euskalkultura.eus

Born in Las Flores, Argentina 48 years ago, she is a systems analyst and a teacher, she is Basque, and an aware and committed citizen who is also nominated for “Best Teacher in the World.” 

Joseba Etxarri.   Graciana Goicoechandia was welcomed a few days ago by the recently elected president of Argentina, Macri, as one of the 50 teachers in the world, chosen among 8,000 nominated for the “Global Teacher Prize,” that includes a million dollar prize, awarded every year to the “Best Teacher in the World.”  Proud of this would be Gregorio “Goicoechandia and Anselma Arbonies, two newly wed immigrants who left Navarre in 1914 to establish themselves in Las Flores.  Two generations later, Graciana boasts, her Basqueness alongside her Argentinean side that she is proud of and is transmitting to her daughter Leire, who is five and lives frequently among sounds of the trikitixa and txalaparta in this town situated 190 kilometers from Buenos Aires.

You are a teacher.

-Education is my passion.  I began in 1989, right after graduating, teaching classes at the Superior Institute of Educational Training and Technique #152, in Las Flores, to people who were twice as old as me.  I owe my vocation to two aunts, Maria Cristina and Blanca Susana, who were both teachers.  I remember how they brought students home who were having a hard time.

You studied systems analysis and you became a teacher in an area that requires constant updating.

-Computers and new technologies are one of few areas that a student may know more than the teacher, so you have to accompany the student in his/her learning: we have to learn together.  Our role is to accompany and motivate, so that they can research and develop, providing them tools to help them advance.

You have recently become a high school principal

-I have 140 students under my direction in six courses, four of which are in computers: new technologies, information and connectivity, environment, development and society.  It is a local school, the Dante Alighieri, state school that is privately managed with students paying 400 pesos (less than 40 Euros) for tuition, not more because otherwise we would lose the students, of middle-class families.

Also a councilor

-This is my third term.  I am part of the Deliberative Council that also coordinates what we call the Student Parliament, a group of youth that “play” at being councilors and prepare for adult life getting to know the function of this local institution first hand. You can’t forget that Argentina established an obligatory vote two years ago at the age of 18, and voluntarily at the age of 16 so that they too participate in local, provincial and national elections.

You were also president of the Las Flores Basque club

-I joined in 2003 as the secretary of the board and at the end of a year I was elected president.  I served as such for four terms.

In 2006, you participated in Gaztemundu and visited the Basque Country

- This was first and only time for now.  It was impressive to get to know the land of my ancestors.  Later I was elected among others to travel to Seattle in the US, to Microsoft, and was sponsored for a few days, which was also a great honor.  I have had other moments in my life but none better than how I felt when I visited the Basque Country.  It moved me.

Now you have been selected for the “Global Teacher Prize.”

-This is the first phase: from 8,000 candidates we are now 50.  In February they will choose the top 10, and in May they will choose the winner.  Since the nomination was made public, people have gotten in touch with me.  The Minister of Education called me and so did President Macri who invited me to Buenos Aires.  I have had many people write me through social media, many friends as well as many that I don’t know, many in the Diaspora too to congratulate me.  It has been, and is very exciting.

I think that if you win, you have already thought of what to do with part of the award.

-I want the kids that I teach to have a chance to travel to Italy.  I see a lot of similarities in our school Dante Alighieri, where they study for years about Italy, and the Basque Diaspora.  Until now, none of the classes have been able to travel to Italy and I would like to collaborate so that the first class of graduates could be able to do so and establish a precedent so that from that point on, we work on some self-management so that each class can aspire to such a trip.  Maybe with a stop in the Basque Country, why not (smile).

Zorionak on the recognition!

-Eskerrik asko.