Top 10 teachers of Dubai's $1m Global Teachers Prize revealed

The top 10 have been selected from over 10,000 nominations and applications from 179 countries around the world.

The final top ten teachers in the running for Dubai's $1million Global Teacher Prize have been revealed in a surprise video by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman.
The annual award by the Varkey Foundation honours teachers who have contributed immensely to their community, despite the many obstacles that stand in their way.
Last year's $1m award was bagged by UK arts and textiles teacher, Andria Zafirakou, who went out of her way to help students who come from the poorest families in Britain.
This year's finalists are from India, Australia, the US, Kenya, Netherlands, Brazil, Japan, Argentina, the UK and Georgia. They were selected from over 10,000 nominations and applications from 179 countries around the world.
In a special video message announcing the top ten finalists, the Wolverine and Greatest Showman star Hugh Jackman said: "When I was a kid there were lots of superheroes that I wanted to be. But I can tell you right now, from where I stand, with all my experience, the real superheroes are teachers - they're the ones that change the world.
"My favourite uncle was a teacher, my sister's a teacher, my brother's a teacher, and I have always felt the most important job in the world is teachers. My hope for every single person on the planet is that you have at least one. I think of Lisle Jones who was the most influential acting teacher I ever had. Prior to Lisle I could only get to a certain point. He used to say to me things like "You're standing outside the character." He said "You're good. Don't get me wrong, it's fine, it's OK. But what you need to do is to let go and trust."
The winner will be announced during a glitzy ceremony at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai on March 24. The $1m is awarded to the winner in equal installments over a period of 10 years and will receive financial counselling by the Varkey Foundation.
On the eve of the Global Teacher Prize ceremony, the foundation will hold 'The Assembly: A Global Teacher Prize Concert' at the Dubai Media City Amphitheater, where Little Mix, Rita Ora and Liam Payne will headline the event.
The 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize 2019 are:
Andrew Moffat MBE, a Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) teacher from Parkfield Community School, Birmingham, UK
Andrew teaches near a deprived community, where more than nine in ten pupils speak as an additional language. He had implemented the 'No Outsiders' programme to teach the community about inclusiveness and diversity. Now, he uses the programme to help reduce the potential for radicalisation among students. In November, 2017, Andrew was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to equality and diversity in education.
Daisy Mertens, an all subjects teacher at community-based school De Vuurvogel, Helmond, Netherlands
Daisy works at a community school that has a 440 student population from 30 different nationalities. The pupils in this school are ones with either learning difficulties or are gifted children. They face prejudice from students in wealthier areas, have poorer language skills than the average and struggle to realise their life chances. Daisy has become an award-winning teacher for helping these students in their learning through creative methods.

Débora Garofalo a Technologies for Learning teacher at EMEF Almirante Ary Parreiras, São Paulo, Brazil
At this school, Debora realized that students weren't receiving an education in technology. The school lacked resources and the children were trapped in a negative environment, which was blighted by violence, insanitary conditions and poverty. She launched her 'Junk Robotics, Promoting Sustainability' programme to help the school. So far, over 2,000 students have been involved in the programme, and have created prototypes of everything from robots and carts, to boats and planes. More than 700kg of rubbish has been turned into something new.
Hidekazu Shoto, an English language and ICT teacher at Ritsumeikan Primary School, Kyoto, Japan
Hidekazu is using online gaming to help his students learn English. He uses tools such as Skype and Minecraft to enable communication in English with students from different parts of the world. His students have been learning skills such as communication, teamwork, imagination, and logical thinking.  If he is awarded the Global Teacher Prize, he will set up an organisation to help Japanese teachers and students exchange with foreign countries, as well as building a system that makes ICT equipment and support available in rural areas.
Martin Salvetti Head of Automative Studies and Adult Professional Training at Technical Secondary School No. 5, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Martin started teaching to earn extra cash so he could fund his university. Though, he fell in love with the profession and kept going. He launched a radio station in the school with his students in 2008, which is operational to this day. The station is a platform to campaign for positive change. The students have run programmes to explore religion and children's rights, as well as raising awareness of environmental issues such as effective water usage.
Melissa Salguero, a Music teacher at P.S.48 Joseph R Drake elementary school, the Bronx, New York, United States
Even though Melissa suffers from dyslexia, it hasn't stopped her from pursuing her passion of teaching. She teaches in a deprived community where students are considered to be the most at-risk in all of New York City. To help the school, Melissa raised enough funds to start the first ever Public School 48 band programme. Though, in 2014, the programme lost $30,000 equipment through theft and damage. After she shared her story in a video, it went viral and caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres. She was invited to the show and was awarded with new instruments and $50,000. She also won the 2018 GRAMMY Music Educator Award.
Peter Tabichi, a Maths and Physics teacher at Keriko Secondary School, Pwani Village, Nakuru, Kenya
Peter gives away 80% of his earnings to the poor. He teaches in a very remote and poverty-ridden village. He started a talent nurturing club and expanded the school's Science Club, helping pupils design research projects of such quality that 60% now qualify for national competitions. Peter mentored his pupils through the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair 2018 - where students showcased a device they had invented to allow blind and deaf people to measure objects. Peter saw his village school come first nationally in the public schools category.
Swaroop Rawal, a Life Skills teacher, at Lavad Primary School, Gujarat, India
Swaroop's teachings aren't limited to just students in her classroom, she teaches children in rural areas, on the streets and to anyone who needs her help. She uses drama in education - an active, learner-centred method which includes group discussion, brainstorming, debate, games, song and drawing. After she taught in the Bhadbhediya village in Gujarat, peer-mentors convinced the village committee to prevent it. In Sodvadra, pupils have helped put a stop to child labour in the diamond polishing industry and facilitated children's return to school. If she wins, she would form a think tank to create and promote special curricula for pre-vocational education (PVE) in primary schools. 
Vladimer Apkhazava, a Civic Education teacher at Chibati Public School, Tbilisi, Georgia
Vladimer teaches in one of the most deprived communities in Georgia. Some days, ambulances have to be called due to starving children. Many students from this area often leave their studies and move to Turkey to find employment. Child labour is also a significant problem in his community. He won the Georgia's National Teacher Award in 2017 after putting an end to it with the help of the media. If he wins, Vladimer would help schools in other regions of Georgia which cannot afford to purchase modern technology or foreign language books.
Yasodai Selvakumaran a history and society and culture teacher, at Rooty Hill High School, New South Wales, Australia.
A Tamil Sri Lankan-born Australian, Yasodai's parents left Sri Lanka amongst growing civil tensions, and she grew up in rural and regional Australia before moving to Sydney to complete university study. She is now a nationally recognised in Australia as an outstanding teacher and leader. She teaches a culturally and linguistically diverse group of students in a socio-economically deprived area. Is she wins, Yasodai would lead more collaboration between academia and practitioners in education.

sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
 

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