True Educators Count

As I bask in the glory of being chosen as 'Top 50 Finalists' for the Global Teacher Prize, I know a huge responsibility awaits me. The onus of creating and developing thinking, independent global citizens of the future is a lifelong endeavour of mine which I wish to accomplish. 

When I visited the website http://www.globalteacherprize.org/2017-finalists/ to learn more about my fellow finalists, I was astounded with awe and delight. All over the world, educators have a common aim of helping students achieve good education overcoming obstacles, hurdles and hardships in their path of achievement. Their stories have inspired me to further my wings of aspirations and hopes.

Each and every educator has been dynamic promoting education through so many channels.

Ardent educators are working passionately for students with special needs and desiring to build centres and system.

Creative educators have used Arts and Drama as a tool to bring students closer, to enhance academic learning, use it as a medium to express their selves to the extent of creating a book, build global skills and abilities where students have excelled in academic and cultural performances. Educators have implemented conflict resolution strategies, including circle discussions to improve conversations among students in a way that allows them to develop listening and speaking skills, resolve conflicts, and understand the importance of community. 

Empathetic educators have worked relentlessly for the community trying to provide free breakfast to students, helping refugees to get integrated into mainstream, provide clean water to people, educate very poor children unable to afford fees, help students fight drug abuse and prevent drug usage, support sick and disadvantaged people, focused on those with Alzheimer’s disease and rail crossing safety . Many have worked tirelessly to create opportunities for girls like teenage girls’ opportunity to seek advice from professionals and life-skills program specifically for girls who had dropped out due to teenage pregnancies.

Few passionate educators developed teachers to develop students through quality teacher training programs.

Digitally savvy educators used social media and technology to reach out to larger group of students. They created videos on academic subjects and uploaded on youtube, help develop new ICT teaching, solar powered mobile education solution for remote locations without access to electricity, used I pads and i books inventively, using SKYPE to teach refugee students, encouraging students to learn web designing which has created good employ ability for students.

Scientific minded educators helped build STEM skills using ordinary tools in remote world locations, few created mathematics games, augmented reality books, video games, innovatively used historic scientific objects to convey basic concepts: for instance, in preparing chemical solutions the educator gets his students to build a Daguerreotype camera for which students then prepare the developing fluid.

Many pioneering educators have used innovative methods of teaching to make learning fun and permanent. They have used concept of experiential learning, flipped classrooms, incorporating sports and physical self concepts, innovative pedagogies, created programs for gifted children, used positive approach, using yoga to improve performance, using upbeat music , created special Teens program, used dance skills to enhance student teacher relationship.

Teachers count, they make a valuable difference to society. Just give them freedom to embark on this journey by allowing their creative ideas to flow through and not restricting them to tried tested formulas and rigid curricula. Create opportunities for them to research, network, collaborate, and communicate. They will definitely question, stumble, crawl, weep, complain at times on the magnitude of work given. When they see the smiles on their student's faces comprehending difficult concepts all is forgotten, focus shifts to celebrating their success, the true teacher in them will win over all odds and that teacher makes a difference to the world. 

Let us celebrate those life long learners/teachers from around the globe.  

All the best to all finalists !!!!

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