Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2017 Newsletter------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teachers matter- Global Teacher Prize for the best one by Jolanta Okuniewska
I must admit that it has been the most powerful moment in my life. In August 2016 I was invited to fill in an application form to compete with the best teachers in the world. My friend decided to put forward my candidature in the competition organized by Varkey Foundation since 2015. I was surprised and at first I did not want to fill in that application. Now I am happy I did it. That was the second year of the prize- widely referred to as the Nobel Prize for teaching. This one million dollar prize is the largest prize of its kind. And it was incredible that I was selected from over 8000 applications and nominations from around the world. We had to write essays about our achievements, provide evidence, testimonials and videos too. The whole process was overseen by PWC who also oversee the Oscars. I was invited to Dubai to attend Global Education Skills Forum and to meet those incredible teachers who were brave and decided to send their applications. We are a big family of Varkey Teachers Ambassadors now and stay in contact to learn from each other and spread our good practices around the world. Even if only one could receive that big reward, we all are winners.
Booth, CEO of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry; Jeffrey D. Sachs, world-renowned professor of economics and special advisor to the U. N; Lewis Pugh, the only person to have completed a long distance swim in every ocean of the world.
There are so many wonderful teachers around the world! Every day they serve their students, help them understand the world, change their lives to be able to change the world to be a better place. I would like to encourage teachers from Europe to nominate someone or apply for The Global Teacher Prize of 2018. We believe the Global Teacher Prize is making a real difference to the profession, and having a very positive effect both at grassroots level and on the global stage.
My life has changed. I can learn every day from Mike Soskil from Pennsylvania, the USA or Rashmi Kathuria from India, I am inspired by Stephen Ritz from New York and by many, many more incredible teachers who are creative, open minded and ready to share their experiences to make the world a better place for others. I am blessed to know them and call them my friends.
The Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2018 applications are open. Please, do not hesitate – if you know of a wonderful teacher, let the world know him or her!
Varkey Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established to improve the standards of education for underprivileged children throughout the world. The Global Teacher Prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Emir of Dubai.
The winner is chosen by a global academy which includes people inside and outside education – from the sciences, arts, NGOs, business etc. They include prominent names such as Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey; Carina Wong, Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Wendy Kopp, co-founder and CEO of Teach for All; Brett Wigdortz, founder and CEO of Teach First; Nick
Jolanta Okuniewska is a primary school teacher at Szkoła Podstawowa nr 13 im. KEN w Olsztynie in Olsztyn, Poland. She is an ambassador of eTwinning in her region. Her students are 6-10 years old. She teaches English and integral education. She likes reading books, and loves travels and meeting new people.
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