Michael Guzder, Special to Gulf News

Michael Guzder is Senior Vice-President of Education at GEMS and a former Principal.

Articles from the author

The quiet power of choice in an always-on world

Why not every message, interruption or moment of urgency deserves immediate attention

When everything receives an immediate answer, everything begins to feel the same. Importance flattens, urgency blurs, and over time attention spreads too thin to hold anything properly.

The marks you’re upset about are someone else’s dream

Board exam results now carry far more than academic meaning in a competitive world

Marks open doors, shape direction, and influence opportunity, but they also begin, quietly and almost invisibly, to define worth in ways that extend far beyond the classroom.

Beyond the classroom: What students truly need to learn

Knowledge still matters — but knowing how to use it matters more

Classrooms are changing. Learning is becoming more inquiry-led and connected, with less emphasis on repetition and more on understanding.

Pages that remember, rooms that listened

How wedding albums turned memories into shared experiences

Between laughter, faded edges, bell-bottoms, and puffed sleeves, the wedding album was more than photographs. It was a witness to beginnings, a keeper of stories, a space where past and present met.

What regret can you live with?

Choosing courage over comfort in every life-changing decision

Regret is part of life. The real question is not how to avoid regret - it is which regret you are willing to carry.

What a seat can reveal about leadership and perspective

Sometimes the smallest shift in position uncovers what was always there

Where we sit shapes what we see. From one angle, fluent speakers dominate. From another, you notice the pauses, the ideas almost spoken, the quiet energy in the room.

Best friends forever? How friendship changes as we grow

From schoolyard exclusivity to mature companionship and gratitude

Friendships are less about permanence and more about presence: who shows up, who stays kind when things are messy, who remembers who we are when we are still becoming.

Biscuit tins to money plants: The joy of holding on

How everyday objects, reused and remembered, carry stories of thrift, memory and care

Placed in bottles that once held something else and thriving in water alone, the money plant turns ordinary containers into something decorative.

Saying ‘no’: A leadership skill we must reclaim

Why saying ‘no’ makes you a stronger, smarter leader

In theory, saying ‘no’ seems simple - in practice, it rarely is.

Beyond marks: Helping students thrive in board exams

A clarion call to focus on preparation and self-belief — not just results

Families should remember that today’s learners — Generation Z — study differently. Some focus best in silence, others with music or background noise.

Year of the Family: Rediscovering the art of connection

Why slowing down and being fully present matters more than ever in distracted homes

In the UAE, the focus on family is deliberate and inspiring: the Year of the Family encourages households to slow down, reconnect, and celebrate bonds.

An Allahabad winter, wrapped in Christmas cheer

Remembering small-town holidays where cold days brought warm hearts

The cold winds, Christmas cards on the mantle, and twinkling lights on well-decorated trees and houses — all of it blended into a warm, sparkling tapestry.

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