How Martin Salvetti will invest the million dollars if tomorrow is the winner of the "Nobel" of education

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates.- What is the best way to teach students? The Argentine maestro Martín Salvetti was the first of the ten finalists of the
Global Teacher Prize 2019 to answer the question. "It's more difficult than discovering the formula of Coca Cola," said the Argentine teacher, and the audience burst out laughing.

"It's important to let them know that they are the leaders of change in their own communities, in my school, with the radio and automotive projects they feel are the protagonists, they are enthusiastic about it. Idea to work on something they like, and that's the only way to engage them and keep them in school, "added Salvetti at the first conference
the ten candidates to talk about their lives and their projects.

The teacher of the Technical School No. 5 "April 2" of

Temperley

, Province of Buenos Aires, may become tomorrow the first Latin American to receive the prize awarded by the
Varkey Foundation for five years, which, in addition to a statuette, includes a million dollars for the teacher to invest in their educational projects.

From the first edition of the Global Teacher Prize to the present, now in its fifth year, a Latin American teacher has never been a laureate. Not a man either. All the winners were women. The last, the British
Andria Zafirakou, who taught in one of the most marginal neighborhoods of

London

.

Will it be the turn of Latin America? A man this time? "Listen, yesterday, the schoolchildren told me that the radio transmitter had broken down and that there remained 30 000 pesos to repair it, that is to say that we are already at 30,000 pesos, but I have other projects, such as developing a place with alternative energies and project similar to that of motorcycles but with the idea of ​​repairing motorcycles to facilitate the transfer of people with low mobility ".

An imposing seat

The proposed scenario for this mega summit on education and skills (Global Forum on Education and Skills) that started yesterday and ends tomorrow in this city is beautiful. Nearly 300 speakers, 40 education ministers, 200 media outlets, seven presidents and more than 2,200 registrants will coincide this weekend at the Atlantis Hotel Convention Center, a huge piece of art installed on Palm Jumeirah, the world's largest man-made island , a qualification that has already become a cliché in Dubai, the most tourist and ostentatious city in the United Arab Emirates. The complex, with a huge central arch and drastic towers that turn into bright arrows at night, includes the largest open-air saltwater aquarium in the Middle East, a water park and pristine white-sand beaches. Also in Dubai is the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, at 828 meters altitude, and the most luxurious hotel on the planet, the Burj Al Arab, which has become another symbol of its sailing form and its 7 stars of amenities. .

But the subject of the summit is not luxury. Very far from this postcard is the work of the teachers who make up the
top ten, who teach in contexts and realities of social inequality, poverty, violence, lack of access to basic housing and nutrition conditions. Like that of the Brazilian Debora Garofalo, another of the Latin faces of the forum, who teaches in a school in the suburbs of

St.Paul

. "Brazil has an exuberant landscape, beautiful beaches, carnival, football, but the reality of many children who go to school in Brazil is difficult, very difficult, with thousands of obstacles and challenges. Inequality, "said Garofalo. Inspired by the trash that was in the area where the school works, bring it to clbad to work on robotics projects. "More than 700 kilos of rubbish around us have become something different, made by the students," he told the audience.

Tomorrow will be the awards gala and Salvetti will take every minute available to chat with colleagues, hear new ideas and share their experiences in the Buenos Aires clbadrooms with the other appointed teachers. "Everyone is doing an incredible job, but I realized that unlike us, most of them have the opportunity to do more research, then develop better projects, I think that is missing in Argentina, by example, we always end up playing by ear, with long-term policies and the opportunity to invest in research, "said Salvetti.

At 10, an instagramer opens the forum

The plenary session that opened the forum started very early, in the main room, and the note of distinction was the 360-degree screen that covered every inch of the four walls of the room and the small Braydon Bent: 10 years , British,
vlogger e
instagramer,
with more than 10,000 subscribers on Twitter. He was the official presenter. "It is my generation that will live in this new world, so I ask you: what do you not leave us?", Said the little boy in front of the audience, who l? applauded with applause.

The public is very diverse. Different languages, outfits, cultures and religions. There are teachers everywhere, but also leaders of NGOs, entrepreneurs and experts in neuroscience, technology or robotics. At the end of the inaugural plenary session,
Sunny Varkey He took the microphone. The Indian multimillionaire, creator of the foundation of the same name and owner of a chain of private schools in the city, announced that it was the year of tolerance to Dubai. "Tomorrow evening, one of these teachers will have the price in their hands, but by showing one, we want to distinguish everyone." Education will change more in the next 50 years than in any history. We need to get the teachers' message out in all the ideas, we always call politicians, experts, big business leaders, but if we really want something to change, we should listen more to the teachers. to find out what is the best way to teach students, let the teachers show the way, "concluded Varkey.