No Lucky Break

Muzi Chosen New Jersey Teacher of the Year

Some people get all the breaks – even, sometimes, twice in one day. For Jeanne Muzi, the first one is all she needed. Muzi, who received her teacher certification from Rider in 2002, was elated this fall to learn she had been named the New Jersey Teacher of the Year, a prestigious honor that saw her chosen from among 20 other teachers of the year from their corresponding counties.

The elation of the honor allowed Muzi to endure the agony that struck her later that day when a misstep down a ladder inside her Lawrence Township home resulted in a badly broken ankle. The injury, for which she underwent subsequent surgery to insert screws and pins, left her temporarily confined to a wheelchair, but she has been on a roll ever since in promotion of her title and the educational profession.

The first-grade teacher from Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Lawrence was at Rider to address students at the Student Teacher Orientation on January 21. Speaking to this year’s class of student teachers inside the Bart Luedeke Center Theater, Muzi recalled how, after years as a freelance art director, she made the unlikely decision to return to school and become a teacher.

“Seven years ago, I would have said that sitting where you are now was not possible for me,” said Muzi, whose interest in classroom instruction was enkindled by observing the teachers who taught her oldest son at Ben Franklin. “I was always interested in education,” she said. “That was instilled in me by my family – the importance of education – and how nothing was more important. When my first son, Ben, was in kindergarten, I started volunteering at the school. ”

Her interest evolved, and once Ben entered middle school, Muzi enrolled in the Education program at Rider. Muzi, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Art at the Eisenhower College of the Rochester Institute of Technology, worked as a student teacher at Ben Franklin before joining the school’s staff in 2002.

Muzi offered the student teachers at Rider a David Letterman-style Top 10 list of ideas to aid them through their transitions from students to teachers. “My experience was totally meaningful, and I wanted to come up with some words of wisdom to share with you,” she said. “The more I reflected, the more I thought I should share the things I wish I knew when I was in your position.”

Counting down from 10, Muzi suggested the approaches, ranging from philosophical to practical, that helped her earn the call from Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy on September 30, telling her she had been named the state’s Teacher of the Year. Muzi highlighted awareness of their surroundings, a positive and appreciative approach, professionalism and connectivity between lessons and real life.

“Kids today are the most connected, savvy and visually oriented children we’ve ever seen,” Muzi said. “They absolutely need to understand how what they are leaning impacts their real lives and why.”

Muzi also discussed the importance of constant planning. “Your plan book is not something to be regurgitated from year to year,” she said. “Make it a journal and note what works well – and what does not. Your plan book should be a living, breathing document.”

Also vital to teachers of all ages, according to Muzi, is to weave passion into teaching, as well as to remain flexible in teaching with regard to methodology and technology. “The example you set will help children develop the flexibility of their own minds,” she said, adding that the best educators are the ones who can also learn from their students.

“Every single day matters,” Muzi told the Rider students about the importance of maintaining energy and dedication to the task of teaching. “Today is the day that can change everything in a child’s future.”

Finally, Muzi said that in her experience, the most important lesson she has learned is to teach her pupils, regardless of their age, to be the person who makes a difference. “It is unacceptable to say, ‘I didn’t make that mess, so I’m not cleaning it up,’” she said. “Teaching children to interact in a positive, upbeat, informative and knowledgeable way is the most meaningful way you can contribute to the world.”

As the New Jersey Teacher of the Year, Muzi is on a six-month leave from her classroom duties, travelling throughout the state and beyond for speaking engagements related to her title. She was in Dallas during the last week in January to meet with other teachers of the year from across North America, and is slated to meet President Barack Obama, as well as her peers from the 49 other states, at the White House on a date to be determined. She is sad to leave her 18-student class, but understands the call of duty.

“I’ve been the beneficiary of the amazing teachers I work with, since long before this award,” she said. “I’m fortunate to be able to count on them now as the process begins, an experience that is going to help me learn so much by talking to so many more teachers from other schools and districts.”