challenging for them, and I love to be consistent with things. Here are my rules; classroom management is a big thing for me. You have to be consistent with it to have a successful classroom.

I have, let’s say, 46 students in a large area at one time. To control that many students, you do have to take a different approach [than teaching in a classroom]. I also think that [Physical Education] is so beneficial for the kids because it develops their social skills as well as their teamwork skills.

The teaching process—and it’s the same thing with coaching—when you see someone perform something that you showed them or you taught them, it’s just such a rewarding experience.

What is something that most people don’t know about you or would be surprised to learn?

I love to dance.

I actually have a dance background. I think I started dancing when I was maybe three or four years old. I took tap, jazz, ballet, and I even did a little bit of point. When I went to high school, I stopped because I wanted to concentrate more on the sports. But I think the dance background completely helps you in sports and athletics, absolutely. The flexibility and timing and posture and all of that, it just keeps your body all aligned.

Also this might be biased toward Phys. Ed. teachers, or maybe it’s just me, but I love sneakers. I’m almost embarrassed to say, but I have about 42 pairs.

I like shoes in general, but mostly it’s sneakers.

Name three people—living or dead—you would invite to dinner

Am I cooking? I don’t know if that’s a good idea.

I’m very Italian, as you can tell from my last name. So being Italian, the first one I would have to say would be my grandfather, who passed away, that I used to live with for a little bit. A favorite meal that we’d have together was pasta fazool [or pasta e fagioli].

I would definitely go next with a comedian because I love comedy; I love to laugh. So I really like Kevin James from King of Queens even though he’s a Mets fan—I’m a big Yankees fan.

And then next I would have to say Michael Jackson. I’m a big fan, and I taught that in my dancing lessons [in schools she taught in previously]. That music will always, always, always be great to listen to. And just because I think he was interesting and just such a wonderful entertainer for all the years that he was with us.

What’s been the highlight of your school year so far?

It’s been full of highlights. The first was back in July when I actually had the opportunity to have another job because it’s hard now; it’s really, really hard. I’m blessed, and from day one that I came here, everyone’s been welcoming—not just in School 2—in orientation and in School 1, where I work as well—just everybody’s really welcoming.

The “Getting Fit for Fall Challenge,” I thought that was a really cool highlight because the response I had from the students that really wanted to get involved in physical activity was mind-blowing for me. When they get older sometimes there’s a lack of physical activity. So now that you see when they’re young, they’re so involved in things outside of school like dance or Taekwondo or youth sports … And I have had some feedback from parents that it was very encouraging for their children because they went out, and they did extra physical activity.

Editor’s Note: “Getting Fit for Fall” was something Trovato read about online and modified slightly for School No. 2 students, who logged their hours of extra physical activity outside of school. Walking, jogging, jumping rope, raking leaves, bike riding and youth sports all counted. Trovato set a goal for the school of getting 200 hours of extra physical activity in two months. In the end, School No. 2 students logged about 870 in September and October.

Is there anything else you want people to know about you?

I’m going to work really hard to bring the D.A.R.E. trophy back to School No. 2. Before I even started here, I kept hearing about the D.A.R.E. basketball games, and I’m going to work really hard with the sixth graders to bring that trophy back.