French woman named one of world’s best teachers

A teacher from France who was voted one of the world’s top 10 teachers, thanks to her innovative lessons, has told The Connexion how she is inspired by English and US methods. 

Céline Haller, 44, a teacher at the Ecole élémentaire Rosa Parks in Strasbourg, received the accolade at the Global Teacher Prize in Dubai in February. 

“I feel very lucky and proud to have been selected as one of the best teachers in the world and the top woman finalist in Europe,” she said. 

The top award was won by Mansour Al Mansour, who teaches prisoners in Saudi Arabia.

Read more: Education in France: Can children be enrolled part way through school year? 

The judges noted Ms Haller, whose school is classed as REP+ (Priority Education Network) because of its significant social difficulties, helped students through her “hands-on” approach, including gamified learning and group activities. This includes teaching fractions through chocolate-sharing and geography through the journey of a kiwi fruit. 

They praised her commitment to creating a “nurturing, inclusive and stimulating environment” for students, many of whom are facing “violence, poverty, language barriers, and unstable family situations”. 

“I've always tried to innovate and help my pupils succeed in their learning and in their personal development,” Ms Haller said. 

“It is very important for me to listen to children, to give them room to create, express themselves and share their doubts or anxieties. I am very demanding with them and I set a framework. In this context, I provide them with emotional security and I help them develop their knowledge.”

Ms Haller originally studied law, before deciding to follow her passion to teach and has never looked back.

“I like to see my pupils’ eyes light up when they understand something new. I love the questions that children ask, which make me think about my teaching. I love the hugs they give me when the day is over. I love sitting down with them to talk about current affairs and watching them analyse the world through children’s eyes.”

Asked what she would say to those who think the French system is too strict, with too much rote learning, Ms Haller said she takes inspiration from beyond France. 

“I have always been very inspired by North American or English teaching methods that work by projects. This makes students autonomous.

“More and more teachers are innovating and seeking to teach differently while taking into account the reality on the ground. Classes are very mixed and solutions must be found to teach effectively and take into account the mental health of children.” 

Central to Ms Haller’s success has been her ‘Breakfast in Class’ project. Students organise twice-weekly breakfasts for the entire school, teaching them a broad range of skills from budgeting and collaboration to learning about sustainability and the environment.

“It’s a way of learning all the subjects in a different way: maths from sharing food, geography from looking at where food comes from, science from analysing the composition of foods,” Ms Haller said. 

It also ensures every pupil starts the day with a nutritious breakfast. Some may not eat breakfast at all because of economic reasons, she explained. 

The project has gained national recognition and is supported by the French government’s Plan Pauvreté initiative, benefitting schools across the country. 

“It develops wellbeing at school. Children are happy to come to school and are committed to learning. And so am I.”