Balance - Roots & Wings in Life

Every educator has a story, a path shaped by those who believed in them, encouraged them, and reminded them that they could. 

My own journey into education is woven with the belief, inspiration, and faith of so many remarkable people who have touched my life along the way. From my own school days to university, I have been fortunate to learn from teachers who left their mark in ways both big and small: a math tutor who made every challenge seem possible, a humanities teacher who sparked curiosity, a second language teacher who opened up new worlds, and an English teacher whose faith in me changed how I saw myself. Each one showed me how deeply a teacher’s belief can shape a learner’s confidence and identity.

And then there are the colleagues—the fellow educators I have had the privilege to work with in the US, in India, and now in Dubai. These are the people who carry that unmistakable sparkle: the teacher who inspires awe and wonder with every lesson, the one whose very presence alone brings students to attention, the one who goes the extra mile for each child, and the leader who lights up a room with enthusiasm and care. Working alongside them has been a reminder that true teaching is as much about heart as it is about skill. It is about making those connections, having that purpose and in finding the quiet joy of seeing others grow.

Along the way, I have also been blessed with wonderful students and their families. The students I have taught and their parents who even today take that effort to acknowledge and appreciate the impact we created together. 

I know my journey has never been mine alone. It has been carried forward by the collective faith of family, mentors, colleagues, students, and their parents—each one contributing to the wind beneath my wings. To celebrate them is to honor the roots of my purpose, for without their belief, guidance, encouragement and appreciation, the dreams I hold today would never have taken flight.

So, over to you: What are your roots, and who have been the wind beneath your wngs?

The Knowledge Express - because every journey in education begins with someone who believed!