This recognition is the highest distinction that can be awarded to someone who is dedicated to teaching, it is known as the “Nobel Prize” of education.
Professor José Gustavo Calderón de Anda, currently Coordinator of Technology and Innovation for Learning at the Alpes San Javier Institute, received an email from the Varkey Foundation in October 2019; the content read: “Someone has nominated you to receive the Global Teacher Prize 2020”, it had been teacher Elisa Guerra, one of the most influential voices on educational issues, not only in Mexico, but throughout Latin America.
Elisa was named “Best Educator in LATAM” by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and until this year, she was the only Mexican nominated for the Global Teacher Prize. She is now a member of the UNESCO Commission for the “Futures of Education”. Professor Gustavo met Elisa in Microsoft Education's “Skype Master Teacher” program in 2017; both are Mexico's representatives in this program that seeks to motivate global education experiences through technology. Since 2018, Elisa insisted him to participate in the “Nobel of Education”, an offer that the professor rejected for two years; he felt he had little chance.
In 2019, he decided to take the first step during the application process, in appreciation of his trust, and also believing in what he had done since 2004 in educational innovation issues.
The Global Teacher Prize recognizes a complete trajectory dedicated to education; it is not exclusive to a project, but rather a road traveled in which diverse experiences have occurred that in some way have had a positive impact on the lives of the students with whom they have had the good fortune to coincide. The selection process is long and complex, requiring the presentation of evidence of successful projects, showing the difficulties faced and the way in which they were solved, among many other aspects related to teaching practice.
For the 2020 call, more than 12,000 applications were received worldwide, which were analyzed by a committee of experts in education. In March 2020, the video announcing the 50 best teachers in the world, who are nominated to obtain the Global Teacher Prize 2020, was launched worldwide; teacher Gustavo appeared there together with his students, and from that moment on his life changed.
Now part of the community known as the Global Teacher Prize Ambassadors, extraordinary opportunities for global collaboration have come with it. In the last two months, I have been fortunate to contribute directly with UNESCO and the OECD in the initiative for the reinvention of the global education system post COVID19. He has participated in more than 15 forums, seminars and webinars, where he has had the opportunity to share his teaching experience and work in educational innovation to inspire millions of teachers around the world.
For Professor Gustavo it has been an unprecedented experience, and according to the finalists of previous editions, this is just the beginning. In October of this year, the Gala Award Ceremony will be held within the framework of the “Global Education and Skills Forum 2020” held by the Varkey Foundation in London, England, where for the first time those who have been recognized as the 50 best teachers in the world will meet.
