Meet The First Global Best Teacher, Winner of Global Teacher Prize Award.

Nancie Atwell is the first internationally awarded best teacher with a whooping prize of $1 million dollars, the first of a Global Teacher Prize award. The Varkey Foundation, which oversaw the nomination, screening, selection of finalists and award of prize to the winner, intended the award to match the Nobel Prize - a Nobel Prize of Teaching.

The award ceremony which was held in Dubai saw in attendance, notable dignitaries and world leaders, including former US President, Bill Clinton and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai.

The Award

The Prize was in response to a study, "Global Teacher Status Index" carried out by the Varkey Foundation. The findings of the study showed that people have a poor perception of teachers, only in China didpeople see teacher in the same light as doctors, everywhere else, teachers perception is low - comparable to a social worker. Thus, the Prize was created to draw attention to the valuable works of teacher and to motivate younger generation into joining the profession.

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey GEMS Foundation, said:

"I want to draw attention to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives. They must be returned to their.rightful position as the most respected profession in society, which is properly rewarded and celebrated".

"This prize is not just about money. It's about unearthing thousands of stories of courage and inspiration.

"We want to inspire children from far-flung villages, towns and cities around the world to say 'I want that prize!' How many kids say they want to be a reality TV star? Let's get them aiming to be the greatest teacher in the world"

Nancie's Career and Achievements

Nancie, 63, has a teaching career spanning over 40 years, teaching English Language for most part of her career, she's however most recognized for reading-writing workshops where children have the freedom to choose what they read and subjects they write about. The described the reading-writing innovation in a book she authored - 'In The Middle'.

In 1990, she founded the Centre for Teaching and Learning, dedicated to the development and dissemination of (teaching) methods. The not-for-profit demonstration school, admits children from poor and disadvantaged background. One of her former student nominated her for the award. She went on to top 5000 other nominee for the same award to win the prize.

She plans to use all of the prize money for her school. Among her top priorities are expanding the school's library system and maintaining diversity among its student body, 80 percent of whom receive tuition assistance.