Gerry Coen

Email: gerry.coen@wordpress-649787-2121462.cloudwaysapps.com

Gerry graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway with an Honours Degree in English and French, and from Ulster University with an MSc in Communications, Advertising, and Public Relations.

 

He comes from a background working in Innovation at Unilever and L’Oréal, where he worked for several years developing new products and advertising for international brands. Ultimately, his curiosity around the topic of the “future of work,” and the impact new technologies are having on society got the better of him, and he has returned to school to study a second MSc in Innovation Sciences at the Faculty of Geosciences, at Utrecht University.

 

Gerry has always had a passion for teaching and has had a wide range of teaching experiences. His first teaching role was in New Delhi, India, where he worked preparing disadvantaged children to enter into mainstream schooling. Following on from that he has worked with The British Council in Canada as an ESL Teacher at both Primary and Secondary School level, later teaching Corporate and Private classes for adult learners in Mexico City. His most recent teaching experience involved teaching Kindergarten Grade English to Chinese students in a 100% online learning environment.

Gerry is the youngest of seven children.  Due to his upbringing in a sometimes hectic and very social family environment, Gerry thinks that being able to coordinate with others and negotiate to get what you want, are essential life skills. Therefore, he likes to encourage his students to work together in teams for many activities. He is a strong believer in the mantra of Napoleon Hill “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Thoughts are powerful things! Gerry likes to encourage creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving in his classroom, recognizing that there is a lot to be learned from engaging with younger learners and their unique view of the world around them.

In his spare time Gerry likes to read Scandinavian crime and mystery novels, he tries to keep fit by getting out for walks, and he also enjoys swimming. Family plays a significant role in Gerry’s life, and he likes to get home to the West of Ireland as often as he can.