INSPIRING

West Bank Woman Wins $1M Teaching Prize

Honored for approach to education through play.

A Palestinian teacher received the $1 million Global Teacher Prize for her approach to teaching children through play. Hanan Al Hroub, who teaches at the Samiha Khalil High School in the West Bank city of Al-Bireh, was honored with the award in the United Arab Emirates. Pope Francis announced the winner via video message at the event, which was chaired by UAE Prime Minister and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Hroub—who beat out nominees from Japan, Canada, Kenya, the U.S., and U.K.—said she would use some of the money to promote her education methods and support other teachers in the Palestinian territories.