Martin Noga

I am an AACPS: Teacher, Annapolis High School | 2019 Teacher of the Year Honoree

I approach education as a process through which every child is considered as a unique individual who needs a secure and caring environment where he/she will grow and mature.

My teaching philosophy views every learner as both a psychological and social construct; because neglecting or subordinating one to the other can result to behaviors that can be detrimental to the teaching and learning environment. Without thorough understanding of the psychological structure and activities of every learner, the educative process becomes haphazard for and arbitrary to him/her.

I believe that a sound teaching should use the knowledge of social conditions and the present state of civilization to properly interpret learners’ powers, because they enter the learning environment with their own instincts and tendencies that need to be translated into their social equivalents for me as educator to capture their real meaning. Given that the psychological and social natures of every learner are organically related, I approach education as a compromise between the two, or a superimposition of one upon the other.

To educate my students to embrace the real world means to give them command of themselves by accessing their learning styles and training them to have the full and ready use of all their capacities. By accessing my students’ learning styles, their eyes, ears, and hands become tools ready to command and their judgment becomes capable of grasping the conditions under which they must work.

In sum, I believe that every child has the potential to bring something unique and special to the world, should be provided knowledge and skills needed to further his/her education and achieve his/her goals, should be provided the opportunity to learn in different ways and different rates and, should be empowered to be a responsible and self-directed individual who respects all those around him/her. I believe that the result of education is to mold each learner individually with the goal of succeeding in the global and challenging society.