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Michael Somerton suggests that becoming an effective teacher ends only "on retirement". Following the suggestion by Vanessa Pupavac, lecturer in international relations at the University of Nottingham, that some academics are retiring early to pursue "authentic study" ("Academics 'dare to know' in retirement", 25 October), may I suggest a similar phenomenon applies to teaching? Some of us find we only "dare to teach" on retirement - the only snag is we don't get paid for it.

Mary Brown, Freelance education consultant, Banchory, Scotland.