Having their names announced before those in attendance—both in person and online— the presentation of the Transformative Educator Award was the first in a series of emotional moments experienced by the seven teachers honored with this national award, jointly sponsored by the Significare Institute, Bett Brasil, and Sebrae, with the goal of highlighting projects undertaken by teachers who foster transformative education at various levels of schooling, from early childhood education to higher education.

Now that the excitement of the awards ceremony—which took place during Bett Brasil 2023, Latin America’s leading education and technology event, held in May in São Paulo (SP)—has subsided, the award-winning teachers are sharing the significance of the award and the impact this recognition has had on their lives.

Check out some of the stories:

“The students now look at us with hope in their eyes”

This is one of the key insights gained by Prof. Eukennya Araújo, from Recife (PE), winner of the Transformative Educator Award in the Vocational Education category for her project “Bringing Technical Education Closer to Real-World Work Experiences,” which was implemented with students in secondary-level technical and vocational education.

According to the educator, the recognition brought by the Award has led to greater appreciation from colleagues and for the educational institution, provided greater motivation to innovate in teaching methods, and, above all, offered the opportunity to serve as a role model for students. “They now look at us with hope, as someone who, in a way, will inspire them to also strive for their best and to believe that they are capable of making their dreams come true,” says Prof. Eukennya. “I can only thank the Award organizers for this recognition and for taking such good care of us finalists with such warmth during this unforgettable moment,” she adds.

“Everyone was happy and felt proud to be part of our school.”

The sense of recognition felt by Prof. João Carlos Pereira Braga, from Belford Roxo (RJ), extended to the entire community of teachers, students, and families at the José Pinto Teixeira Municipal School, where he teaches. “Overnight, I went from being anonymous to becoming a ‘celebrity.’ People I hadn’t seen in a long time reached out to congratulate me. Other colleagues, who are more in touch, shared in the joy. In one respect, I felt a sense of unity: everyone felt represented and happy about our achievement,” says the teacher. “With the final result—where we were crowned champions—we experienced an outpouring of excitement unlike anything our school community had ever seen. Everyone rejoiced and felt proud to be students at José Pinto Teixeira Municipal School,” he adds.

The educator won the award in the Elementary School—Upper Grades—category with the project “REcoin: Money from Trash.” REcoin is a currency backed by solid waste. The school community can bring in their waste and exchange it for “little money” (REcoin). With REcoin, everyone can buy various products at the REcoin Store or invest in Nature Bonds. The proceeds from the sale of solid waste are used to purchase school supplies and educational toys for the REcoin Store. Any surplus is set aside to fund project events.

“It had a profound impact on my confidence and motivation as an educator”

For Prof. Joana Bertoldi, from Brusque (SC), winning the Transformative Educator Award gave new momentum to her work as an educator, encouraging her to pursue innovative teaching practices. “The award had a profound impact on my confidence and motivation as an educator. It reinforced my belief in the importance of my work and in my ability to make a difference in students’ lives. This external recognition has also encouraged me to continue striving for excellence and innovation in my teaching practice. I’ve become more open to new ideas and approaches, willing to experiment and explore new educational paths,” she says.

Winner of the Transformative Educator Award in the Early Childhood Education category for her project “The Development of Computational Thinking and Logical Reasoning in Early Childhood Education”—which introduced children to the world of robotics—Professor Joana shares the sentiment expressed by other award-winning teachers regarding how this recognition also impacted the school, students, and families. “The impact within my school was immediate and inspiring. Colleagues, administrators, and students expressed a sense of pride and admiration, which strengthened the work environment and the sense of community within the school,” she says.

“On the Right Path to Promoting Transformative Education”

Prof. Rafael Herdy, from Belém (PA), saw new opportunities open up after winning the Transformative Educator Award. In addition to recognition and visibility, the award created opportunities to share innovative practices with other educators and educational administrators, fostering an enriching dialogue on best teaching practices.

