Wait wait wait, what is “Human behavior” and why do I have to learn about it? And who in the world is Ms.Pomajzl?!

Ms.Pomajzl is one of our newest teachers this year at Northeast, she teaches Human Behavior. Her main motivation this year is to be able to, in the future, look back on everything she has done this year and truly recall what she has learned in her first year as a Rocket teacher. I sat down with her and asked her some questions about herself and her class.

I asked her about her Human behavior class, and what she believed the class was made to teach her students. She responded, “For me I think that Human Behavior teaches us our motivations for things and also other people’s motivation, and understanding these makes our lives better.” 

Her class is learning about Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of needs, which are the “basic necessities” for humans according to the Humanistic philosopher from the 1900s. These necessities describe what humans theoretically need to continue living and have a healthy state of mind.

I asked what she believed is the most important topic in her class. She responded with, “I think the most important topic is personality. It’s the most important because when we understand ourselves it allows us to function better in life, and it helps benefit the people around us.” Her students are expected to begin this topic soon, so she shows some enthusiasm when I asked her about it.

The most inspirational people for her are her students, she likes to create a positive environment where anyone can talk about anything and still feel and be respected. I asked her about her main role models, the person who shaped who she has become.

When I asked Ms. Pomajzl, she took a second to truly respond. She said, “My cooperating teacher, Ms. Daly, she showed me what it looked like to have fun with teaching , and showing such genuine care for students, and even if hard things showed up , she brought people together because of her connection through teaching and with her students.” She shows her connection with her students and creates a fun and caring environment for everyone.

When it comes to teaching, there are a lot of factors that contribute to a students success. From passing grades on tests, to a simple smile that shows that a student is proud of themselves, and to show that they are comfortable,  Ms. Pomajzl acknowledges this. 

Ultimately, I asked her about what she cared most about when it came to teaching , she answered confidently, “I care the most about my relationships with my students and my connections with them, because if you aren’t close to them, they won’t learn, and its important to present yourself in a warm caring way. I just care about the students as people. It’s more important to me than any test score.” She just smiled afterwards, in a way that shows that she answered genuinely.

All her students show a positive reaction towards her, her class enjoys and is engaged in all topics. We all hope for a successful year for Ms. Pomajzl, and welcome to the Rockets!