A child’s confidence can begin with something as simple as a teacher saying, “I believe in you.” Lisa Crausby OBE, Group Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education examines why this quiet act of belief remains at the heart of great education even as technology transforms the classroom 

Dubai, Sept 24, 2026: Every child carries a story about who they are and what they are capable of becoming. Often, that story is shaped not by a single lesson or examination result, but by a teacher who sees their potential before they can see it for themselves. A teacher’s belief can become the turning point: the quiet force that gives a child courage, confidence and a stronger sense of possibility. 

I have spent my whole life in education: first as a student, then as a teacher, and more than two decades in leadership roles. Across every stage, I have seen how transformative a teacher’s belief can be. It changes how a child approaches challenge, understands their own potential and begins to imagine a future that once felt out of reach. 

That quiet influence is not soft or secondary. It is one of education’s greatest responsibilities: to help young people build the confidence, character and sense of possibility they will carry long after they leave our classrooms. 

Belief as a force for growth 

One of the privileges of my career has been observing exceptional teachers working in very different schools and communities. Outstanding classrooms rarely look identical, yet the teachers who make the greatest difference share remarkably similar qualities. 

They combine warmth with high expectations, encourage curiosity without lowering standards and know when to offer reassurance and when to step back so that a child discovers their own capability. 

The strongest teachers understand that confidence is not built through praise alone. It grows when children experience challenge, persevere through difficulty and realise they are capable of achieving more than they thought possible. 

Academic rigour and confidence are not competing ideas. They strengthen one another. Children who believe in themselves are more willing to tackle demanding work, ask thoughtful questions and persist when learning becomes difficult. 

I have seen this in the smallest classroom moments: a child hesitant to speak, a teacher quietly inviting them to try, and then the visible shift when that child realises their voice has value. These moments may seem modest, but they can alter the course of a young person’s confidence. 

Belonging begins with being known 

Since moving to the UAE, one of the things that has inspired me most is the extraordinary diversity, ambition and warmth found within our classrooms. Across our schools, we have the privilege of educating children from many nationalities, cultures and traditions, all learning together in a country that places education, innovation and possibility at the centre of its future. 

A single class may include children from many different nationalities, languages and cultures. Many have lived in more than one country and attended several schools before arriving here. They often carry multiple identities, shaped by different homes, traditions and experiences. 

Yet despite those differences, I have found one truth to be universal: every child wants to feel they matter. 

Every child wants an adult to look beyond what they achieve today and hold a generous view of what they could become tomorrow. 

For internationally mobile families, teachers often become important anchors during periods of transition. They provide consistency, belonging and encouragement at moments when children are adjusting to new friendships, new environments and sometimes entirely new cultures. 

Creating that sense of belonging is not separate from academic excellence. It is one of the foundations on which great learning is built, because children who feel secure and understood are more likely to take intellectual risks, accept challenge and stretch themselves further. 

Belief grows beyond the lesson 

Some of the most important moments in a child’s development happen beyond the lesson itself. 

Auditioning for a stage production, joining a sports team, volunteering for a leadership role, undertaking a community project or presenting an idea to peers – all require children to manage uncertainty. 

These experiences often reveal qualities that are not immediately visible in an assessment. A quieter child may emerge as a thoughtful leader. Another may discover resilience through sport, or confidence through performance. 

Great schools create opportunities for children to discover these different parts of themselves. Teachers make these experiences constructive by balancing support with challenge. They help children understand that confidence is not always something they must possess from the outset; it can be built through participation, perseverance and the willingness to keep trying when progress feels slow. 

When schools and families believe together 

As both an educator and a parent, I have become increasingly convinced that children flourish most when the messages they receive at school are reinforced at home. 

At our schools, we know that education works best when schools and families move together with trust, consistency and shared ambition. Parents are not observers of their children’s education; they are essential partners in it. 

When teachers and parents communicate openly, share high expectations and work collaboratively with trust, children benefit enormously. They experience greater consistency, stronger well-being and the confidence that comes from knowing the important adults in their lives are united behind them. 

Sometimes this partnership is most powerful in moments that families never forget: the phone call home that is not about a problem, but about a breakthrough; the teacher who notices that a child who once stood at the edge of the playground has made a friend; the message that says, simply, “I saw your child try again today.” For a parent, those words can mean everything. They reassure families that their child is not only being taught, but truly cared for. 

The human work AI cannot replace 

In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, this human work matters more, not less. The UAE has shown remarkable ambition in embracing innovation across many sectors, including education. What inspires me is not simply the pace of change, but the clarity of purpose behind it: the best technology should not distance teachers from children; it should give them more time to understand, guide and encourage them. 

That is why the most important question is not whether technology will change education. It already is. The better question is whether we will use it to protect and deepen the human connections that transform learning. 

Instead, the opportunity is to enable teachers to spend more time doing what only they can do: build relationships, inspire curiosity, exercise professional judgement, notice the child behind the data and help young people grow into thoughtful, capable and compassionate human beings. 

Technology will continue to transform how we teach and how children learn. But it will never replace the human connection that helps a child feel significant, understand that they matter and discover what they are capable of becoming. At our schools, our work in this space is giving students a distinct advantage: more personalised support, stronger relationships with their teachers and greater confidence to thrive in the future. 

Belief that transcends language 

My love of languages, including French, German, Spanish and Arabic, has given me the privilege of working closely with children and families from many different cultures. It has taught me that language is never only about words; it is about identity, belonging and the human desire to be understood. 

Languages may differ, traditions may differ and school systems may differ. But one thing has remained constant wherever I have worked: children grow when they feel understood, encouraged and trusted to become more than they imagined. 

At its best, education is about more than what children know. It is about who they become. Education is one of the noblest callings, and with it comes a moral imperative: to see each child clearly, believe in their potential and create the conditions for them to flourish. 

Never underestimate the power of this role. Teachers transform lives. They nurture the leaders of tomorrow. They leave a legacy that shapes future generations. This is the privilege of our profession, and the responsibility we must never take lightly.