Mr. Thompson, the Reluctant Disciplinarian

Okay, so I admit that my favorite movie of all time is Dead Poets Society. I own the DVD and have probably seen it 50-100 times so far. Reading Reluctant Disciplinarian made me realize that the movie is just that, a movie. I know I won't be the next Mr. Keating, but perhaps there is a middle ground between the film and the realities of the book. I read about developing a teaching persona, and I know that part of that persona must come from who you really are. I like the romanticism that Mr. Keating teaches and his unique approach, but I also want to be a teacher who has great classroom management skills (e.g. Mr. Joe Clark--Lean On Me). I know, I watch too many movies, right?
Anyway, back to the book. I'm still working on mastering the teacher look, because I have a tendency to smile. I know I need the look in order to command respect, which is more important than a friendly classroom. My pitiful teacher look right now isn't stern enough, and is only hindering me, because I keep overhearing conversations about how attractive Mr. Thompson is. I'm trying to establish myself as a professional, and in order to do so, I have to keep the students' focus on what I'm teaching.
Also, I have found myself taking the author's advice about ignoring certain comments. From time to time, I (as well as my fellow teachers) have heard students mutter inappropriate comments under their breath. When I ask, students say "Oh, nothing." However, I have found it more beneficial and less distracting to pretend I didn't hear the comments.
Overall, I enjoyed Reluctant Disciplinarian, because it is a book with which I can relate. I am a young new teacher, and although I haven't yet experienced some of the class management problems Gary Rubinstein discusses, I am actively planning strategies for avoiding them.