Wendy Horn, Principal of Protea Heights Academy, will fly the flag for South Africa with with Majorie Brown at the Global Teacher of the Year Awards in March (Western Cape Gov / Supplied)
Wendy Horn, Principal of Protea Heights Academy, will fly the flag for South Africa with with Majorie Brown at the Global Teacher of the Year Awards in March (Western Cape Gov / Supplied)
Two South African teachers are in the running for the Global Teacher of the Year award 2018, and have made the shortlist of the 50 best educators in the world.
Wendy Horn, Principal of Protea Heights Academy – a Maths and Science Focus School – has made the cut, and is joined by Majorie Brown from Roedean School in Johannesburg.
Global Teacher of the Year Awards 2017
Now, not only are these exceptional mentors getting international recognition for their work. They are also competing to win a prize of $1 million, should they be declared the best of the best at a ceremony on March 18. They don’t call this ‘the Nobel Prize of teaching’ for nothing, you know.
The judging panel is made up of public officials, head teachers, academics, journalists, entrepreneurs, company directors, scientists and entertainment industry figures from around the world. If an educator catches their eye, they put them forward for the prestigious trophy.
World’s top 50 teachers
Out of the 8,000 competitors from 148 countries, it was these two South Africans who secured themselves a place in the final. Wendy Horn was unable to hide her joy, when she was told she made the final 50:
“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”,
“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.”
Top marks for South African teachers
Mrs Horn is no stranger to accolades in her field, though. She won both the Western Cape’s Teacher of the Year award and the National Teaching Award for ‘Excellence in Teaching Science’, between 2013 – 2014.
We congratulate her and Mrs Brown on their phenomenal achievements, and we’ll be rooting for them all the way. Right up until the final bell.
Also read: 23 reasons why teaching isn’t for the faint-hearted
