A conversation with Alina Nistor
Twelve years at one school. Alina Nistor, Arts Teacher and Creatives Curriculum Lead at UAS, is one of the first two staff to receive the school’s Exceptional Teacher Award in 2026. She talks about relationships, high expectations, and why the recognition feels like a beginning…
Art can be deeply personal, and Alina Nistor knows that students will only take creative risks once they feel their ideas matter. Building that trust has been her work for twelve years at UAS. In 2026, she was named one of two staff to receive the school’s first Exceptional Teacher Award. As Arts Teacher and Creatives Curriculum Lead, she shares her thoughts below in her own words.
You’ve been at UAS for twelve years. What made you stay?
It has become much more than a workplace for me. It has been a place where I have grown, been challenged, and had the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways. I have taught students at different stages of their learning journey, worked alongside wonderful colleagues, and taken on roles that helped me understand education beyond my own classroom. What made me stay is the sense of connection I feel to the school community and the belief that I can continue to make a meaningful difference here, both in the classroom and beyond it.
This is the first year Al-Futtaim Education Foundation has given these awards, and you’re one of only two chosen from UAS. What do you think it was about your teaching that put you on this list?
I think it starts with relationships. I try to be genuine with my students and create a classroom where they feel seen, respected, and safe enough to try. Art can be very personal, and students need to feel that their ideas matter before they are willing to take creative risks. At the same time, I have high expectations. I believe students are often capable of more than they realise, and I try to encourage them to improve, refine their work, and take pride in what they create. For me, teaching is about finding the right balance between care, honesty, challenge, and encouragement. I want students to feel supported, but also inspired to push themselves further.
Now that someone has officially called you exceptional, what’s the bar you’re setting for yourself next year?
I feel very honoured by this recognition, especially because teaching is such meaningful and demanding work. I am grateful, but I also see it as a reminder to keep growing. Next year, I want to continue creating learning experiences that are thoughtful, relevant, and meaningful for students. I also hope to contribute further to the development of the creative subjects across the school, supporting both students and teachers. The bar I am setting for myself is to keep the work student-centred, purposeful, and ambitious.