For the first time, a Filipino educator was recognized as one of the most dedicated teachers in the world by the Cambridge University Press.
Jimrey Buntas Dapin ranked third out of 4,000 nominations from around the world for the said award. He was a former junior high school teacher at the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R).
“I consider this achievement as a reward of the things I have done as a young educator. I feel honored and humbled as the first Filipino educator recognized as one of the World’s Most Dedicated Teachers knowing that I still have few experiences to share to be called such. So, this gives me a realization that service knows no age, it’s all about heartfelt, passionate, and dedicated service in everything that we do,” he told USJ-R.
He was nominated in October 2018 by his Josenian student Airi Nakazawa, whom he coached for an inter-school quiz bowl.
Fast-forward, he was shortlisted by educational experts of Cambridge University to be part of the top 50 nominees. Then, Dapin was chosen as one of the Top 6 finalist though online voting. After a week has passed, it was announced that Dapin ranked third after garnering 3,880 votes.
Dapin posed with his junior high school students for a class photo.
“It was in USJ-R that I really discovered my full capacity and potential because of the strong admin support and state- of- the art facilities. I became an adviser of Grade 10 St. Nicholas and Grade 10 St. Ezekiel on AY: 2016 – 2017 and AY: 2017 – 2018, respectively. Handling all those boys’ section, gave me a lot of memorable and unforgettable experience,” he recalled.
Teacher Jimrey Dapin supervises his junior high students as they use tablets during a classroom activity which utilizes mobile applications.
Dapin’s teaching methods and ideas were described as “out of the box” which enabled his students to have a whole new experience when it comes to learning their lessons. Dapin introduced different applications for the student to have a fun way learning and interacting such as Skype, Kahoot, Hour of code, Flipgrid and Aralinks.
“We’d anticipate every session as gives us the opportunity to experience their culture, and in turn, share our own. His class was always a breath of fresh air. He sparked the imaginations of his students, and touched the lives of many. He was a visionary, an innovator, and a believer. On behalf of his former students, I would also like for him know that we are blessed to have been given the chance to experience 10th grade social studies in the most impactful way, and we are sincerely proud of him,” Nakazawa shared.
At present, Dapin now works as an educational technology specialist at a publishing house in his hometown in Cagayan de Oro.
Written by Dave Brian Nacario (LIACOM intern)
