Celebrating My Inspiring Trio This World Teachers’ Day

Today we celebrate World Teacher's Day and I thought it would be fitting to introduce here three other wonderful and equally inspiring educators who I wish to add on my 40 before 40 list. For the past few years I have met several individuals with incredible stories, both through their professional or personal stories. Here are today's trio and I hope you find them as inspiring as I do.

Mr. Brandon Salerno

My encounter with Mr. Salerno is relatively recentcompared to the other two on today's list. We met and became close by choice, during our studies. Instantly what struck me the most about Mr. Salerno is how he is fearless in a world which is often judgemental and how he pushes through the stigma, challenges the ordinary and raises to the occasion when needs be.

Mr. Brandon is one of the few male Kindergarten Educators working in Maltese state schools and he graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education & Care back in 2020. Instantly, reading this gives me flashback backs of the Covid-19 pandemic. I can only imagine the struggles it took to get to where Mr. Brandon is today. Learning and teaching during the pandemic, a scenario which I did not have to endure but I applaud anyone who went through it. It was a struggle for us educators teaching physically or virtually, yet alone someone who was studying in becoming an educator during the most challenging times. Nevertheless, his perseverance conquered through the unpredicatable challenges and here he is today, inspiring others with his journey.

Mr. Brandon is a passionate Kindergarten Educator working in a vibrant, multicultural state school. We often talk, share, compare and assist each other on the challanges and opportunities we both see in a very dynamic multicultural teaching environment. We both love it and we both professionally understand the importance of professional growth to keep us concurrently with the evolving world of teaching. In fact, Mr. Salerno pursued with post graduate studies where he obtained a PG Cert in "Developing the Educator". His passion to learn more led him to where we met. He is currently enrolled in pursuing Masters in ECEC as he is a strong believer that Early Childhood is the most crucial foundation for lifelong learning. Hence why he is always trying to keep up to date and stay informed about how to be a better professional for himself and his students. Mr. Brandon describes continuing his studies to refine further his practice, while ensuring the roots of Early Childhood is well protected.

Mr. Brandon prides in creating an inclusive, welcoming space, where every child, regardless of their background, feels seen, valued, and excited to learn every single day. Recently, he has been working on embracing the quality of inclusion and representations through stories, where he published a book titled " Mr. Ezra's Weekend". On his book launch on social media Mr. Brandon stated that he created Mr. Ezra's Weekend! to incorporate LGBTQ+ representation into children's books in a natural, everyday way. This book he dedicated to every child who deserves to see their home life reflected in stories and he recalls an emotional mention to the little Brandon, reflecting on the importance of what true representation means. I applaud Mr. Salerno for such a bold and very nuch needed move. Through his storytelling opportunities, he opens up opportunities and critical points on how inclusion is projected. Yet it sets a reflective space to help us identify the links to what improvements are needed to acquire inclusive practices. I stand inspired with Mr. Salerno's journey to continuously improving the quality of Early Childhood practices, both through continuous professional development and that of inclusive practices. Educators like Mr. Brandon brings inspiration to today's classroom environments and most of all to the ever evolving practices that often change as we go.

Dr. Erika Galea

In 2023, I was invited to present at the Transform-ED Symposium conference in Valletta and I remember Dr. Erika introducing herself to me during a networking session. I was drawn immediately to her passion of innovative teaching & learning, but most importantly on how passionately she talked about it. I was hooked immediately without being lectured, as all this took place during an absolute free flowing conversation.

Dr Erika Galea is a lecturer at the University of Malta, Honorary Research Fellow at the University College London (UCL), and Founder of the Educational Neuroscience Hub. As a cognitive and developmental psychologist and pedagogist, her work focuses on bridging psychology, neuroscience, and education to translate the science of teaching and learning into evidence-informed classroom practice and ensure that educational research informs teaching, learning, and educational policy.

When asked by her doctoral supervisors what she hoped to achieve through her research, her response was simple: "I want to get my doctoral study out there in schools." This vision has continued to guide her work ever since. I am lucky to have met Dr. Galea again during a PD session which was organised by our school .

In particular I believe that Dr Galea is inspiring because she has played a leading role in introducing the science of teaching and learning across state, Church, and independent schools in Malta and Gozo, from nursery to post-secondary education. Through close collaboration with the Ministry for Education, she has also contributed to embedding this evidence-based approach within Malta's National Education Strategy, helping to strengthen the connection between educational research, policy, and classroom practice.

