Buried amid the collection of classrooms on the eighth floor sits Room 8123 – home of Gregory Baeza’s physics classroom. Passersby might hear Baeza’s Brooklyn accent as he paces around the room with a ruler in hand, preaching about the importance of personal growth in terms of educational development. Quite possibly the most woke teacher at North Atlanta, Baeza’s passion for fair teaching strategies extends beyond the classroom.

In his second year of teaching at North Atlanta, Baeza has notably become an influence in many students’ graduation pathways. His motivation behind this? The intrinsic benefit of personal relationships. “I know the value behind having a teacher that values the students for who they are, not as problems that need to be solved,” said Baeza. “I want to appreciate students for who they are and help them reach success by their own definition.”

As far as his students are concerned, Baeza believes in the importance of an individual learning process. “My favorite part of the job is teaching,” he said. “I want to help each student find themselves authentically.”

Much like a hero without a cape, Baeza’s least favorite parts of the job are the necessary parts. “I don’t like having to do all the extra stuff, like paperwork or the commute.”

Outside of school Baeza’s passions are his wife, kid and his music. This master teacher is — are we surprised? — also a music producer and he both develops musical acts and crafts his own music that falls somewhere between indie rock and smooth jazz with deft traces of just “Baeza-ness” in between. His smooth blend of modern music and classic taste comes under his label “Noho Fidel” and can be found at Bandcamp, a popular streaming platform. Beyond all that creativity, he also spends time coaching coaching aspiring musicians. “I have a great, small family I love to spend time with,” he said, “I’m also very passionate about my music, but it’s a separate part of who I am as a teacher.”

Picture this: It’s August the 1st, the smell of apprehension and sweat covers the hallways. Despite this, Baeza’s physics classroom is live as he expresses his love for his wife and his passion for music (ruler still in hand, mind you). As far as the next class goes, be prepared to question science, authority, and even your taste in music itself.