Team
Who are LoveTEFL?
LoveTEFL is run by three enthusiastic and experienced people who have visited all kinds of exotic locations. We’ve all worked in education, and we love the three Ts: Travel, TEFL and… er, toast. (Probably.)
Gordon
Gordon ran a global TEFL and travel company for a number of years before deciding to start his own company, LoveTEFL. If you want to know pretty much anything about teaching English overseas, he can help. (No, seriously… try him.)
LoveTEFL loves our travellers, and loves our schools, that’s Gordon’s priority. He likes to make sure all students are getting the most out of TEFL and taking all the opportunities for travel, learning and inspiring others.
Fact: Gordon once drove a landrover from Johannesburg to Scotland, and he’ll quite happily talk about it for hours. “When I was in Africa…” …see, there he goes again!
Ian
Ian lives in Ireland and is passionate about travel. He spent 25 years visiting exotic places like Haiti, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu and running his own travel business. Ian loves to encourage people to take the leap in any aspect of their lives, giving them whatever support they need to get out there and explore, live life to the fullest, we only get one chance.
Fact: Most days you will find Ian walking on a beach with his dog. If you’re popping down the corner shop, his favourite crisps are cheese and onion.
That’s Ian’s favourite crisps, not the dog’s.
Bruce
Bruce is passionate about education and travel – the ideal combination for someone who ran a TEFL company. And that’s exactly what he used to do. Before that, Bruce taught English in Asia and managed language centres there too. He’s also visited Africa and the Middle East, but is now back in the UK – although sometimes we think he’d rather be somewhere slightly more exotic. If you want to work overseas or try living in another country, Bruce is the man who can really bring that dream to life.
Fact: Bruce used to be a fan of the Bay City Rollers. Remember them?
Rachel
Rachel spent a year travelling the World and enjoyed it so much that she decided to start a career in Travel and TEFL. For the past 8 years she has helped people get volunteer and paid work all over the World. She is passionate about Travel and believes that Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a fantastic way to do something different, experience a new culture, all whilst earning money at the same time!
If you want any advice then Rachel is the gal to speak to.
Fact: Rachel recently survived a 10 hour storm whilst being stuck in the middle of the ocean on a small boat!
Mark
Mark is LoveTEFL’s web geek and is often found hunched in a darkened corner working on the website. He is also a seasoned traveller having visited China, Canada and Morocco* (*at the World Showcase in Epcot, Disney World…)
He is absolutely thrilled to be part of the LoveTEFL community, helping to deliver excellent service to all of their customers.
Fact: Mark has the autograph of legendary triple jumper Jonathan Edwards in a gold frame on his mantelpiece. He worships it three times a day.
Zain
Zain is our IT Guru in training. He spends his days dreaming of ways to take over the company muhahahaha and travelling the world roadtrip stylee. Even though he is still a spring chicken, he’s still managed to have 8 years of experience in the world of IT, starting this path by fixing PCs from his bedroom for some extra pocket money.
He is on his industrial placement from Bradford University and so far is enjoying the LoveTEFL vibe.
Fact: Zain is very accident prone by breaking most bones in his body except his head… but, more importantly, he has never seen the sea!
Jo
Jo has worked in Travel for the past 10 years and before that went off exploring the world. She loved it so much that she came back and started working in the industry encouraging others to do the same. She has certainly got around over the years (in the travelling sense that is) and can answer most of your questions about what it’s like to live overseas.
When Jo isn’t jet-setting about the planet she spends most of her time in the great British outdoors and can normally be found in a cold, muddy field somewhere walking the dog, biking or holding spare wheels at various races around the country – she does this bit begrudgingly.
Fact: Jo’s travels weren’t completely uneventful; during the course of her travels she was attacked by killer bees, stung by a scorpion and nearly sat on a poisonous snake. She’s a good person to have around because you can guarantee it will happen to her and not you!
Linda
Linda is passionate about travel and has worked in travel since leaving University working for years for a European travel company. During her time working for a volunteer travel company she managed to extend her travels to include India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Borneo, Namibia, Egypt and Australia before starting work for LoveTEFL. Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a great way of traveling overseas, getting immersed into a new culture and having a great experience not to mention that you actually get paid too!
