2 South African Teachers Could Be The BEST In The World and Win $1-Million

Two South African teachers – Wendy Horn in Cape Town and Marjorie Brown in Johannesburg are two of 50 finalists in the running for the Global Teacher of the Year Award 2017!

Wendy is Principal of Protea Heights Academy, a Maths and Science Focus School; and Marjorie is a former human rights activist, teaching history to girls in South Africa and encouraging critical thinking and global citizenship at Roedean School.

The Global Teacher Awards is in its fourth year and has been dubbed the ‘Nobel Prize’ for teaching. The $1 million teacher’s award is the largest prize of its kind.

With over 8,000 applicants from 148 countries around the world, being shortlisted in the top 50 finalists is a remarkable achievement, said the Western Cape Government in a press release.

Both are exceptional teachers who are certainly flying the flag for South Africa, said the WC Government.

According to the Global Teacher Awards website, “the Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.

“By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes who have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of millions of teachers all over the world,” says the site.

The winner will be announced in March 2018.

About Marjorie Brown, Johannesburg

Marjorie’s students have gone on to represent South Africa at youth forums, the Paris Climate Talks, and various Ivy League universities, according to the Global Teacher Awards website.

“She started and still leads the Kids Lit in SA programme, devoted to improving children’s literacy in what is still a very unequal society.

“Marjorie popularised the Kids’ Lit Quiz in South Africa. This international competition was founded 26 years ago; South Africa has won three times over the past 13 years, despite its being the poorest country to participate.

“Marjorie has hosted the world finals twice, raising funds through publishers, book dealers, and newspaper corporations. She works with 100 schools in South Africa on the quiz and the result has been palpable in terms of book stocks in libraries increasing and reading expanding,” says the site.

As part of her efforts in the field of literacy, Marjorie introduced the Phendulani literacy quiz in poorly resourced schools in South Africa. The pupils in these schools do not have functioning school libraries, so the books Marjorie sends out for the quiz are often all there is to read. Scores of teams from schools who have been participating for over five years have risen steadily, some from 40% to 80%, with the teachers taking on the role of coaches and reading champions. Students receive books as personal prizes and their school libraries get to keep the books used in the quiz.

The South African Department of Education is using the Phendulani quiz as a pilot project in 45 new reading clubs from 2018, and Pan Macmillan publishers want to start a Phendulani Quiz in a poor area near Johannesburg.

About Wendy Horn, Cape Town

Wendy Horn received the National Teaching Award for ‘Excellence in Teaching Science’ in March 2014, according to the WC Government press release.

She was the Western Cape’s Teacher of the Year Award for’ Excellence in Teaching Science’ in 2013.

“Being selected as one of the top 50 teachers for Global Teachers Award, 2018, is both an exciting and humbling experience. It is also a little bit daunting, knowing that educators will now look up to you to inspire, mentor and lead them”, said Ms Horn.

Ms Horn continues, “It is not possible to become an excellent teacher on your own. The selection for this award recognises the hard work of all the teachers that have mentored me, worked with me and have shaped me into the teacher I am today.

“The selection also rewards the scores of learners who have passed through my classrooms and laboratories, and their hard work and dedication. It is a privilege to be able to mould young people, preparing them to be positive and active citizens of our country”.

Wendy Horn in action, 2013

MORE

www.globalteacherprize.org/2018-finalists/