. >> the global prize goes to nancy atwell. >> atwell describes that moment as an oral hallucination.nner of the global teacher prize, atwell was selected out of 5,000 teachers. >> i feel like i'm accepted on behalf -- accepting it on behalf of really hundreds of thousands of teachers who work with children every day. i'm so proud. >> reporter: atwell was one of ten finalists who traveled to dubai for the ceremony. flanked by former president clinton and sheik mohammad from the united arab emirates atwell plans to donate the money to her school the center for teaching and learning. >> this will allow us to buy the books and resources we need for kids to keep tuition low and provide a lot of tuition assistance and to maintain the building. >> reporter: an howe author of nine books, atwell says school systems believe the most important years are high school. she thinks it's the opposite. >> i think k to 8 is the place where fires get started, that they get kindled and nurtured and the children who leave our school are so strong across the disciplines. >> i think the most important thing

nancy nancy atwell beat thousands to wib a prize. >> the global teacher prize goes to... ..nancy atwell >> reporter: she has won what is referred to as the nobel prize of teaching. nancy is disheartened by current education policy in her own country. >> i don't know if americans like children. >> reporter: she was picked from 5,000 international nominees as the first recipient of the global prize and will use the $1 million to enchance the center for teaching and learn, a school she founded not jsut for children and teachers. over several decades she placed an emphasis on giving students the independence to choose which cbooks to read, and the topics they want to write about. >> at other schools i would get a question to explain, and i never really thought about what was behind the math problem, what was behind the literature i was reading. i was finding the facts. >> reporter: it's an approach that contrasts with the prevailing orthodoxy in u.s. education called the common core a set of national standards. states have been given financial inducements to adopt standardized curricular an

prize of teaching but nancy atwell is disheart ended by education policy. >> i don't know if americansildren right now. >> atwell was picked from 5,000 international nominees as the first recipient of the global teacher prize. she will use her $1 million in prize money to further enhance the center for teaching and learning, the school she founded not just for children but from teachers all over the world. over several decades she has place add particular emphasis on giving students the against to choose which books they want to read and the topics they want to write about. >> at other schools, i would get a question and say, explain? and i never really thought about what was behind the math pro, what was behind the literature. i was just reading and finding the facts. >> need any help i asked. >> it's an approach that contracts with the orthodoxy until u.s. called the common core a set of national educational standards. states have been given financial inducements to adopt standardized curricula to meet them. teachers like atwell contend those have had a detrimental impact on the deve

nancie atwell is using her time in the spotlight to continue her life's work.ewshour's april brown reports for our american graduate series, a public media initiative funded by the corporation for public broadcasting. >> reporter: for roughly 40 years, nancie atwell has thought of herself first and foremost - as a teacher. but recently in dubai, she got a major title bump. >> and the global teacher prize goes to nancie atwell. >> reporter: today, many are calling her "the world's best teacher," after winning what's been dubbed "education's nobel prize." along with that honor she was awarded $1 million from the varkey foundation, a non-profit that aims to improve educational outcomes for underprivileged children across the globe. >> i was delighted, shocked, you know gob smacked and so proud to you know to represent my profession. >> the goal is excellence always. >> reporter: atwell was among ten finalists-- competing against nominees from countries including afghanistan, india haiti and kenya. >> this is going to work if you can play it out slowly. >> reporter

but nancy atwell is disheart ended by current education policy in her own country. >> i don't even knowamericans like children right now. >> atwell was picked from 5,000 international nominees and the first recipient of the global teacher prize. she will use her $1 million in prize money to further enhance the center for teaching and learning, the school she founded not just for children but for teachers from all over the world. over several decades, she has placed a particular emphasis on giving students the independence to choose which books they want to read and the topics they want to write about. >> at other schools, i would get a question and say, explain, and i never really thought about what was behind the math problem, what was behind the literature. i was just reading and finding the facts. >> need any help i asked is it. >> it's regarding the common core a set of national standards. states have been given inducements to adopt standardsized curricula and testing. teachers like atwell say they have had a detrimental development on young minds? >> they don't experience pleasure.

. >> the prize goes to nancy atwell. >> she has won the nobel prize of teaching, but she is disheartened by current education policy in her own country. >> i don't even know if americans like children right now. >> she was chosen from 5,000 nominees as the first recipient of the global teacher prize. she will use her $1 million in prize money to further enhance the center for teaching and learning the school she founded not just for children, but for teachers from around the world. she has placed emphases on giving students the independence to choose which books to read and the topics they want to write about. >> at other schools, i would get a question and say explain and i never really thought about what was behind the math problem what was behind the literature. i was just reading and finding the facts. >> it's an approach contrasting with the prevailing u.s. education called the common core a set of national educational standards states have been given financial inducements to adopt standardized curricular and testing to meet them. teachers like at well contend those have had a detri