Is teaching an Art or a Science? We might never get the answer, but something everyone agrees with is that in our lives we all had teachers who taught boring subjects and turned them into a masterpiece of knowledge.

If you stop right now and analyse the learning experiences you’ve had so far, the chances of you remembering a special teacher, that was somehow important to your life, is likely to be 100%.

In Times Academy, our students definitely have a whole team of great teachers to compose their positive memories and from now on, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know a little bit more about our staff and get inspired with their stories. What a better way to start than with our Academic Manager?

Brendan Daly, an Australian with an Irish background born on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, started his teaching career 20 years ago. While living in the UK, he was a supply teacher in many high schools in the South East of London. He went back home and felt like he was missing something.

He then tried something new. Why not moving overseas again, but this time to a non-English speaking country and teach the language? So, Brendan packed his stuff and moved to Japan. His idea was so successful that he stayed in the land of the rising sun for 7 and half years, strengthening his love for education. When he moved back to Australia, he decided to start a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics at Macquarie University, specializing even more, his now, strong experience. Over the years he taught General English, EAP, IELTS and High School Preparation for international students that wanted to experience life down under.

Brendan guarantees that studying English opens up a world of opportunities for everyone. He says that

“In some countries people who speak English have an advantage in the job market. There are also opportunities to improve yourself through education in an English-speaking county, like the students who have come to Australia to experience living and studying in another country. For some people it is like an adventure; they dream of travelling around the world and being able to speak English, which can help them achieve their goals. Speaking English also allows you to meet people from different cultures and to experience and enjoy living in a globalised world.”

Anyone who sees Brendan around the corridors of Times Academy doesn’t believe that, besides teaching and managing the school, he also loves waking up at 5 am to ride his bike every day to work – a 42 km round trip, by the way – and to spend his free time going to football games with his family. Based on his story and his strength to ride a bike for such a long distance, we understand how persistent he is in accomplishing his challenges. Well, we’re definitely really thankful for that!