The World's Most "Influential Teacher" is a Public School Teacher from São Paulo — The Strategy That Expanded Learning "Beyond the Classroom"

The World's Most "Influential Teacher" is a Public School Teacher from São Paulo — The Strategy That Expanded Learning "Beyond the Classroom"

A "new measure" is being introduced to the global education sector. It's not just about delivering good lessons, but about extending learning beyond the classroom, into society, and online. Symbolizing this shift, Deborah Garofalo, a teacher from São Paulo, Brazil, was awarded the "Global Teacher Influencer of the Year" and recognized as "the most influential educator in the world." The stage was set in Dubai. This award is newly established by the Varkey Foundation, which also runs the Global Teacher Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel" of education.


"Influence" is not about follower count

The term "influencer" is often taken lightly. However, in this context, the influence being discussed is closer to the power to expand learning opportunities and change the behavior of those around, rather than merely creating trends. The Varkey Foundation established this award to recognize teachers who use social media and other means to extend learning beyond the classroom, promote the sharing of knowledge among educators, and positively move society.


In reality, Garofalo's efforts go beyond creating "flashy teaching materials." At the core of her evaluation is a learning design that allows children to engage with the principles of technology through repeated cycles of "creating," "testing," and "fixing," even in resource-poor environments.


Robots starting from scrap materials—creativity born from "lack"

One of her notable practices is the "learning robotics with scrap materials" project she started in 2015. The setting is a public school in the outskirts of São Paulo. Even without expensive kits, children use nearby scrap and recycled materials to create prototypes and get acquainted with the basics of motors, circuits, and programming. The target age group is 6 to 14 years old. Moreover, this activity not only has educational effects but also contributes to recycling, reportedly aiding in the "reuse of one ton" of materials.


This represents an ideal form of STEM education. When technology is connected to life and regional issues as a "means," learning suddenly becomes personal. Most importantly, the fact that the materials are "waste" is crucial. There's no pain in failure. You can rebuild if it breaks. The environment that allows for fearless trial and error propels children's learning forward.


From the "Top 10 in the World" in 2019 to the "Most Influential in the World" in 2026

Garofalo was reported to have been the first South American woman to become a finalist for the Global Teacher Prize in 2019. Thus, this award is not about a suddenly emerged star but is on the continuum of long-standing practices and dissemination.


Additionally, it is reported that this award was a "surprise with no prior notice to the recipient." She received a call at midnight and hurriedly headed to Dubai—the depiction of her surprise and tears highlights not only the drama of the news but also the weight of the moment when an educator is recognized.


The moment classroom achievements ripple into policy

What is noteworthy is that the project did not remain confined within the school but influenced a larger framework. Reports state that her methodology became the theme of a book and was adopted as a policy by the state of São Paulo. In other words, "good lessons" were transplanted to the side of systems and structures and scaled up. Here lies the image of a teacher in the age of social media: editing the wisdom of the field into a shareable form, enhancing reproducibility, and making it usable in other regions. Dissemination is closer to the distribution of public goods rather than self-expression.


Reactions on social media: Celebration and pride, and discussions on "What to change next?"

As the news spread, several distinct reactions were noticeable on social media.


1) Celebrations of "Pride of Public Schools" and "From the Periphery to the World"
The word "periphery" (periferia) holds strong meaning in Brazil. Many people express pride in the fact that educational practices born from regions outside the urban center, where resources are often lacking, have been recognized globally. The article also introduces words to the effect of "This is not just my award" and "It belongs to the students and the community," expanding the circle of empathy.


2) Sharing of practices with comments like "I want to emulate this" and "Can be done without teaching materials"
Scrap robotics offers many "takeaway ideas" regardless of the country or school. Comments and quoted posts often highlight the specificity of the lesson idea (material procurement, theme setting, community involvement). In the educator community, this type of news easily sparks conversations about "how to localize this lesson design."

3) Policy discussions like "Improve teacher treatment and invest in schools"
On the other hand, discussions often arise that go beyond mere celebration, such as "Don't dismiss this as a tale of individual heroism" and "What teachers need is not just applause but budget and time." The narrative that the award should serve as a message to promote "investment in education" is repeatedly touched upon in related reports.


4) Questions like "What should education in the age of social media be?"
Given that the word "influencer" is part of the award's name, issues such as "the pros and cons of teachers disseminating on social media," "individual exposure versus the public nature of education," and "platform dependency" also arise. However, the focus of this award is not on "buzz" but on the social impact of scaling learning. Therefore, the direction of the discussion tends to lean more towards "what constitutes reproducible knowledge sharing" rather than "non-inflammatory dissemination."

Why does this news resonate beyond Brazil?

The reason Garofalo's case resonates across borders is clear. Educational disparities, lack of resources, overworked teachers, and declining children's motivation to learn—these challenges exist worldwide. Within this context, she turned the constraint of "lack of expensive equipment" into an advantage, transforming local scrap into a gateway to learning, sharing it online, and influencing policy. Countries with similar challenges can perceive this story as "their own."


And another point. At the heart of the lesson is not technology itself, but the sense that children can "create their own future with their own hands." From what was supposed to be discarded, something that moves is born. What was deemed worthless gains value through knowledge and ingenuity. This experience also connects to the children's sense of self-efficacy. Therefore, while this is a story about robots, it is simultaneously a story about "hope."


The next assignment indicated by the "most influential in the world"

The award is not the goal. Rather, it presents an assignment to society.


Should the creativity of school sites rely solely on individual dedication? How can policy absorb, support, and sustain the wisdom of the field? While social media can be a tool to expand learning, it can also increase the burden and risk for teachers. Therefore, what is needed now is to proceed with "system improvement" with the same enthusiasm as the "spread of praise."


Garofalo's achievement should not end with the beautiful headline "From Public School to the World." Just as she created robots from scrap, we too should be able to invent ways to advance education under limited conditions—this news poses that question.


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