Daniel Sullins: Every student has more potential than they realize

Our new English teacher, Daniel Sullins, joined our school in mid-November 2025. He is 31 years old and came to Havlíčkův Brod with extensive international experience and a clear vision of what he expects from teaching — above all an active approach, high standards, and trust in the potential of every student.

In the interview, he speaks openly about his journey to the Czech Republic, the differences between life in the United States and the Vysočina region, his approach to teaching, and what impressed him most about our school and its students during his first weeks.

What was your journey to Havlíčkův Brod like?

I have a friend in Pardubice whom I met in 2016 when I was working on my TEFL license at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (ZCU). He still calls me every now and then, and in April of this year, he asked me why I don't teach English in the Czech Republic. 500 emails and 4 months later, I arrived in Havličkuv Brod. I had received approximately 20 job offers in many parts of the Czech Republic, but HB was actually the closest to Pardubice + I had the most confident connection with Markéta Hejnová who took on a significant amount of personal responsibility and work to communicate with the necessary government authorities, assist in paperwork and translation, and acting as the on-call contact for me through the entire process. These were the most significant factors in my arrival to this small, Vysočina town. 

How long have you been in Europe, and what is your experience of living abroad?

I have been in Europe numerous times. I attended school in France in both 2014 and 2015, followed by a short stint living in Brussels, Belgium. I lived and attended school in Pilsen in 2016. I again lived in France in 2019 to study perfumery in Grasse, France, and in Versailles, France.

After completing school, I again went to the Czech Republic to enjoy a few weeks of Bohemian hospitality and to connect with some 2016 friends. I have traveled around to other countries throughout the years, having visited Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Monaco, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Hungary. I also spent some time in Argentina in 2023 and in Colombia in 2024 and 2025. 

You come from Memphis, Tennessee — how does it feel to move from the American South to a town in the Vysočina region?

There are many differences between Memphis and HB. Most recently I was living in a very small town in Tennessee called Scotts Hill, which only has a population of approximately 1,000 so I don't actually feel bored in HB.

There is a silent charm of novelty that blankets the region of Vysočina region and beyond. Some people walk by the same churches or museums every day and have lost their appreciation for these simple things. But as I walk the streets of HB, Jihlava, Prague, Znojmo, my chin is always turned towards the rooftops and I am always taking photos. The Czech Republic still maintains a majesty and a mystery to me, and I experience emotions that are atypical.

I speak English, French, and Spanish, so it's not common for me to be completely isolated linguistically, as Czech has been very difficult for me. I can stand in a crowd of people and still feel like I'm invisible or almost like a dog belonging to a family - happy to be there, curious, knowing about 10 commands or phrases, but overwhelmingly not understanding a damn thing 99% of the time.

I did spend about 10 years in Memphis between traveling, and it couldn't be more different from the Czech Republic. I live comfortably without a car in HB. Life is not possible in Memphis without owning a vehicle. Memphis is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States - so much so that I would not dare to buy my groceries without carrying a hidden gun. The Czech Republic is one of the safest places on Earth. Memphis is a melting pot of various immigrants and races, while HB is very homogenous for the most part. Life in public is very quiet and introverted in HB, while there are some social expectations to kindly greet and wave at strangers in Memphis.

You studied communication and worked as a spokesman. How do these experiences shape your approach to teaching English?

I don't know if my contemporaries feel that I am a great communicator, but I try to always bring my best effort for the students. There are some small details that studying communication would help me to identify, but I feel that my work in other industries and my time in the military has made a bigger impact for me.

I don't think every student likes me because I feel that I am much more firm, short-tempered, and even confrontational than other English teachers in the school. I don't feel the pressure to change or assimilate this facet of my instruction. I add something new and different to the school. If I was the same as everyone else - what's the point of me being here?

I am driven by my belief that these students are talented and capable beyond measure. Even if they don't see themselves as future business owners, future presidents, future CEOs, or future world-changers - I do. I can see it in all of them, and as a consequence, I don't allow the students to hold themselves to a low standard. I expect great things from them, and I hope that by demanding excellence from them they will one day be the best versions of themselves. They will not have to wonder who they could have been. They will reach outcomes that are commensurate with their true talents and ambitions, because they truly are gifted. I simply won't allow them to fall below their potential. 

What are your first impressions of the students and of the Havlíčkův Brod school after your first few weeks here?

The school, its students, and its staff continue to be one of my favorite parts about being in the Czech Republic. The students are shy. I wish they weren't so quiet or apprehensive about participating in class. I was told that this has a lot to do with the culture of primary school. I'll never know, but I hope to see the students become more confident in the future.

With very few exceptions, I have been overwhelmingly impressed by the expertise, the hospitality, and warmth that I have felt from my cherished colleagues. I could write a book about my experiences with all of the teachers - even those who don't speak any English. The whole team makes an effort to make me feel like part of the team and I'm grateful that I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by a team of such exceptional professionals - the teachers, the headmaster, the janitorial staff, the secretaries - truly everyone.

To say more about the students, I sometimes see my younger self in them. I was not the greatest student in high school, but I found myself spread across the gamut of extracurricular activities and pursuits. Student council, sports, the disruptive talker in class - I did it all. I am happy to continue learning the stories of the students. I've been impressed by each of them that I have come to know.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Free time? What free time? I am joking. Outside of the school, I still work for the government back in the United States (remotely). For better or for worse, I leave the school, walk home, and then I work online from 3:00pm to 12:00am (midnight). It's tough to balance sometimes and it greatly limits my social life.

Waking up early to coach the basketball team always makes me sleepy throughout the day, but I want to see us win the tournament. I always have time to take photos. On that note, I also work on my YouTube channel (Sully's Tech Hub) whenever I can find a free moment. I make videos about smartphone photography. I try my best to produce a good result. I actually used to have a real camera, but my camera was stolen from me after being attacked with a knife in Colombia.

I have tried to see everything that the Czech Republic (and beyond) has to offer, using my weekends to visit Prague, Znojmo, Kutna Hora, Ledeč, Lipnice, Sněžka Mountain, and more. If I'm not working, I am either visiting some place, trying to take a photo, or working on my YouTube channel most of the time.