Create a cycle of caring in the classroom: an interview with Auzair Collector

“My own teachers at school were so caring and passionate, they were as happy as I was when I passed my exams. They still contact me today and ask me about my teaching career,” Auzair Collector says.

Throughout his work in schools, Auzair has been conscious to continue this cycle of caring. In 2024, he was awarded the title of Pearson International School Teacher of the Year, where he was celebrated for his creativity, curiosity, and empathy in the classroom. He received 32 nominations for the award, with one of the judges calling him a “true magician in the classroom”.

How then, has Auzair brought this magic into education and quickly become one of the most innovative and respected educators in the field aged just 29? We spoke to Auzair to understand his motivations.

Being an empathetic educator

For Auzair, being a teacher means being one of the first factors to make a difference to children’s lives. He compares it to having almost the same lasting experience and touch as a parent.

"[As educators] you see these students seven hours a day. You observe their progress in writing, mathematics, and art. Our role is not only to equip them with essential life skills but also to contribute to their holistic development as individuals," Auzair explains.

Unsurprisingly, empathy is a big component of Auzair’s approach to teaching. “It’s about putting yourself in students’ shoes. Building a relationship with them. Understanding each student, their likes and dislikes and ensuring you tailor their classes each day to provide them with the best education possible,” he says. Auzair believes that this perspective allows him to make a real difference in school environments, because he can reflect on his own time at school, what he wanted, who resonated with him, and how that shaped him as both a young student and now as an adult.

“Students are sponges. They take in everything, whether it’s positive or negative.” In Auzair’s classroom at MISK Schools in Saudi Arabia, it’s a porous exchange, where the more that he empathises with students, the more they feel comfortable with him. “Personally, I feel that students will mirror the teacher. So if I’m passionate, jolly, and shine, my students will follow that lead.” He elaborates that the more that students feel they can trust their teacher, and are seen by their teacher, the more they can mimic positive behaviours from the teacher.

At the same time, Auzair knows that he’s the comedian of the school. He tries to be warm and welcoming, to joke, to be loud to keep students alert, and to be on their level. He notes that the rationale behind this approach is to show students that teachers, too, were once in their shoes.

“By revealing your personality beyond the role of a teacher, students can relate to you on a personal level, understanding that you were once their age. This fosters empathy and connection. That’s why, when I lead co-curricular activities after school, I actively participate in the fun. It helps students see me not just as their teacher, but as someone with hobbies and a life beyond the classroom.”

But Auzair equally knows the thin line between empathy and being the adult and leader in the room.

“Parents and colleagues often tell me that as much as students love me, and laugh with me, I also have their respect. That matters.”

Building relationships with clear bricks

A core part of Auzair’s success has been his commitment to relationship building. He made it a priority to form strong, transparent bonds with both students and their parents, and to create communication channels and practices that make sense for everyone.

“When I first started teaching, I thought the job was all about results: having a quiet classroom, students facing the board, getting on with activities. Now, I realise that relationships with students and parents are the key to success. It’s a partnership,” Auzair says.

He emphasises that building these relationships requires paying attention and making decisions that tailor to parents’ expectations and lives, but are always centred on the shared interest – the student thriving.

“Some parents don’t want to be overloaded with communication, but they also don’t want to be in the unknown. Others may want to be plugged into everything. I try to gauge parents’ interest at the first interaction of the year,” Auzair says. Once he knows how to involve parents, he makes sure that they’re aware of his ‘Open email door’ policy, and that he always tries to respond to messages within 24 hours.

On top of that, Auzair guarantees a ‘No surprises’ policy, where he promises to tell parents about events or news ahead of time – meaning students don’t go home with information that parents aren’t already informed about.

“School is ultimately a family community,” Auzair says, “It’s not like a 9-5 office job, it’s about really caring about each other.” By having transparent, regular communication with students and parents, Auzair builds relationships that are meaningful and sustainable.

“Parents entrust us with their children, and it’s essential that we uphold this responsibility while keeping them informed every step of the way,” Auzair says. “Ultimately, parents want what is best for their child, and it’s crucial that, as educators, we collaborate closely with families to ensure the best possible support for their children’s development.”

Personalisation equals progress

Perhaps Auzair’s real secret sauce as a teacher is his ability to personalise his teaching style to students’ specific needs (helping fuel their academic success), while also investing in students’ interests.

“Teaching is not a one-size-fits-all job,” Auzair notes. He says that in the initial weeks of delivering the curriculum, he watches how students engage and makes tweaks accordingly. “If I sense they’re struggling, I’m not hesitant to pause the lesson and revisit content to ensure full comprehension. Teaching is not just about following a textbook; it’s about understanding childhood cognitive development and adapting my approach to meet the needs of each individual student.”

Auzair values collaboration and isn't afraid to seek input from his peers when students struggle with a concept. He recalls a time when he was teaching the grid method for multiplication in maths and noticed students were disengaged. “I wasn’t sure what was missing, so I asked our teaching assistant to explain it from their perspective. The change in approach made a big difference, and soon the students were using the grid method independently,” he says. “It’s about being flexible and finding methods that resonate with students whilst utilising support and specialist staff around you in a meaningful and impactful way.”

But personalisation extends beyond the curriculum for Auzair – he takes time every day to sense how his students are feeling. Whether chatting with them in the morning or sitting with them at break or lunch, Auzair seizes informal settings where students can open up to him. He also purposefully asks parents about students’ hobbies to integrate them into conversations.

“I’ll ask students ‘How was your trip?’, ‘How was your party?’, ‘How’s [their hobby] going?’. Sometimes I get a puzzled look back, with them asking me, ‘How do you know that?’, and I respond, ‘It’s my job to know,’” Auzair says. Really knowing his students means that Auzair allows students to bring the most passionate parts of themselves into the school setting. He then interlinks these parts into the learning process. For instance, if a student loves horse riding, Auzair will select a newspaper article on the Grand National for a reading activity.

‘The reason for someone to smile’

Auzair knows that when he was at school, his teachers cared, and that really influenced the paths that he and other people took after school and later in life. Considering Auzair’s commitment to high-quality, humanised education, he will no doubt follow in the influential footsteps of his teachers.

“I get my happiness from my students’ success. Any progress they make is amazing to me,” he says. “We’ve all been through education. [The teacher] can make a difference… the reason for someone to smile.”

Looking at Auzair’s recent award and feedback from students, we have no doubt he’ll be in front of many happy faces for a long time.