Mareike Hachemer has had an amazing year so far since becoming a Teacher Prize top 50 finalist! She visited 25 finalists and other international educators in Malta, Dubai, France, Germany and the USA. Not only that, but she was announced as one of this year’s Lowell Milken Fellows!
The LMC Fellows program prepares K-12 educators to enhance student-led learning through positive role models – “Unsung Heroes” – from history. Each Fellow has achieved national or international recognition; demonstrates exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom; and possesses an engaging, inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, communities and beyond. Mareike is a fit for sure!
Top 50 Teacher Prize Finalists Nancy Barile and Mareike Hachemer overlooking Boston after a great day at Revere High School with a student art exhibition, book awards and teaching students about Germany.
We asked Mareike to tell us about her amazing experience meeting so many other Teacher Prize finalists and learning as a Lowell Milken Fellow. Here is what she said:
On my trip as a Lowell Milken fellow 2015, I first met Nancy Barile, who has been my constant partner in communication since we both learned that we are in the top 50 of the Global Teacher Prize. Now I have actually come to Boston to meet Nancy face-to-face. It turns out that she is a wonderful person and the most outstanding teacher. She has won so many awards that I couldn’t name them all without writing a five page letter.
Visiting her classes at Revere High School, it becomes very obvious that she has an adorable and very personal approach to her students. Her classroom is filled with knowledge and personal stories. She knows all of her students so well; when she walks along the school corridors it’s “Hello Ms. Barile”, “Have a great day, Ms. Barile” everywhere!
In her twenty year teaching career, it seems like she has taught almost everyone in Revere, or one of their friends and relatives. On her birthday everyone at school did everything they could to bring cakes and flowers, cards and greetings! She has particularly helped students from difficult backgrounds, those that survived a war in another country, those that had been at the edge of criminal activities, those that struggled to learn English as a second language and encouraged them to do and achieve their best.
Mareike Hachemer teaching students about German landmarks in Nancy Barile’s classroom at Revere High School.
Not only did I visit her and her school, Revere High School, but also did I see Boston and an amazing play production. As a drama teacher this was a great experience.
Warm welcome for Lowell Milken Center Fellows 2015 in Kansas.
With the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in Kansas, I joined inspiring award-winning teachers from New Mexico, Arizona, Nebraska, Washington and Maine. We exchanged ideas on how to encourage students to research and do project-led work on unsung heroes from history, people who have done outstanding deeds, but are not yet recognized for them enough.
Here I saw a play on Irena Sendler, a Polish woman who saved more than 2,500 Jewish children during World War II (and therefore more than twice as many as the well-known Oscar Schindler). Her story was discovered 15 years ago by 3 high school students from Kansas and their inspired teacher, Norm Conard. Since then Irena Sendler’s story has been revealed and acknowledged and staged in plenty of countries and states and continues to be told and played. Irena now is a national hero in Poland.
Talking about education on Kansas radio station: Milken Award Winners Tanny Dunham (New Mexico) and Kevin Witte (Nebraska) with teacher prize top 50 finalist Mareike Hachemer and director of Lowell Milken Center Norman Conard.
As Lowell Milken Fellows we spoke about education on the Kansas/Missouri/Arkansas radio station and in front of several audiences, were honored at the city council with a speech and a certificate of recognition and received an honorable key to the city of Fort Scott. We were acknowledged as new members in the Teacher Hall of Fame, were given tours to educational sites in town, from museums to sports venues and exhibition halls.
Honored at Fort Scott city council: Teacher Prize Finalist Mareike Hachemer receives certificate of recognition and key to the city of Fort Scott.
In New York I visited Melissa Morris, the top 50 Global Teacher Prize Finalist whose heart beats for students and music. It became so obvious that she teaches students to become great people through her music and how she encourages them to be successful and have an impact. She truly wants to make the world a better place for the following generations and with all her sparkling ideas she sets fire inside people’s hearts!
I visited her school in Staten Island, the High School for International Studies where I could see her impact on students and their appreciation of her. She gave me a wonderful and musical impression of New York with its Broadway theaters, concert venues and bands.
Global Teacher Prize Finalists meeting at the Bronx Zoo in New York City: Stephen Ritz, Melissa Morris, Mareike Hachemer.
Together we visited Stephen Ritz and his wife Lynette near his school in the South Bronx, at the Bronx Zoo. There, he currently offers an insight into gardening for young zoo visitors. We harvested carrots, saw tiny cucumbers and many children digging in the ground, looking for worms. It was great to see Stephen and Lynette again after we first saw each other in Dubai in March.
Meeting more finalists at Global Education Day in Philadelphia, meeting Mike Soskil.
At Global Education Day in Philadelphia we also met Mike Soskil, had dinner together, exchanged ideas about the Ambassador Programme. We discussed Melissa’s idea “Teachers without Borders” and Mike’s “Book of Teacher Stories”. It was great to meet many fascinating educators at ISTE/Global Education Day, hear inspiring stories of education, and even briefly say “Hello” to Lisa Parisi.
I wish I could keep visiting other Global Teacher Prize finalists and countries! Thank you to all of you at the Varkey Programme for contributing to these great moments!
To learn more about finalist Mareike Hachemer visit her Teacher Prize profile and her website. On Twitter you can follow her @25Maha.
Who will be among the next Global Teacher Prize finalists? Nominate a teacher or apply if you are one!
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