As students, we are taught by a variety of teachers each school year. Some of us have come across both amazing and terrible teachers. On one hand there are those who don’t care enough, however, on the other hand, we have teachers who go out of their way to ensure their students’ understanding of what they’re teaching. Ms. Martinez-Peralta strives to be this type of teacher.

Mrs. Peralta came to teach at Oakland Mills after moving to Maryland last month. “I heard about how great the schools are in Howard County, so that’s why I applied here,” she said. She moved here from the Dominican Republic, where she taught at Carol Morgan School for fourteen years. She also taught at Pine Forge Academy in Pennsylvania for one year before coming to OM. Though she loved teaching at her previous schools, she was very impressed with Oakland Mills. She admires the way the OM community treats each other and helps ensure each other’s success. She especially appreciates the world language department team at the school. “Those ladies have been busy making me know everything. They’re sharing everything: supporting, providing, and collaborating. They are awesome!”

This school year, Mrs. Peralta expects to get connected to her students and colleagues. She wants to create a community of comfort in her classroom, where students learn to understand and appreciate the Spanish language and its culture. She expects her students to treat others the way they want to be treated, learn as much as they can, and gain the ability to speak the Spanish language. She wants them to know that she is kind and she values their education. 

Mrs. Peralta aims to make her students aware of the cultural qualities involved in Spanish. She finds it important that her students feel comfortable talking to and learning from her. However, there’s more to her than being a teacher. Mrs. Peralta enjoys listening to Bachata and Salsa music. She says she likes that the music is exciting, uplifting, and gives her the freedom to dance. Another thing she likes doing is reading. Her favorite kind of books are those that are simple and funny. For example, she enjoyed reading The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Some other genres she reads are biographies and poetry. She said, “I also like to read things that are inspiring; books that give an example of somebody that was struggling and what they get at the end.”

One of Mrs. Peralta’s favorite hobbies is yoga. She likes yoga because it doesn’t require much, it works all of the muscles, and it’s about making a connection between body and spirit. “Every session of yoga ends with relaxation and thinking about your actions. I think we need that so much.” When it comes to sports Mrs. Peralta likes basketball, volleyball, and soccer. She loves these three sports because she likes seeing young people do things for their wellness and to stay out of trouble. She likes that sports allow kids to learn how to solve problems and cooperate with others. 

Mrs. Peralta has a variety of interests. She hopes to master multiple languages. One language she especially wants to learn is German. She likes surreal art because it’s open for interpretation. She’s traveled to Italy in the past in order to test her fluency in Italian. She had fun and was impressed by the country. Mrs. Peralta said she wouldn’t go back to Italy because, although she liked her trip very much, she has so many other places she wants to see. One thing she values in her life is her religion. Since she was a teen, she’s been involved in religious activities. She said, “I can’t live without reading the Bible, going to church, and having a Christian fellowship.”

Mrs. Peralta is inspired by her parents, especially her mother. Her parents only attended elementary school. She looks up to them because they have clarity and pushed her and her siblings to go after an education. This contributed to the reason Mrs. Peralta decided to become a teacher, which is because she wanted to change the cycle by getting and education. This also motivates her to inspire and share with others. 

One lesson she’s learned in life is that people need to be humble and kind. She said life has so many turns that people never know when they’re going to need help. This is why she finds kindness and humility to be important traits that  everyone should have. Some morals she lives by are: “treat others they way you’d like to be treated” and “don’t lie”. 

All in all, Mrs. Peralta is excited to be here. She will aim to show her students that she truly cares about them. “I want the students to know me as a kind person – always trying to give them the best response; the best resources; the best quality time.” Let’s welcome her to the Oakland Mills community with open arms!