Taroudante- Moroccan teacher at the American School of Tangier Mrs. Souad Belcaid is among the top 50 finalists in an international competition to find the world's best teacher.
Belcaid is the only teacher in North Africa shortlisted for The Global Teacher Prize, a competition established by the Varkey GEMS Foundation with a grand prize of one million dollars, “to celebrate one outstanding teacher.”
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Medina tour, Jewish Foundation[/caption]
In 2007, Belcaid received a Teacher of the Year Award after having taught for 12 years in Milton Public Schools’ French immersion programme. In an exclusive interview with MWN, Mrs. Souad Belcaid said that she is, “very happy and honored to make it into the top 50 finalists.”
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6th student (in the middle) received a honorable mention certificate for her essay on bullying.[/caption]
After extended experience teaching abroad in Massachusetts, Missouri, and Egypt, Belcaid returned to her home country, Morocco.
“I have to give something back to my country!” Belcaid explained.
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Students' visit to Ibn Battouta’s tomb, Tangier[/caption]
Currently a 6th grade homeroom teacher at the American School of Tangier, Belcaid teaches four subjects: Math, Science, English and Social Studies.
When asked of the way she approaches problems educators face in class, Belcaid explains that she is against root memorization.
However,“I focus on problem solving, critical thinking and creativity to enable students to understand the world’s challenges, complexity and interdependence,” she states.
Belcaid urged Moroccan teachers to love their jobs and to add passion into their work. “We are all in it for the kids, if you make a change in one kid, you have done your job,” she said.
She has developed new techniques in teaching mathematics at the American School of Tangier in addition to working with parents, students and staff to confront and eradicate bullying at school.
To accept teacher’s applications, Belcaid explains that The Global Teacher Prize committee considers many criteria including, “passion, creativity, technology and community outreach.”
The Global Teacher Prize was launched, “to celebrate the best teachers around the world,” with its main objective, “to uplift the valuable contributions that teachers make every day to establish a flourishing global society.”
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