Teacher from Sturgeon Lake First Nation up for global prize

Belinda Daniels from Sturgeon Lake First Nation is in the running to be named the world’s best teacher. She is one of 50 educators nominated for a $1 million (U.S.) award dubbed ‘the Nobel prize of teaching.’ The Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize†recognizes exceptional teachers making an outstanding contribution to the profession who have “transformed young peoples’ lives.” Daniels most recently taught at Mount Royal Collegiate in Saskatoon. Principal Scott Farmer says her “innovative” and “excitable” approach “breaks down barriers” in mixed classes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students by encouraging them to go beyond the textbook in search of knowledge. Throughout her 15-year teaching career, Daniels has held positions at seven schools, taught at the universities of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and ran a summer camp teaching adults the Cree language. Daniels is currently on a leave of absence to obtain her PhD in interdisciplinary studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Daniels is the only Canadian nominee with 8,000 nominations received from 148 countries. The winner of the Global Teacher Prize will be announced in March.