Home again, home again, jiggety jig.

WOOOOOOW, is the word I  am left with.  What a tremendous business trip that was!

I have networked with the world's LEADERS!  And that includes Prime Ministers, Presidents, Sheiks, Education Secretaries and  Ministers, CEOs, and principals of some of the world's most innovative new schools.  And that doesn't even take into  account the BEST part of this trip:  I was able to collaborate with 49 of the best,  most innovative, creative and progressive teachers in the whole world!  I have a new family.  A global family.  In four days, we were able to bond and share from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. with an  intensity that I have never known before.

And Sunny Varkey, the man behind the whole Global Teacher Prize, treated us like royalty for the entire time. I mean the thousands attended the Global Education and Skills Forum and the TEACHERS were the stars, the heroes, the ones who were held in the greatest esteem.   When the 50 of us were called upon  to stand up in the ever-so-opulent auditorium, the applause was thunderous.  Everyone was beaming.  And they were beaming at US, teachers.  Teachers.  I have never been treated with such respect, and I will never remember the feeling of being appreciated.  Appreciated. By so many of such  great influence in  the world!  And the Pope announced the winner!  THE pope! Then his Royal Highness, the  Shiekh of  the  United Arab Emirates, and Sunny Varkey presented the  prize to Hanan.

Tony Blair

I received a constant flow of photos of my students working hard via email, and received some other email  that asked for  me  to post more pictures....so here they come.  I didn't say much  about Dubai, the city, because I  was there for the people.  But it is a city of the future, of such  magnanimous and sparkling proportions that words can never do it justice.

And on the night of the announcement  of  the  2016 Global Teacher Prize, we were all lead down a red carpet to a star-studded outdoor auditorium, with hundreds of tables with white linen table cloths and waited upon by personal servers bearing the most mouth-watering of foods  from lands near and far.  And presentation?  Candlelight,  four glasses per person, sterling silverware, and  gourmet food so pretty that you hardly wanted to eat it.

The champaign bubbled,  the waiters bowed, while music filled the air live from  10 different cultures.  Sparkling gowns, crisp tuxedos and effervescence  wisped through the merry crowd.  And then the  dancing started.  Our Hanan from Palestine, raised in  a refugee camp, had won the million  dollar prize and she is going to use it for scholarships for future teachers.   We were all so unbelievably proud of  her, of each other and of our  new global  family of colleagues.

Here are some photos of the magical evening.

Arne Duncan playing basketball

The arrival of  His Royal Highness,  the Shiek and ruler of UAE.

Some of the Top 50 teachers follow in these pics

Christian,  a kindergarten  teacher from Australia, and his new wife.

The Pope announces the winner.

When a teacher, Hanan, from Palestine wins,  the crowd goes wild!

The Top 10 sit in front of Hanan making  her acceptance speech

School children greet us on the red carpet!

Arabian dancing and drumming welcome us to the Gala

Some more of my  colleagues.

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Another Top 50 (and dog trainer) from the US, Melissa!

A picture could not capture the opulence fairly

My colleagues from Malaysia and India (above)

Robin from India and many of the girls she lives with and cares for. 

Greece is represented here. 

Nancy Atwell, winner of the 2015 Global Teacher Prize ($1 million).  She started her own school and has written nine books about literacy.

Two Malaysian and one African colleague

India and Palestine are represented in these Top 50 teachers

Me with Hanan, winner of this year's Global Teacher Prize

My new Indian friend/colleague

Incidentally, I just today was able to read all of your comments!  Thanks Mom, Juli, Jenni, Janet and Carolyn especially, for taking the trip with me!

And thanks to all my students and their parents who joined me on this incredible journey, as well.  

Tid bits from three VERY busy days of collaborating with the best teachers in the world!

Noorajah and I became instant best friends.  She is from Malaysia.

By day two of our summit, we were all friends.   

At left, wearing the head piece is Olay,  the woman who "takes care of Africa" Vikas Potas said as he introduced her on the stage at the AMAZING keynote speech that kicked off the Global Education and Skills Forum.

I introduced myself to her (she is from the Gambia) and told her I was interested in doing teacher training there.  Her country is negotiating an arrangement for just that with Rwanda.  She introduced me to her aide, who gave me her card! 

Only Sonny Varkey would have thought to have an actual diver come into the Palms Atlantis Aquarium restaurant (which he rented out solely for the top 50 Summit dinner)!

New friends from Malaysia.

The other Jacque (from Kenya) and I became quick friends....

Meeting Olay and Ramata from the Gambia at the Varkey Global Education and Skills Forum today.

From all countries, we collaborated.   

One of my favorite

After a 20 hour Global Teacher Ambassador Summit, we drummed.

The one on the left above is the winner of the Global Teacher Prize for last year (my year) - Nancy Atwell.  She started her own school and has written nine books on literacy and writing in the classroom.  She said she gave 400 interviews~  She won $1,000,000.  But she is just like us.

Workshop collaborations.

The amazing auditorium where they had the key note speech.  All of the Top 50/ Teacher Ambassadors were asked to stand up.  It was so affirming to look back to a crowd of like 2,000 people, including ministers of education, heads of state, presidents, etc.   

 

Jacque and I traded earrings;  we were both very pleased!

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