Class Act: William DeMarco
William DeMarco is the new kid on the block at Chocksett Middle School. No, he's not a student roaming the halls, but rather an educator who joined the staff last year as an 8th grade social studies teacher.
DeMarco moved around a lot when he was younger, but says he lived mostly in Needham and Wellesley. He relocated to Central Massachusetts in 2000 after following some friends who moved here. "When they left, I stayed. I like Central Mass, it has a nice feeling to it," he said.
He earned his teaching certificate from UMass Lowell.
"I had always had a love for history, and I had my bachelor's in history. Somehow I wound up in accounting and finance. It never seemed the right fit for me. I decided to go back to school for my education degree, and moved on over to the correct field," said DeMarco.
He taught history for one year at Fitchburg High School before joining the staff at Chocksett. "I find an awful lot of support in the school system [here]. The other teachers and administration have been very supportive of my classroom initiatives. They have a lot of interesting and creative ideas that allow me to be an active teacher," he said.
Outside of the classroom, DeMarco has coached baseball and oversees an afterschool volleyball program. "Kids that normally don't do athletics participate," he said.
The baseball team consists of a "nice healthy mix" of 7th and 8th grade boys. "I have an opportunity to get to know what really motivates them and drives them to success. My aim is not only to have a winning program but a sportsmanlike program," he said.
Inside his classroom, DeMarco uses a variety of tools to engage his students. History projects, mini-plays and essays are ways that the students see history come alive. "This allows them to know that they have ownership, they have a part in their own learning. We certainly don't want to make history just names and dates," he said.
DeMarco has connected not only with the Chocksett staff but with teachers at other district schools. "The teachers have been great at making me feel a part of the team," he said. "I have made friends through the new teacher program, friends at other schools. The social studies teachers at Mount View have been very helpful, reaching out to me as a new teacher. I find the whole district to be a very positive place, not only to see the students succeed but see the teachers succeed. Good people in a good place."
Having always had a "knack for storytelling and communications," DeMarco knew early on that he wanted to be an educator. His mother was an English teacher, and his father a history teacher. He remembers his 7th grade history teacher, Mr. Thompson, very fondly as a person who challenged William to push himself.
"He always made you think. He would not give you an answer, specifically to make you find the answer on your own. I had to look up words to find out what [they] meant," he said.
DeMarco tries to translate that same curiosity and love of learning over to his classroom each day. Asked what he loves about teaching, he cannot pinpoint just one aspect.
"I love several things. The interaction with the students; the fact that every day is a new and interesting day," he said. "The students really need help or guidance and you can have a real impact on people's lives in a real way. I love having the opportunity to have a real positive impact in students' lives."
It can be difficult to capture the interest and respect of the middle school age group. DeMarco said balance is the key. "They need structure along with an outlet for their energy. I believe in providing firm guidelines with a lot of room to move around within those guidelines. As my students say, controlled chaos. Their energy needs to be channeled in positive ways," he said.
DeMarco uses several different teaching techniques "through differentiated instruction" in his classroom to keep the kids focused and interested. He tries to tailor his lessons to complement the variety of learning abilities and styles his students possess.
"I make sure the kids have a healthy dose of not only reading and writing, which is critical, but using their physical energy to tie it all in," he said.
DeMarco spent most of his summer vacation buying and moving into a condo in Templeton, and was able to catch up on some fun reading. He enjoys science fiction as well as historical non-fiction and is currently into "The Books of the South," by Glen Cook, a fictional tale of mercenaries trying to find their moral compass in the world.
He has also been preparing for his second year of teaching in Sterling.
As for where he sees himself in five years, DeMarco hopes the answer is right here at Chocksett. "I think Sterling is a wonderful community," he said. "I really see myself at [Chocksett] for as many years as they will have me. Plus, it's such a darn pretty area."