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My name is Jean McNiff and I live in Dorset, on the south coast of England. I live in a fairly old house with a large garden, which is home to a family of foxes, two of whom have become used to me, so we share the same sunny spots on warm days.

I took early retirement in 1987 from my position as a deputy head teacher in a large secondary school in Dorset, and since then have run my own business. I gradually moved into higher education, where I have worked with educators across the professions who wish to study what they are doing as practitioner researchers. Many have achieved their masters and doctoral degrees. I believe passionately that all people can think for themselves and make their own decisions about how they should run their lives, but should also show how they hold themselves accountable for how they do so.

I hold part-time professorial positions at various universities: St Mary's University College, Twickenham, UK; the University of Limerick, Ireland; Ningxia Teachers University, People's Republic of China; the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa. These are honourable positions, and I am indeed privileged to work with such marvellous people.

I consider my main practice as writing. I have always loved writing. When I was a child my father used to say, 'There you go, scribbling again.' He encouraged me every step of the way. He was always proud of me. I now encourage others also to write and tell their stories to the world. The message I try to communicate through everything I do is, 'You can do this. Don't believe it when other people say you cannot think for yourself or do things for yourself. You are a valuable, capable person, who deserves your place on this earth.' We should all be proud of ourselves and one another.