MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- There are more than 1,400 teachers in the Department of Defense Dependant Schools in Japan and one of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni's teachers has stood out amongst them all to be selected as the Japan District Teacher of the Year.
Naomi Mayer, Matthew C. Perry Elementary School kindergarten teacher, was nominated earlier this year for the Teacher of the Year Award by one of her student's parents.
According to Mayer, just to be nominated was an honor all its own.
Part of the post-nomination process required Mayer to answer 15 pages of questions pertaining to education, teaching, teaching style and philosophy and how children's needs are best met.
Mayer's application and answers were then submitted to a panel of judges who extensively reviewed them, finally selecting Mayer as the Japan District Teacher of the Year.
"When I found out I was chosen I was definitely honored," said Mayer. "It was a surprise though because there really are so many wonderful teachers in the Japan district."
Mayer is not new to receiving awards however. She had been previously awarded a Faculty Member Blue Ribbon Award 1993-94, a 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Elementary Science Teaching, the 1997 British Petroleum Teacher of Excellence and a 2001-02 Performance award.
The long list of Mayer's awards and accomplishments are a result of her love for teaching.
"My favorite part of teaching is seeing the excitement on the students faces," said Mayer. "I like to see the kids come to school excited and wanting to learn."
Mayer's recent election as the Japan District Teacher of the Year is partially due to her unique teaching style geared towards making her young students "multiple solution thinkers."
"I don't teach problems like two plus three equals five," said Mayer. "Instead I like to ask the students how many ways can they make groups of five, that way the students can see a problem and realize that there is more than one solution."
Mayer's teaching style not only applies to the classroom, but everywhere, according to Vicky Taylor, M.C. Perry Elementary principal.
"She is one of those teachers that can take anything and turn it into a teachable moment," said Taylor. "Every child is important and she gets involved with the families, she is always quick to volunteer to do whatever needs to be done."
Mayer has recently completed a video to be submitted to compete against other district Teachers of the Year to select one person to represent the Department of Defense Dependant Schools in a competition against Department of Defense Dependant Schools teachers in America.