Driven by the belief that research should make a tangible difference in the lives of educators and learners, she has delivered professional learning to thousands of educators, school leaders, Learning Support Educators, and other professionals through workshops, conferences, and consultancy. I am lucky to have been one of many and I yearn for more to come. These are the kind of Professional Development we need to understand what is changing, what works and how we can improve. Dr. Erika organised Malta's first national conference dedicated to educational neuroscience, bringing together educators, researchers, and policymakers to advance evidence-based practice. Inspiring indeed!

She recalls one of the most rewarding outcomes of this work has been witnessing educators confidently implement strategies grounded in the science of teaching and learning within their own classrooms. Many class educators have embraced these approaches, creating positive ripple effects that continue to benefit their students. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and ongoing demand for training suggest that this work is making a valuable contribution to educational practice, while highlighting the commitment of educators to continually improve learning experiences for young people.

Dr Galea's work has also gained international recognition. Through her collaboration with Oxford University Press, she co-authored the book Generation Alpha in the Classroom: New Approaches to Teaching and Learning, which has been well received both locally and internationally. As a parent of Gen Alpha, this has intrigued me the most! She has had the privilege of representing Oxford University Press at prestigious international conferences, delivering keynote presentations and professional development workshops on educational neuroscience and evidence-informed teaching practices.

In recognition of her contribution to advancing the science of teaching and learning, Dr Galea received an international award from a leading university specialising in neuropedagogy in Bogotá, Colombia. The Educational Neuroscience Hub has also been invited to provide training and consultancy for schools and educational organisations across Europe and beyond, reflecting the growing international interest in bringing educational neuroscience into everyday educational practice.

Above all, Dr Galea believes that meaningful educational change begins with empowering teachers and that is what happened when I first met her. She is passionate about supporting educators to bridge research and practice, ensuring that scientific evidence translates into better learning experiences and outcomes for every student. As a mother of two, this mission is also deeply personal. She hopes to model for her children the values of curiosity, perseverance, service, and lifelong learning, showing them that knowledge has its greatest impact when it is shared to create opportunities and make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Ms. Nadette Camilleri

I have a particular admiration for Ms. Nadette, not because she was my son's primary school teacher but also as an ex-colleague too. Although she has been teaching since 2001, Ms. Nadette keeps progressing her career through professional development in the most practical and creative ways, while taking what she learnt back to her classroom.

Throughout her career, she taught Year 1, Year 3, Year 6, and she is currently teaching Year 5. Every age brings its own joys and challenges, but she particularly enjoys teaching the older primary classes because pupils are more independent. I remember discussing this with Ms. Nadette, my fear of one day leaving the ECEC! She opens up about the opportunities experienced with older students, expressing how discussing such wide variety of subjects and listening to their opinions, encourages them to think more deeply. I remember walking in the corridors and reading notes of encouragement for her students before their exams or leaving affirmation notes on their desks to keep them going even when they felt low.

Ms. Nadette shares how some of her favourite teaching moments are actually the simplest ones to treasure. Such when she is explaining a difficult concept and suddenly see that eureka moment in a child's eyes, or when a pupil exclaims, “Ahhh… now I get it!” Teaching the older pupils can also be bittersweet, especially when the time comes to say goodbye and watch them leave primary school to begin the next stage of their scholastic journey. A heartbreak which I can relate in kindergarten.

One thing that has always characterised with Ms. Nadette's teaching is her love of learning and trying new things. She enjoys discovering new technology, attending courses and reading educational articles and teachers' blogs. She grasps all the learning then thinks about how to adapt those ideas for her own classroom. I have seen this interest and I am so proud of how far she has come in terms of eTwinning. Rather than staying away from new concepts, I remember Ms. Nadette eagerly asking me how to go by becoming an eTwinner. From that day on, she persevered on a journey of growth through her own experiences and that of her students. Whenever new technology is introduced, she tries not to shy away from it but instead ask, "How can this help my pupils learn better?". When the virtual learning platform was first introduced, I recall how she immediately saw its potential. Ms. Nadette began uploading eBooks, PowerPoint lessons, study notes and online games so pupils could revise from home. Ms. Camiller recalls a very meaningful example to when one of her pupils had to miss more than a month of school for a medical procedure. With the wonderful support of parents, she recalls how the student was able to access the lessons and eBooks from home, managing to keep up with his learning. It showed Ms. Camilleri how technology, when used well, can remove barriers and keep children connected to their education. As a parent this touched my heart, because I recall so well how difficult it is for students to miss out of school on long term. Teachers like Ms. Nadette who go over and beyond are rare to find, hence why I find her inspiring.

