Hello, Konichi Wa, Bonjour, As-Salam Alaykum, Ni Hao,

Hi my name is Colin Bell and I am passionate about Education… promoting cultural understanding, developing effective school workforces and creating international professional networks…

My role in Eteach is Head of Development for International Schools, connecting schools with our International talent pool of educational professionals. I have been involved in Education since qualifying from University reading a degree in Plant Sciences and then undertaking EFL teaching qualifications from Cambridge University, which led me to teach in the UK and overseas… I had a fantastic time teaching English in the Czech Republic and Japan for 3.5 years.

My students ranged from Early Years to University students, business leaders from Japanese industry and Military commanders from the Czech Armed forces. I returned to the UK and spent a couple of years recruiting teachers to schools across Asia allowing teachers to develop their career portfolios and karaoke skills…

Working in Local and Regional UK Government and studying for Chartered Institute of Marketing qualifications was my next move… I spent 6 years leading Recruitment, Retention and Marketing for Education and Children’s Services in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. During this time I worked with a variety of committed social partners including schools, Universities and government agencies. I chaired the South London Local Authorities School Workforce Recruitment Group, and I was seconded as Project Manager for the Government Office for London 'London Challenge' inner city schools recruitment programme.

Developing teachers and their global education leadership potential is area which I have particular experience having delivered National College for School Leaders (NCSL) leadership succession planning strategies and on behalf of the Department for Children’s Services and Families leading teachers International Professional Development study visits for groups of school leaders and teachers to China, Canada and the USA. This was a fantastic opportunity to share good practice, to visit a variety of schools and to meet educational professionals from around the world…

Lifelong learning is something I believe in and practice… through my role as a part time EFL lecturer in a London Further Education College I continue to teach and learn languages through interaction with multinational students. I also support the delivery of the United Nations Millennium goals volunteering as Communications Manager for a UNA UK London branch.

My 3 wishes are to…

1) complete another UK coast to coast bike ride this summer
2) grow a greater variety of exotic chillies
3) improve my Middle Eastern and Asian culinary skills

As you’ll already know your teaching qualifications and experience are a valid professional passport to rewarding and exciting career opportunities… get in touch to share your international teaching and travel experiences… foods, cultures, languages and achievements…

Goodbye, Sayonara, Au Revoir, Ma'a Salama, Zai Jian

A warm welcome from Gerry

Hi my name is Gerry Manolas and I have been with eteach.com for the past 6 years. I originally joined in August 2002 as part of the Permanent Placement Team and moved across to the Independent Schools Account in March 2005. My role now is to help the Independent Schools place their vacancies onto the website and to try and direct suitably experienced and qualified candidates to them.

I started my career in back in 1989, qualifying as a Primary Teacher from Gwent College of Education in Caerleon, Gwent. My first post was in Penarth where I stayed until 1998, having become a member of the senior management team. Whilst there, I was involved at a county level in Business and Industry Partnership Links and European Awareness issues. I also completed a Diploma in teaching Welsh as a Second Language to Primary children.

I then moved to Surrey and took up a KS2 Manager role and then Acting Deputy position at a school in Guildford. Having taught across the primary range and managing curriculum areas such as Science, IT, Geography along with supporting the PTA and doing all the additional things we do as conscientious teachers, (but that have no official title) I decided a change was needed before I burnt out! So after a few months of supply teaching I moved across and stepped into recruitment for a small supply agency in Guildford in 2001. This enabled me to qualify as a member of REC and keep my hand in teaching when teachers were unable to undertake their assignments.

I now have a 5 year old son and so education is just as important to me not only from a career point of view, but from that as a parent. I feel passionately that children should be taught by inspirational teachers who know how to ‘light the flame of life long learning’ and who understand the individual needs of the child.

My three wishes:

1. That common sense really was ‘common’, as it seems to be missing in huge chunks from all aspects of life.

2. To meet Daniel Craig, as I am a real James Bond fan.

3. To go to the Olympics when they come to London in 2012.

I look forward to hearing about your teaching experiences and thoughts on our present education system and ideas for it’s future.

Come and socialise with us online

Now I’ve done the boring bit about myself I wanted to express what I’d like to get out of the blog.

We’ve created the blog for all of you, whether you work in education or not, as a platform where you can interact online with us.

My team at eteach have created a website aimed at teachers looking for jobs and information around the job seeking process. It is important for us that we get your feedback to ensure you are getting what you need from Eteach.com

Use this blog to voice your opinions, interact with them. You may have some favourite eteach blogger which you might want to come back to. We want to have a conversation with you online and this is probably one of the quickest and easiest ways of keeping in touch. Let us know what you think about our news stories. We’ve got lots to say too!

We look forward to hearing from you!

More later, Paul Howells

Welcome to the eteach blog

Welcome to the Eteach blog! My name is Paul and I'm the founder of Eteach.com before I begin my essay about my passion for education and the world of teaching, here's a bit of history on how it all began...

I began my career as a PE teacher in the London Borough of Ealing and taught PE , English, Special Needs, Business Studies and Careers Education over a period of 10 years. Why did I decide to go into teaching? I'll tell you in a later post.

In 1990, I started the UK's first specialist supply teaching agency called LHR Education in West London. The agency grew rapidly to become one of the largest teacher recruitment businesses in the UK, we were an innovative company with a passion for developing bespoke systems we became very early adopters of recruitment via the internet, in 1995 we trawled the world for quality teachers for schools in London and across the UK.

In April 2000 I launched http://www.eteach.com/ as probably the first serious teacher jobsite. The site has grown quickly to become the leading place for schools to find teachers and teachers to find schools in the UK and is fast becoming a great source of International Vacancies too.

In 2005 we launched http://www.fejobs.com/ a dedicated jobsite for FE Colleges, this has also grown rapidly and now has 45% of all FE Colleges as members carrying at least 50%+ of all jobs in the FE sector.

My three wishes:

1. Eteach.com becomes the number one education recruitment website for teachers worldwide to find jobs and schools worldwide to find teachers.

2. I would love to play Rugby for Wales .

3. To be a lead singer in a rock band .

Two and three may have passed me by but one is well within our reach.......

I'm a passionate celt, my team at Eteach is passionate, we want to do our best to deliver the best service and information hub for the online education recruitment industry. Through this blog the team and I would like to share our thoughts and experiences. The Eteach team are really looking forward to hearing from you, so I welcome you all to join in the debate!

More later JPH