“The Award opened doors to new partnerships and opportunities for collaboration. We’ve established connections with educational institutions and leading professionals in the field, which has allowed us to exchange knowledge and expand our repertoire of educational practices,” says the educator, who won the Award in the High School category with the project “Cargo PAVÚ: An Innovative Solution for the Smart Organization of Goods Inside Various Vehicles.”

Based on a conversation between students from the Robotics Club and various professionals in the logistics and freight transportation industry, the challenge was to make cargo organization procedures inside freight vehicles more efficient by using a scanner prototyped by the students themselves—working as a team—as well as an app to suggest the smartest and most efficient way to organize the cargo.

The recognition and opportunities that the award brings to the winning project also encourage Prof. Rafael to believe that he is on the right track as an educator. “For me personally, receiving this award was a moment of great satisfaction and recognition. It meant that all the effort, dedication, and passion I’ve poured into education were valued and that I’m on the right path to promoting transformative education.”

“They feel like champions, too”

This is the main feedback that Prof. Antonio Carlos Mariz Jr., from Brasília (DF), has received since he was announced as the winner of the Transformative Educator Award in the Higher Education category for his project “Educational Podcast – Educast IESB.” The students, who are the driving force behind the initiative, also share in the recognition the educator has received.

“I’m very happy about this recognition from the students, especially since so many of them participated in the project. So they were very happy to learn that their teacher—who came up with the project—won the championship. That makes them feel a little like champions, too,” the teacher says.

The award-winning project in the Higher Education category consisted of the production (scriptwriting, recording, and editing) of educational podcasts created by students in the Education program, based on their experiences in the field of education, while also promoting digital inclusion (given that technological knowledge is not always as present as it should be in the training of future educators), entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment, since the majority of the undergraduate students are women. The initiative was implemented at the Institute of Higher Education of Brasília (IESB).

“It sparked in me a desire to develop new projects that make an impact and bring about change”

The statement by Prof. Claudia Janaina Carneiro, from Campina Grande (PB), highlights how the visibility brought by the Award has motivated the educator to think of more initiatives that make a difference in the lives of her students and the community at large. “Winning the Transformative Educator Award has provided much greater visibility for my project, which has now secured even more partnerships. In addition, the entire experience—from the beginning right up to the award ceremony—has made me even more aware of my responsibility to develop new projects capable of impacting and transforming my students’ lives,” she says.

The educator won the award in the Elementary School—Early Years—category for her project “Children’s Leadership in Implementing the 2030 Agenda—Studies on Sustainability.” The project’s main educational innovation lies in its practical and technology-based approach to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using robotics kits.

“The award has brought Youth and Adult Education into the spotlight”

For Prof. Elaine Romanha, from Osasco (SP), winning the Transformative Educator Award was important for drawing greater attention and visibility to the needs of Youth and Adult Education (EJA), the category in which she received the award. “EJA has gained more visibility within the municipal school system and has also provided a new incentive for students: 36 of them have started reading and writing,” says the educator.

Elaine won the award for her project “So Many Emotions,” which aimed to strengthen bonds and promote learning through an understanding of emotions and the ways to express them. The initiative sought to positively influence how students care for their emotional well-being within the teaching-and-learning process, and to develop oral and cognitive skills essential for living well and learning.

The educator also points out that the award was a “turning point” in her personal and professional life and that this achievement is the result of a collaborative effort. “Education is multifaceted: The project had a scientific and theoretical foundation and was linked to public policy, and when I speak of this integration, I want to emphasize that I had many people I could count on in this work to promote education,” she concludes.

In all, nearly 3,000 projects were submitted for the first edition of the Transformative Educator Award. Of these, 70 finalist teachers from all regions of the country attended Bett Brasil in person, giving the award greater national representation.

The Transformative Educator Award was created based on the synergies between two other awards that were already being presented in the field of education: the Transformative Teacher Award, sponsored by the Significare Institute and Bett Brasil; and the SEBRAE Award for Entrepreneurial Education.

All information and updates regarding the Transformative Educator Award can be found on the website: www.educadortransformador.com.br

*Article originally published on the Significare Institute blog.

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