His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sunny Varkey, Chairman of GEMS Education and Varkey Foundation, award the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2017 to Maggie MacDonnell.-Photo by Dhes Handumon/Khaleej Times
Dubai - Maggie MacDonnell, her students are her children, and she affectionately calls them her "little army of do-gooders".
Published: Mon 20 Mar 2017, 7:11 PM
Updated: Mon 20 Mar 2017, 10:37 PM
"My kids are so real. You cannot fake anything with them. They have felt addiction, abuse, loss. They know what life is about. They have experienced its true beauty, but also its deepest harshness too."
These are not the words of a mother about her children. Instead, they are the words of a teacher about her students. But for Maggie MacDonnell, her students are her children, and she affectionately calls them her "little army of do-gooders".
On Sunday, Nova Scotia-born MacDonnell was named the best teacher in the world after receiving the $1m Global Teacher Prize at the Global Education Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai.
In a sit down with Khaleej Times, the inspirational teacher - who was whittled down from 20,000 nominations spanning 179 countries - shares with us her journey from one of the world's most remote regions, to the world stage.
From the Congo to the Canadian Arctic
Six years ago, before taking up a teaching position at the fly-in-only village of Salluit, deep in the Canadian Arctic, MacDonnell had only ever attended one funeral - that of her uncle.
But since then she has witnessed more than 30 funerals - funerals of many people she knew personally.
"I would say 50 per cent of the youth in town (Salluit) have dealt with suicidal thoughts. My students have all known someone who has died. This is their reality."
With a population of just 1,300 people, Salluit is predominantly made up of an Inuit community - a group of indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions. But due to its limited resources, and geographic isolation, it has led to high rates of teenage drug abuse and self-harm, with suicide rates spiralling.
"I've lost count of how many funerals I have attended. For the people of Salluit, suicide has become a constant, but these incidents are decreasing thanks to education," she said.
It was MacDonnell's determination to change the lives of her students (at the Ikusik School, Salluit) and their community that got her the ultimate praise on Sunday. But after being referred to as "selfless", she disagreed.
"I wouldn't call it selfless because giving back is what motivates me. I get so much out of it."
Humble beginnings
Growing up in a rural town in Nova Scotia, MacDonnell had a very "secure" education and childhood. From teachers to pupils, and parents to residents, "everyone knew each other's name". But although the same rules apply in Salluit's close-knit community, as an area of high deprivation, she said education is far from secure for its youth.
After spending most of her career working in Tanzania, it was a three-month working stint in the Congo that eventually led to her teaching position in the Inuit village of Salluit, Québec.
"Both my sister and I have always had an interest in working with indigenous communities and she was actually based as a social worker there."
And it was that desire to tackle the environmental destruction and massive economic and social inequality in indigenous communities that led to a career-changing suggestion from her sister. "She informed me the principal of the local school, which houses about 200 students, was looking for a teacher. After a skype interview between the Congo and the remote Arctic, I secured her position.
Though she knew staff turnover was high at the school, with many quitting due to stress, she said wanted to do it.
"Knowing my sister was based there made my decision that bit easier, so I packed my bags and went."
Teething problems
Like most new teachers at any school, MacDonnell said she underwent a kind of "initiation" from the students when she first joined.
She was teaching a class of 10 students - all boys aged 13 to 18 years - who had all been deemed "at risk".
"They definitely tested me but I learnt to be patient, consistent and show compassion. My biggest ally at that time was having a sense of humour, and creating a fun environment for the boys."
Knowing the students were exhausted from building relationships with teachers, only to see them leave again just as quick, MacDonnell said it was understandable why she was put through her paces. But ultimately it helped her build "trust among the students", and since then, they have transitioned from students to a family.
To date, her work in the school and community has seen her build programmes and facilities to help the community develop coping strategies for their harsh realities, and in many cases, replace addiction.
With beyond freezing temperatures (hitting minus 25 degrees Celsius in winters) and rampant inaccessibility, life in Salluit is not easy, but MacDonnell - through education - is raising the hopes of the youth.
For her, being a teacher means "creating content in a curriculum that adapts to local context" and she said she will continue to shed new light on the youth of the village.
And as the community is slowly starting to see these young people in a new light - not as troublemakers but as do-gooders - MacDonnell said she has one message for teachers.
"I want them to know they matter. If you are working in a really high needs place, you tend to forget you matter because it is so overwhelming, but education really is the answer."
Fostering a love for the youth
Aside from her teaching and community work, Maggie MacDonnell has also been a temporary foster parent in the community, including to some of her own students.
After returning home from school one day, MacDonnell said she was confronted with her husband holding an 18-month-old baby, a baby she had never met. "He just told me we had to look after her for the night, so I said okay. I didn't ask questions."
And that was the start of their fostering journey. To date, they have fostered about seven children, from the ages of one to 17 years. Sometimes the foster period is short-term and sometimes long-term.
The children in their care are usually going through a family or situational crisis, and in some cases, it is MacDonnell's students themselves who ask her for shelter.
"We are one of many families in the community doing this so to me it is not a big deal," she said.
Know super teacher Maggie MacDonnell
Created a life skills programme specifically for girls to tackle high rates of teenage pregnancy. It has seen a 500 per cent improvement in girls' registration in life skills programmes that were formerly dominated by boys
Secured over $30,000 in funding to prepare hot meals for the community
Transitioned students into employment by creating a partnership with a daycare centre where her students work in the classrooms
Secured over $20,000 for an in-school nutrition programme where students prepare healthy snacks for their fellow students
Established a fitness centre, which has become a hub for youth and adults in the local community to help battle drug and drink addiction. It is relieving stress, helping young people grow stronger physically and mentally
Promotes 'acts of kindness' which has dramatically improved school attendance. Examples include: running a community kitchen, attending suicide prevention training and hiking through national parks to understand environmental stewardship
Students have personally fundraised over $37,000 for diabetes prevention
Quick fire round with world's best teacher
How were you nominated for the Global Teacher Prize?
My dear friend Rolando persuaded me to put myself forward for the award. I am not comfortable being in the spotlight so initially I said no. But when he told me it would bring attention to my school, I was sold. I'm still in disbelief because if you look at the top 50 names, it was an honour to be among them. I think if you have the ego to think you are the number one teacher in the world, then your ego is too big for you to be a good teacher.
What do you plan to do with the $1 million?
With this funding, my biggest dream is to launch a non-profit organisation with my ex-students spearheading the project. I think they are so primed right now, and it will focus on environmental issues in relation to people. For Indigenous peoples, environmental rights are their human rights, so we need to put a focus on this.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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