Teaching with heart: Pearson’s International School Teacher of the Year global award winner, Loretta Aba Enu

For many teachers, the classroom is more than just a place of learning. It’s a space for hope, curiosity and possibility. For Loretta Aba Enu, this attitude informs everything she does inside and outside the classroom.

A dedicated Year 1 teacher at International Community Montessori School in Ghana, Loretta has spent the past four years helping young learners build the skills they need to thrive. Known for her compassion and tireless commitment, she was awarded Pearson’s 2025 International School Teacher of the Year – an honour that celebrates not only her excellence in teaching, but the joy and humanity she brings to it.

Planting the seeds of curiosity and confidence

In her own words, Loretta’s journey into teaching began because she “always believed in the power of education to transform lives”. Teaching allows her to be part of that transformation, she explains.

In her Year 1 classroom, these words come to life every day. Her students are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas and discover the fun of learning through play. She prioritises creating an environment where students feel capable, valued and supported.

Colleagues describe her as humble, dependable and generous – a teacher who always puts students first. Parents praise her communication and classroom management skills, often noting how she goes the extra mile to understand each child’s needs. She even visits students at home on the weekends, checking in with families and spending time with children outside of school, so they can always recognise, and feel positive about, their full potential.

She takes these steps because she wants her students to know that learning doesn’t end when the school bell rings. “My goal is to ensure [students] feel supported not just academically, but emotionally and socially as well”, she emphasises. For her, nurturing students’ confidence is not restricted to within the classroom walls.

Every learner has a sense of belonging

One of the defining features of Loretta’s classroom is its sense of belonging. Inclusion is not just a goal – it’s a daily practice. “I intentionally create an environment where every child feels seen, valued and supported”, she says. “Inclusion means ensuring that every learner belongs”.

Loretta uses diverse learning materials that cater to multiple learning styles. She also ensures that every voice in her classroom is heard, and she addresses bias or exclusion immediately. 

Loretta believes that respect is at the heart of inclusion. “Respect is part of our classroom culture [...] I model it in how I speak and listen to my students, and I teach them to value differences.” By actively working on empathy-building activities and reflective discussions, Loretta’s students learn that respect is not demanded – it’s earned and shared.

Her approach to discipline is similarly thoughtful: through kindness and fairness, she guides students towards appropriate behaviour while maintaining respect through mutual understanding.

Her attention to wellbeing extends to herself as well. “I’ve learned that I can only pour into others from a full cup”, she says. “I practise balance through reflection, journalling, listening to music and setting healthy boundaries. By caring for myself, I’m better able to show up with patience, creativity and joy for my students every day.”

Innovation that inspires

In Loretta’s view, innovation is about more than new technology, “it’s about finding creative, relevant and practical ways to solve problems and improve learning experiences”. As the world is changing so quickly, Loretta believes that students need skills that surpass memorisation. For her, students need adaptability, collaboration and critical thinking to thrive both academically and personally.

Loretta’s signature approach to teaching is gamification, where she turns lessons into interactive challenges, quizzes and storytelling adventures. As students master skills, they earn points or badges, or go up a level – all which she says “brings excitement, healthy competition, and a sense of achievement to learning”. And the results have been impressive: even the most reluctant students have become motivated and engaged, and complex topics have been broken down into more accessible experiences.

Loretta’s ability to innovate has been shared among her peers, too. After earning her Master Teacher Badge from Pearson, she mentored and supported fellow educators in their own innovation. For Loretta, innovation should be a natural source of inspiration for both students and teachers.

A mentor to more than her students

Loretta’s passion for education encompasses more than her students. She uses her expertise to forge strong links between her school and parents, providing guidance to families in all aspects of their lives. She has a very innate talent to care for others.

“Education is most powerful when teachers, students and parents work as partners”, Loretta says. “Strong relationships build trust, improve communication and create consistency in supporting the child’s growth. It turns learning into a shared journey rather than a school-only experience”.

Elsewhere, Loretta is also the founder and CEO of Empower Her Movement. Here, she mentors and assists young girls and women to build confidence, ambition and resilience in the world. Just as she does within the classroom, she supports these young people to grow and succeed.

“When we teach with heart, we change the world”

Loretta notes that winning Pearson’s International SchoolTeacher of the Year global award is both humbling and empowering. “It [represents] not just personal achievement, but the collective effort of every teacher striving to impact lives [..] It reaffirms my belief that when we teach with heart, we change the world,one child at a time”.

Loretta’s story is a strong reminder to teachers everywhere that inclusion, innovation and inspiration go hand-in-hand. The best learning happens when students feel seen and supported, and it is educators’ responsibility to ensure a culture of these qualities at all times. Loretta’s classroom is living proof that when education is rooted in compassion, the impact goes much further than a single student, single classroom or a single story.

Further reading

Discover more incredible people, doing incredible things in education. Read Beyond the textbook: Preparing students for real-life problem solving, Around the world: the 4-day school week – why more families are looking beyond traditional schooling and Happy classrooms: what teachers can learn from the world’s happiest children.

Learn more about the Pearson International School Teacher Awards, nominations for the 2026 awards open on 30 November.