I should begin by confessing that I consider myself very lucky. I’ve got three jobs and I love them all – teaching, training teachers and writing.

The very first English class I gave was in Toledo. I enjoyed the experience and decided, after finishing my studies at Oxford, to train to be a Secondary School teacher at the University of York. When I finished my training I decided to return immediately to Spain where I’ve been living ever since.

After completing my RSA/UCLES DELTA I spent eight years at International House in Calle Serrano in Madrid and have very fond memories of my time working there as Director of Studies, Teacher Trainer and Teacher. I’ve also worked at International House London, and at the British Council in Madrid where I’ve had the great pleasure of training many teachers on RSA/ UCLES COTE/ ICELT courses. After watching thousands of classes I still find it a fascinating and rewarding experience.

As for writing, my courses include Teamwork and Top Team (both co-written with David Vaughan), Looking Forward, Macmillan Secondary Course and Key Revision. I’m still in the classroom, teaching every day (at a school called Colegio Europeo Aristos, in Getafe), and am as aware as anyone that a good course book really can make a teacher’s life easier and more rewarding. That responsibility, plus lots of coffee, listening to music non-stop, keeps me motivated to try to do my very best.

Amongst other things, writing books has given me the possibility of travelling around giving talks, visiting schools and meeting hundreds of teachers and students. I hope I have the pleasure of meeting you at a Macmillan Teacher’s Day somewhere!