"The collective wisdom of Hispanic values is contained in the traditional sayings known as dichos," said Noah Rodriguez, who taught Spanish and the history of New Mexico at De Vargas Junior High School in Santa Fe. He was committed to incorporating these traditional cultural values of work, dignity and self-reliance into his classroom activities. Mr. Rodriguez's use of social learning theory helped him create a classroom environment in which his students flourished. As an educator of teachers, Mr. Rodriguez taught a variety of courses to those interested in Spanish language instruction and Spanish literature. He also trained more than 200 substitute teachers a year through a program offered by Santa Fe Community College.