Fact: Not only is Linda passionate about travel but also fitness – her main sport is trampolining and she teaches pilates too in her spare time!
Sam
Sam is the most recent addition to the LoveTEFL team. After venturing across the world to countries including New Zealand, Thailand, USA and Australia, he now is our famous blogger and copywriter, among the many other roles he fulfils.
Not only is Sam working for LoveTEFL but he’s also working to complete his Master’s Degree in Screenplay Writing. What a champ! If you’re curious to the blogs he writes for LoveTEFL, please read here. You can also visit his homepage buckleyblogging.wordpress.com.
Lordy
Lordy found a love for teaching English to kids in Thailand after giving up his 9 to 5 desk job selling advertising in newspapers. He certainly never regretted that move and since being there, he has met his beautiful wife and they have had two wonderful kids together. Not a bad deal!
He joined LoveTEFL this year after 3 years of teaching in Thailand and has been proud to have been involved with the launch of the company in South East Asia.
Fact: Lordy probably watches far too many movies and likes nothing more than a great romcom!
Rosie
Rosanna has over 6 years’ experience in organising educational, cultural and language teaching activities for children and adults. Rosanna spent some time working with children in Vietnam and Cambodia, where she provided care and support to orphans and taught in local Primary schools. She has worked with several companies in the UK where her role has been to design communication and interactive activities for children through arts, crafts, music and theatre. She has also organised after-school workshops for children in the UK and in a children’s museum. Rosanna has taught English at all levels and currently teaches TEFL trainees. Her work in this field has been published in the Modern English Teachers journal.
Fact: Rosie has travelled to 86 cities and towns in Italy with an educational musical theatre company!
Sue
Sue has taught English at all levels and has also been a teacher trainer for more than 6 years. Recently she worked as an English mentor at a Brazilian primary school. Her job was to work alongside the English teachers and train them in EFL teaching and help write the yearly syllabus. Having spent most of the last ten years living and working abroad Sue is now settled in the UK.
Like most of the LoveTEFL team Sue loves travel and teaching. She is passionate about encouraging and helping trainees get the most from their course and loves helping build their confidence and sharing her own experiences. Sue has worked with several companies to design course material, which include an online IELTS course, a TESOL methodology course and a young learners interactive book. She has also written her own range of course books that are sold privately.
Teaching aside Sue loves nature and being outdoors and you can often find her walking (often chasing!!) her dog (Bruce the Beagle!) in the countryside or along the beach.
Fact: Sue once spent 3 months living in a campervan and driving around Australia.
Tracy
Tracy travelled to the Far East to teach English over 15 years ago after deciding a career in Computing wasn’t for her. Her passion for teaching was enhanced by being immersed in the culture and after progressing to Senior Teacher and then managing a number of schools in the area she decided to return to the UK to continue her professional development. Back in the UK Tracy taught EFL and EAL in many schools and her most recent post was Director of Studies at a private language school. She has now decided to reduce her hours whilst raising her young family.
Fact: Whilst travelling across America on the Greyhound Coach, all of Tracy’s possessions (including passport, money and ID) were lost by the coach company. Thankfully, everything was recovered after a worrying amount of time and a further 500 miles.
How we see things
At LoveTEFL we want to see everyone fulfil their ambitions and get the most out of life. We realise that some people find it easy to drop everything, and some people need a little help. Whether you need a gentle nudge towards your dream or you need us to stick an elbow in your ribs to get you started, we’d love to help you out. Learning to teach isn’t just about courses and qualifications: it’s also about the journey you take. We’re here to help you with that journey.
When you train with LoveTEFL, you’re benefitting from a wealth of experience and support. You can see from our experience that we know what we’re doing. We’ve been there and done it already.
LoveTEFL won’t train you, give you a couple of leaflets and send you on your way. We have a genuine passion for travel and education, and we really do want to provide you with the best possible service – as well as all the encouragement you could ever need – to get started in your new career.
