Teacher from India named regional winner in global teacher appreciation award
New Delhi: Cambridge University Press (the Press) – the publishing division of the University of Cambridge – has announced an English Teacher and Dean of International Affairs from India as the winner from the East & South Asia region in the 2021 Dedicated Teacher Awards – a global competition to recognise and celebrate teachers all around the world.
Raminder Kaur Mac, from Choithram School, was chosen for the annual awards due to her providing students with ‘unparalleled opportunities to develop knowledge and skills needed for global citizenship’.
For the first time, the Press has chosen six regional winners out of a record-breaking 13,000 nominations from 112 countries. A public vote is now open to decide who wins the overall Dedicated Teacher Award. The vote will close on 7 May and the winner will be announced in mid-May. Vote for the winner here.
Mrs. Mac’s nominator described how she ‘enabled [them] to transcend boundaries and envision the world with a different perspective’ by organising collaborative projects and discussions with overseas school students to explore the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and other local and global issues. She provided opportunities for learners to engage with topics such as ecological sustainability, social responsibility, mental health and more.
This year’s awards are particularly pertinent due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the extraordinary efforts of teachers to continue their students’ learning, even when schools were closed.
Rod Smith, Managing Director for Education at Cambridge University Press, said: ‘At Cambridge, we want to join with people around the world to recognise and celebrate teachers who go above and beyond every day. All around the world teachers do fantastic work. They play a vital role in the lives of their students, and often make a difference without even knowing it. We believe that well-supported teachers are central to high quality pedagogy and the well-being of learners, and the Dedicated Teacher Awards are a way to say a well-deserved thank you.’
Other regional winners include Peggy Pesik, Sekolah Buin Batu International School, Indonesia; Nonhlanhla Masina, African School for Excellence, South Africa; Anna Murray, British Council France; Annamma Lucy, Our Own English High School Sharjah-Boys’ Branch, United Arab Emirates and Melissa Crosby, Frankfort High School, Kentucky, USA.
This year, the Press received 13,000 nominations from 112 countries – over double the amount of nominations compared to last year – each detailing an inspiring story about an extraordinary teacher. A panel of expert judges have selected their six regional winners from the shortlist, based on whether nominations met the awards criteria. Among the criteria, the judges looked at whether a teacher demonstrated innovative practices, provided fantastic pastoral care and prepared students for their futures beyond school.
The six winners have won a host of prizes, including class sets of books or digital resources. They will also feature on a thank you page at the front of every new Cambridge University Press Education textbook from May 2021 and receive an invitation to the Cambridge Panel, an online community of specialists that help to shape the Press’s education publishing.
Last year, the 2020 Dedicated Teacher Awards saw Patricia Abril from New Cambridge School in Colombia, announced the winner from over 6,000 award nominations from 97 different countries around the world.
Vote for the winner of the Dedicated Teacher Awards at dedicatedteacher.cambridge.org/vote/