He has four academic degrees, a TikTok following, and a decade of teaching under his belt in one of the most demanding education systems in the Middle East — and it all started because he refused to stay comfortable. Brian Licudine Raton left the Philippines at 27, trading the familiar rhythms of home for an uncertain future in Dubai. Today, at 34, he holds the title of Math Lead under the UAE Ministry of Education in Ras Al Khaimah, but the more remarkable story is everything that happened in between.
Raton grew up with a calling he never questioned. “Education has always been my passion and purpose,” he says simply — and his academic trail bears that out. A Bachelor of Elementary Education was followed by a Master’s in Educational Management, then a second Master’s in Curriculum Design, and eventually a Doctorate in Educational Management. For most people, one postgraduate degree is an achievement. For Raton, the degrees were a statement: that the person standing in front of a classroom should never stop being a student themselves.
A teacher who became a pioneer
His overseas journey began in 2016 at The Philippine School in Muhaisnah, Dubai, where he came in as a Primary Math Teacher and earned recognition as Teacher of the Month for two consecutive months. It was an early signal of what he was capable of, but Raton was not the type to stay still. He moved to a private school in Sharjah, where he was being considered for promotion as Academic Head of the Science Department, before eventually taking on one of the more significant roles of his career: pioneer teacher and Grade Level Lead at Ajyal Schools under Bloom Education in Ras Al Khaimah in 2022.
“Pioneer” is a word that carries real weight in education. It means building something from scratch — no established culture to lean on, no template to follow. Raton stepped into that role and delivered. He now continues that work as a Cycle 1 Math Teacher and Math Lead under the Ministry of Education, responsible not just for teaching Mathematics to young learners, but for mentoring fellow teachers, supporting curriculum implementation, and raising the standard of teaching across his school.
The recognition has followed. Outstanding ratings during annual inspections. Named an Outstanding Teacher and Model Teacher within the ministry system. These are not ceremonial titles — in UAE public schools, they reflect evaluated, documented performance.
The weight of being far from home
None of this came without cost. Like most OFWs, Raton did not arrive abroad with certainty. He arrived with a plan and a prayer, and there were stretches when neither felt like enough. “One of the biggest challenges I faced was adjusting to a new environment while being away from my family and loved ones,” he says. “There were moments of homesickness, pressure, and self-doubt.”
What carried him through was a combination of things that are difficult to quantify on a résumé: faith, determination, and the kind of goal-orientation that keeps a person moving when the environment itself offers little comfort. His family remained his anchor, even from a distance. His colleagues and mentors filled in the rest.
He is honest about why he left the Philippines in the first place. Like many Filipinos of his generation, financial opportunity played a role. But Raton is quick to add that it was never only about money. “I also wanted to grow professionally, gain international teaching experience, and challenge myself outside my comfort zone,” he says. “It gave me the opportunity to prove that Filipino teachers are globally competitive, hardworking, and passionate about education.”
That last line lands less like a boast and more like a mission statement — one he has spent a decade quietly making good on.
Beyond the classroom walls
What sets Raton apart from many educators is that he refuses to let his influence stop at the school gate. On TikTok and LinkedIn, he shares teaching strategies, professional insights, and motivational content aimed at fellow educators navigating their own paths. It is an extension of the same impulse that drives him in the classroom: the belief that teaching is not a transaction between teacher and student, but a posture toward the world.
“My mission is not only to teach lessons inside the classroom but also to inspire hope, confidence, and growth in others,” he says.
He is already thinking about what comes next. Eventually, he wants to return to the Philippines to establish programs focused on teacher development and student success — the kind of structural, lasting work that outlives any single posting abroad. Until then, he plans to keep building: teaching, mentoring, posting, and modeling what it looks like to keep learning long after most people have decided they already know enough.
His advice to fellow Filipinos working abroad is direct and earned. “Never compare your journey to others,” he says. “Focus on your own growth and continue improving yourself. Be wise financially, choose trustworthy relationships, and surround yourself with people who genuinely support your goals and well-being.”
And then, the line that may say the most about who Brian Raton is: “Never lose yourself while chasing success.”
Ten years in, four degrees later, and still teaching — it seems he has not.
