Featured Teacher
adventures in her life. So, she packed
her suitcase and moved to Norway just
one week after her graduation.
Her parents were both high school
teachers, and they were the first ones
who showed her the beauty of this
profession. When she was a kid, she
enjoyed observing their classes very
often. At the age of 17, she worked as
a volunteer at a local orphanage on
Saturdays. Every Saturday she taught
English to a group of kids who did not
have any English at their schools. This
experience showed her that teaching
was more than just a profession, it is
both a mission and a calling. She knew
that it was something she would love
to do later on, in her adult life. Join us
as we learn more about this fascinating
and innovative Global Teacher Prize
finalist.
create a poster, page or video. In the
past, my students used WordPress to
create blogs, but this year it is all about
Adobe Spark as it is much more user-
friendly.
How do you help fellow teachers
to share good practice with each
other?
At our school, we have a learning
management system called ITSL. Some
years ago, I created a space for all the
teachers, where I post information
about my favourite tools, lesson plans,
project ideas, educational events and
gadgets. Besides, I use my Twitter and
LinkedIn accounts to spread the word
about my teaching and project ideas.
It is amazing how much we can learn
from each other once we start sharing
all the resources and ideas.
Describe your experience of being a
Global Teacher Prize Finalist. What do you do for fun or to unwind
after a long day at school?
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Not only was it a recognition of my
teaching methods, but it was also
a great honour. Besides, it was a
testament that hard work, commitment
to a creative and empowering mindset,
would be recognised and accepted
by other educators from all over the
world. I live very close to nature, which means
I usually go for a walk or cross-country
skiing during the winter. I feel that
staying in the forest boosts my energy
levels and reduces stress. It is really
important for teachers to relax their
bodies and minds, as this job can be
stressful and demanding.
What is the one thing about
you that would surprise your
colleagues?
Most of my colleagues do not know
that I have been a pen pal since 1995.
It is both my hobby and my passion.
I still write handwritten letters and
believe that anyone who is interested
in learning a foreign language,
culture, traditions, and wants to
create meaningful relationships
should give it a go. Besides, it is
amazing to be able to visit people
whom you have corresponded with
for 10 or 20 years.
What is the best professional
advice that you have received and
how has this helped you?
Build rapport with your students
before doing other things. It is my
strong belief that taking a genuine
interest in getting to know our
students and showing them that
we care about them and their
future, helps to create conditions
con ducive to learning, such as
higher motivation and enhanced
trust and communication. I received
this piece of advice in the beginning
of my teaching career, and it has
really helped me become a better
teacher.
Why should students use social
media in their learning?
I think that we need to show our
students that they can use social
media in an effective and productive
way in a classroom setting. Not only
can social media help us engage and
motivate our students, but it can also
help us make our students better
collaborators and future workers. In
my projects, I encourage my students
to reach out to experts using Twitter or
Facebook accounts. By doing that, I try
to show my students that social media
does not mean ENTERTAINMENT only
and can be a great tool in the research
process.
What are your two favourite EdTech
tools and why?
The list of my favourite EdTech tools is
really long, but if I were to choose two,
I would probably go for FlipGrid and
Adobe Spark. FlipGrid allows students
to post short video reflections and
promotes engagement and discussion
among students. Adobe Spark is a
great tool for anyone who would like to
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