Hey everyone,

I’ve been meaning to give an update on my day job for a while now, but with so much going on in the world, at home, at work, and in the writerverse, I just haven’t found the time to put these thoughts down properly.

As many of you know, I chose not to renew my contract at the private school where I worked. I loved that school. It was one of the best institutions in Turkiye and, during my eight years there, I learned a lot.

The main thing I learned, besides the fact that I love teaching, was that every learner has specific needs. That was the lesson I brought with me when I set up my own exam prep business, PEAK ENGLISH.

A much harsher, and dare I say more valuable, lesson came when I decided to work part-time last year at a smaller school. The lesson being this: yes, every learner has specific needs, but I may not always be the teacher equipped to help them, even if I’m technically an expert in what they need help with. More on that soon.

Between September 2025 and March 2026, Peak English coached 20 students, 9 of whom were preparing for the IELTS exam.

Of those 9 students, all 9 got the score they needed.

Two of them signed up for more lessons afterwards, for Business English, interview English, and CV/cover letter help. Another student will now work in Ireland after I helped source accommodation and employment for him.

Overall, it has been a success.

Better still, I’ve been able to do it while keeping my prices down. As many of you know, most of my students live in parts of the world where the minimum wage is lower than in Western countries. Thanks to my writing income, and the fantastic support I’ve received through Buy Me a Coffee, paid subscriptions to The Exile Files, and my Medium income, I’ve been able to keep my prices low.

That said, it has also meant I’ve had to be selective about the students I take on, and about how many I take on.

Now, when I say selective, I do not mean I choose students based on who I think will pass, or who can pay the most. That would be wrong. What I mean is that I have had to be selective about time frame.

If a student’s exam is in three or four months, I can help.

If it’s in one month, I usually can’t, because I do not yet have the time or the reliable system needed to make those lessons as useful as they should be. I do not like taking money and going through the motions. It’s one of those hard early rules I’ve had to put in place in order for Peak English to breathe, grow, and learn how to be of genuine use.

Alas, spring has sprung, and now is the time to open Peak English’s doors to more students. But for that to happen, I need a system. A website. An automated welcome exam that assesses a student’s English before they even book lessons. In short, Peak English needs to take the next step, otherwise I will burn out.

At the moment, I’m working with a friend to create an app for Peak English, as well as a proper landing page that isn’t just Instagram.

It’s all quite exciting, if a little daunting.

But when things start becoming more real, they always feel daunting at the start.

So I’d like to take this moment to thank everyone who has become a paid subscriber to The Exile Files, donated to the GoFundMe, bought me coffees, or shared my work. Even if you only paid because I made you laugh and it had nothing to do with the teaching side of things, it still matters. You are part of the positivity I’m trying to create around learning.

Thank you again.

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About P W Murphy

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