No exams or punishments but recycling and outdoor activities. This is the method of the best teacher in the world

    Palma García Hormigo works in a school in Algeciras, Spain and has been awarded the Global Teacher Award 2019, which means that she is considered one of the best teachers in the world. What's special about it? Her method does not include exams or punishments but rather the use of reasoning, recycling and outdoor activities.



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    In a school in Algeciras, Spain, he works Palma Garcia Hormigo who was awarded the 2019 Global Teacher Award, which means she is considered one of the best teachers in the world. What's special about it? Her method does not include exams or punishments but rather the use of reasoning, recycling and outdoor activities.



    After 28 years of career, the Varkey Foundation has decided to award the prestigious award to Palma García, considered one of the 3 best teachers in Spain, together with Xuxo Ruiz of San Sebastián de Albaida del Aljarafe Infant and Primary School (Seville) and Miguel Ángel Querigua, from the University of Burgos.

    Palma is a teacher of the “Colegio Puertoblanco” kindergarten in Algeciras (province of Cadiz). Unlike many other teachers she does not believe that punishment is effective or that it is good for her students to learn with what she calls "bulimic learning" ("I study everything, I vomit on the exam and the knowledge is over" ). He also doubts the effectiveness of the Montessori method, so widespread in recent years but that was fine, according to him, for the last century (now the children are completely different since then).

    No exams or punishments but recycling and outdoor activities. This is the method of the best teacher in the world

    As you may have understood, she is a very unconventional teacher. What is her method, which she explained herself to a Spanish newspaper:

    “My methodology is very active. A year I take five or six recycling courses. I study new methodologies a lot and apply them through short and fun activities, change constantly and try to achieve learning. We have been working on optical effects for months. Eventually, one child told me: 'I think what we see is not true. Let our eyes deceive our brains' Well, this child has learned ”.

    Punishments are useless, to change the behavior of students it is necessary to do daily work with techniques that reinforce positive behaviorsthe. Palma does not even believe in the usefulness of exams that do not value children and for this reason offers continuous training, not only in the classroom, but also during recess.



    No exams or punishments but recycling and outdoor activities. This is the method of the best teacher in the world

    No exams or punishments but recycling and outdoor activities. This is the method of the best teacher in the world

    Instead, he uses a lot of reasoning and concrete practice: “I'll give you two sticks. Make me a house. Use your head and if it falls, I'll give you three sticks ”.

    Instead of studying the basics (it's all on Google now, he says) it's better practice languages, make music, use creativity and above all devote yourself to life in the open air. His work is based on the individuality of individual children and when he sees one in difficulty he sets his sights on achieving the set goals, at the cost of following his students even once they arrive at elementary school.

    The help of parents is also very important, who are very often involved in her projects because this teacher is well aware that her role is limited to a few hours in the life of the children but that then it is the families who really educate.

    All this is obviously possible only if at the base there is a teacher with a capital i! But what are the characteristics that a good teacher must have?

    “It is essential to convey gioia at this age. Also creativeness. If you are not creative you cut the wings of children and patience ... if you are professional you already know that you have to be patient. You will work with small children ".

    Unfortunately, however, he stresses, this is a job that is not only underpaid (but rewarded by the hugs of the students and not everyone has this luck!) But also treated with little respect. New recruits should be much more prepared, stand out in something, like knowledge of a language.


    When they ask her if she would rather do something else in life. He answers very clearly:

    “I was born to be a teacher. I would be very bored by dedicating myself to something else ".


    And it seems that his work is actually very much appreciated not only by parents but also by the students who, he says, go in front of school even on weekends to make sure that it is really closed!

    Read also:

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    • Peter Tabici, the Kenyan math professor is the best teacher in the world
    • “Rest, enjoy and clean beaches or woods”. The vacation homework assigned by the principal of this school
    • The brave teacher who teaches children in refugee camps (VIDEO)
    • The teacher who invited her special pupils to her wedding (PHOTO)

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