Interview with Mrs. Noemí Rodríguez Mata.
Primary and Secondary Music Teacher at Colegio Alborán.
"Music is part of the human being and there is no culture in which it is not enormously developed and valued" (Oliver Sacks)
1 Julia and Maria. Have you always wanted to be a Music Teacher or have you had any other ideas about what to do?
Naomi. Since I was little I have always been clear that I wanted to be a teacher, because I really liked teaching. My professional ideas have always been focused on education, and this hobby was shared by my second passion, Paleontology, although finally, I opted for my vocation towards children, and I also like working with people who have special needs. I think it is a very enriching challenge.
2 Julia and Maria. We know that before working as a teacher at Colegio Alborán you worked in other schools. (In fact, you were our teacher and we remember you very fondly) What other jobs have you had? Is there an anecdote that you want to share with us?
Naomi – I started giving piano lessons at the age of 17, and since then I have had a wide variety of jobs, for example, I have worked in stores and in a law firm. Later, all the other jobs have been related to educational activities, both with minors and adults. I have been to numerous camps, hotel entertainment and, above all, summer schools. They are very fun activities in which I have come to deal with very young children, older children, even adults. And I get along well with all ages, I think each stage has something interesting to contribute and I learn from all of them. I also have a weakness for working with people with special needs, as I said before, especially with autistic students.
And anecdotes... well, I have many, more than many, many, I would say. ( Series) . The first thing that comes to mind is that in one of the summer schools, having so many sports activities, I always dressed in comfortable clothes, like shorts and t-shirts. We were in a bit of a mess because we were out in the country a lot, on the beach… And once at Easter, I dressed in a mantilla, and went out in a procession. The next day when I returned with the children, one of them told me: "Señor, yesterday I saw you dressed as a woman." (laughs).
3 Julia and Maria. How many years have you been at Colegio Alborán? Do you like your job?
Naomi. In this wonderful center it is the third course in which I am lucky to be. I love what I do; first, for being in the middle of nature; second, for having a student body of almost all ages, so the work does not become monotonous for me; and, third, for the affection with which you are covered here from any department and by the students... It's a luxury!
4 Julia and Maria. Have you had any dreams or goals?
Naomi. Well, I've had many dreams, like everyone else, I guess. Some of them were very fanciful dreams, which change with age. And others, such as the objectives that I have had related to work, I have come to meet all of them. I consider myself a lucky person, in that sense, because I have always wanted to work with children, transmit knowledge and values and learn from them and I like my work. On the other hand, I have also been able to realize other dreams related to travel, such as traveling to China. You never have to park dreams, but fight for them.
5 Julia and Maria. Do you travel or did you travel frequently?
Naomi. I have traveled a lot, because I like it a lot, although now I travel less, but I still travel. I used to travel abroad, and now my destinations are closer and more affordable. Anyway,. I think it is a good way of learning and opening up to other cultures, in every way. I have visited Greece, China, Italy, France, Portugal, Egypt, Morocco… And now we are traveling more through Spain, which is impressive and has a lot to discover and enjoy. I go to the Canary Islands a lot, since my husband's family is from Tenerife.
6 Julia and Maria. What do you like to do in your free time?
Naomi. I really like walking, reading, and doing sports, especially martial arts. My sporting activity has always been karate, although currently I rarely practice it. At home there is a "martial" atmosphere, my son does Judo and my husband does Aikido. The respect that it transmits is important... (he talks about these sports, what they contribute, etc.) Martial arts transmit values such as respect, effort, self-improvement, admiration, self-esteem, cooperation, patience, helping the learner, a peaceful attitude, recognition to the rank... It is that they are values that help us in any activity that we undertake in our life!
7 Julia and Maria. We know that you have two sisters, what is your relationship with them?
Naomi. True, I have two sisters, twins, who are four years younger than me. When they arrived, that was like an earthquake in my life, (smiles), I have never been jealous of them, I have loved them very much and they loved me... But I have to admit that... They broke everything! (Remember, with nostalgia) . They have toys from their childhood, but I don't, since they devastated. And with them I learned that, even though they were little destroyers, I loved them above all their pranks. The anger did not last long, because we shared so much, our dialogues, games, experiences and affection and that we continue to share. Afterwards, they have been the ones who have "furnished" my daily life with their experiences.
To this day I cannot imagine my life without them, and I think that I would not have become who I am, or who I am, if I had not had them. And now that we are older, they are my companions, the ones I count on for everything. My friends, my confidants.
8 Julia and Maria. What is music to you?
Naomi. For me music is very important, first of all as a hobby, I always play background music for any activity. Secondly, academically speaking, music is very important for boys and girls, because when practiced at an early age it stimulates the brain and makes us develop the right hemisphere, which is underdeveloped and creates connections between the right and left hemispheres. . So it makes us “smarter”, it makes us very skilled. Likewise, spiritually speaking, music also balances. When we feel bad, good, when we are happy. Depending on our state of mind we tend to resort to one music or another.
I would like to repeat some words attributed to Duke Ellington (with whom I feel identified), for whom “There are two types of music: good and bad. I like both".
