Francisca Elgueta, UC Education graduate, wins Global Teacher Prize Chile 2022

The history teacher, who works as a teacher at the Betania de la Granja School, was awarded thanks to her outstanding work on school reinsertion.

This Thursday December 1st Francisca Elgueta, former student of the Pedagogical Training Program of the Faculty of Education of the Catholic University, was awarded the Global Teacher Prize Chile 2022 in the General category, through a ceremony held at the TVN premises.

The recognition was granted for his outstanding work in school reinsertion. The teacher works as history teacher and school reinsertion at Betania de La Granja School, and has promoted a project focused on creating comprehensive citizens through the exploitation of various social issues within the classroom.

His challenge, he explains, has mainly had to do with succeed in engaging and motivating students. He was also part of the network of SIP schools (Primary Instruction Society) for five years, where he sought to approach highly vulnerable contexts.

Regarding her training at the Catholic University, the teacher highlights that "this training space was very important to me in terms of to the deep sense of social justice regarding educationbehind a commitment to high expectations for our students, and the commitment to work with communities in which we can raise the voice of students, we can value their own identities and help them to be the same boys and girls who give back to their communities, the country and the world”.

at Elige Educar, organizing entity of the Global Teacher Prize Chile, also carried out during the same day in the morning a meeting with academics from the UC School of Education. The eight finalists of the 2022 version attended, including Valentina Rojas, basic education teacher and graduate of Education UC, who spoke with the rest of the finalists about different themes and challenges regarding Chilean education.

Different academics from UC Education were present at the meeting together with Joaquín Walker, executive director of Elige Educar; Catalina Carrasco, coordinator of the Global Teacher Prize Chile and Alejandro Carrasco, dean of the Faculty of Education UC, who indicated that “It is fascinating to listen to them and listen to them, because it questions us, questions us, challenges us. They also endorse decisions we are making and have made. My congratulations to all of you."

“With the Global Teacher Prize what we are looking for It's not just rewarding teachers and professors. This is an excuse to make the teaching profession visible. That's what we want. The idea is that society looks at the role of teachers these days, and also problematize challenges initial training, working conditions and collaborative work”, said Joaquín Walker.

Valentina Rojas, finalist, reflected on the characteristics that teachers in Chile should have, assuring that "I think it is key to have high expectations for students. Believing that they can achieve it, that they can fulfill what they want tomorrow. Whether it is entering the university, studying something technical, going to travel or going to work. And also, also make them understand that they can".

Congratulations to Francisca Elgueta and Valentina Rojas, and all the finalists!