Sharing Good Practice
Spotlight on Tracy-Ann Hall...
By Carolyn Lee
All photos
provided by
Tracy-Ann Hall.
I
n early March 2017, a group
consisting of ten outstanding
educators from around the globe
converged on Dubai for the
announcement of the Global Teacher
Prize Award at the Global Education &
Skills Forum. Among them was Tracy-
Ann Hall, an exceptional teacher from
the tropical paradise, Jamaica.
Tracy-Ann
currently
teaches
Automotive Technology at the
Johnathan Grant High School in
Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Known
by her students and colleagues as a
strong advocate of hands-on, inquiry-
based learning, Tracy-Ann believes
in educating the whole child. By
engaging in a variety of activities
such as community service, problem-
solving,
and
technology-infused
activities, she provides them with
opportunities to use their automotive
skills and humanitarian skills , to help
others and to enable them to become
productive members of society.
Her dedication to her profession
is evidenced inside and outside
of the classroom by the numerous
programmes that she implements to
keep her students’ engaged in learning.
A few of Tracy’s projects include
organising field trips to automotive
businesses and schools for her
automotive students, spearheading a
summer programme for students from
low income families in her community,
and organising charity activities with
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her Jamaica Automobile Association
Junior Club.
Some of her additional responsibilities;
are serving as the Chairman for the
Jonathan Grant High School Safety
and Security Committee and serving
on the Ensom City Primary School
Parents Teachers Association Board.
Tracy-Ann is also the liaison teacher to
the Jamaican Teachers Association for
her school.
With each teacher offering something
unique in his/her appraoch to
teaching, Tracy-Ann’s contributions
also made her a strong contender for
the Global Teacher Prize. While it was
a competition of sorts, the teachers
who made the top ten shared a spirit
of camraderie, rooting for, supporting
and celebrating each other.
The Global Teacher Prize and Global
Education & Skills Forum (GTP &
GESF) has become the ultimate
education event for celebrating the
work of educators globally, by putting
a well-needed spotlight on educators,
in particular, those who have made
a tremendious contribution to the
profession.
The prize is awarded by the Varkey
Foundation, under the patronage of
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President,
Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Mr
Sunny Varkey, Chairman of the Varkey
Class Time
Foundation, founded the prize with
the intention of raising the profession’s
profile.
The inaugural Global Teacher Prize
was awarded in 2015. Since then,
thousands of educators have been
nominated for a chance to win the
enticing one million dollar prize. This
year’s top ten finalists, had to beat out
over 20, 000 other nominees to secure
their spot.
Tracy-Ann joins a prestigious league
of educators who will continue to
positively impact teachers globally
going forward. Below she shares a bit
about her experience and plans for the
future.
1. How did you know about the GTP?
I discovered it by searching for
competition for my students to enter. I
found the website and I passed it on to
my parents in my Parents’ WhatsApp
group and one parent nominated me.
2. What did you think about being
nominated once you realised what
the GTP was?
I was delighted that a parent thought
that I was worthy of such a nomination
and such a prize.
3. Why did you feel this way?
I felt this way because in most