She is very grateful when such work was recognised with first prize for ‘Best Fronter Workflow’. The prize took her to London, where she visited schools using technology in their classrooms and attended the BETT Show. Seeing innovative teaching in action and exchanging ideas with other educators was an inspiring experience that encouraged her to continue experimenting and grow. Another project she remembers very fondly was her first major STEM project, based around space. The pupils built and coded LEGO WeDo robots as space rovers, used LEGO StoryStarter to create scenes for their own stories, experimented with green screen and Augmented Reality and even experienced a virtual journey into space through VR. Ms. Nadette remembers most the excitement on the students faces – especially when a robot they had built and coded actually started moving! Meaningful lessons lead to meaningful lifelong learning lessons. Behind all the fun, pupils were collaborating, problem-solving, communicating and developing digital and STEM skills. These are the kind of learning experiences she believe children remember and I do too. That project received an EMBED Award, giving Ms. Camilleri the opportunity to attend a workshop at the Future Classroom Lab in Brussels. Another opportunity to explore collaboration and technology which enhanced learning alongside educators from different European countries. Meeting teachers from abroad, sharing experiences and discovering different approaches to education was invaluable – and she believes it planted the seed for another important part of her teaching journey.

As an eTwinner, Ms. Camilleri creates projects that link naturally with her schemes of work and school projects rather than treating eTwinning as something extra. This is hard for some to believe but YES it is true. Through eTwinning she feels fortunate enough to not only find a wonderful group of European partner teachers who have become not only excellent collaborators but also good friends. Ms. Nadette stated that for pupils, eTwinning gives learning a real purpose and audience. They communicate and collaborate with children from other countries, use technology creatively, learn about different cultures and realise that children living hundreds or thousands of kilometres away are often not so different from themselves. For teachers, it provides a wonderful opportunity to share ideas, learn from one another and continually reflect on our own practice.

Seeing how far Ms. Camilleri came from her initial projects, I am equally proud to see how far she is acknowledged. Her projects have received both National and European Quality Labels, as well as national awards including ‘Best Effort During School Closure’, ‘Best European Primary’, ‘Best Project – Annual Theme’ and ‘Best Fun Project’. These awards bring her self-pride, as they recognise hard work, creativity and collaboration. Just as rewarding, is seeing the pupils excited to work with their European partners and proud of what they have achieved together.

Furthermore, recently Ms. Camilleri participated in an Erasmus professional development course in Split, Croatia – ‘AI for Teachers: Best AI & Digital Tools for Classroom Use’. There they explored AI tools for planning, differentiation, assessment, interactive learning and resource creation. Just as importantly, she had the opportunity to exchange ideas and compare experiences with educators from other European countries. Ms. Nadette returned home with fresh ideas, new perspectives and renewed enthusiasm for my work.

Outside the classroom, two of her greatest loves are reading and travelling. My personal guilty pleasures too! Ms. Nadette loves books and enjoys encouraging children to discover the pleasure of reading too. Travelling feeds another side of her curiosity, where she loves discovering historical places, different cultures, traditions and food. Somehow, things she discover while travelling often find their way back into her classroom too!

Looking back at her journey since 2001, education has changed enormously, and she knows it will continue to change. What inspires me about Ms. Camilleri is that she does not believe teachers need to follow every new trend or use every new technology, but she believes that we should remain curious, open to learning and willing to try something new when it can benefit our pupils. Applause, applause, applause!!

After all these years, she still loves those little “Ahhh… now I get it!” moments. While awards and opportunities are wonderful, and she is very grateful for them, for Ms. Nadette the greatest privilege of teaching is being part of so many children's journeys – watching them learn, grow in confidence and eventually move on. And while she may have spent more than two decades teaching children, she still think they have taught her quite a lot too.

Cheers to these inspiring individuals who are not inspiring only on days like today but every day. These professional trio reminded me why I believe so strongly in educators who inspire one another. Although their journeys and strengths are different, they share something important: they never stop learning. They question, adapt, challenge themselves and, most importantly, keep children at the heart of what they do. They show different ways how educators can make an impact—through inclusion, evidence-informed practice, creativity, professional growth, and ultimately through the children we teach.

Three Cheers for my latest inspiring Trio of which I feel incredibly fortunate to have crossed paths with. They remind me to challenge myself, in growing my own personal and professional growth.

So today, I celebrate them like I celebrate you— and all the educators who continue to make a difference, in their classrooms and in one another.

Happy World Teachers’ Day!

Here’s to more inspring individuals making it on my 40 before 40!