To learn is a birthright.
To teach, is to be human.
To learn is a birthright.
To teach, is to
be human.
Over 30 years of experience and qualifications in international teaching and learning, working in the not for profit, aid and development, small business and corporate sectors, has taught me one thing that is true about any learning environment.
When your role is to transfer knowledge, you have a responsibility and a choice.
You can choose Death by PowerPoint, or you can choose to create something extraordinary. This is where I can help you and your organisation to create extraordinary learning experiences.
creating extraordinary Learning experiences
Working with organizations, corporates and thought leaders, I help you systemise, optimise and digitalise your knowledge – into learning experiences that have undeniable impact.
Your DIY Guide to Creating Extraordinary Learning Experiences:
Everyone’s a Teacher distils three decades of teaching and learning in international settings into a universal methodology for transferring knowledge with extraordinary outcomes.
This is the practical, do-it-yourself guide for educators, trainers, and anyone passionate about sharing what they know — helping you design learning experiences that inspire, engage, and transform.
How we can work together...
If you need to share your knowledge, skills or expertise in the form of learning experiences like inductions, training courses or teacher training manuals, I’m in the business of making that happen – on time, within budget, with extraordinary end results.
Project Management
If you have a learning resources project that needs skills and expertise to guide you through the process.
Workshops
If you want time-proven strategies to connect, engage and effectively communicate with your audience.
Speaking
If you need an energetic storyteller at your next event, Maria talks on a range of topics.
Why are your learning experiences lacking impact?
It’s rarely just about the slide deck. Use my diagnostic tool to find out how you can improve your learning experiences.
Step 1
Take the diagnostic
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Step 3
Book a complimentary
30 min strategy call
Why work with me?
I bring a unique and diverse skillset that includes Instructional Design, Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and Education Project Management.
This skillset has been developed in a variety of culturally diverse environments having lived and worked as a student, teacher and teacher trainer on 18 overseas postings in 12 different countries (I’m up to country 47 now too!).
1978
Australia
Born and raised in the south west of Western Australia, before going to boarding school and university in the capital city Perth.
1980
Italy
Catching the travel bug! 2 years old and ready to go! This trip was to my mother’s family in her home town, Alano di Piave in the north of Italy.
1980
Vatican City
The travelling around Italy continued… technically country #3! A super happy traveller from a very young age.
1980
Singapore
Technically country #4, a country to which I have returned several times thanks to having many different friends living there throughout the years.
1985
Indonesia
Country #5! A family holiday to Kuta in Bali where I got my fear of monkeys, my first Walkman, and my first cassette – The Bangles.
1994
Italy
I won an exchange program in Sondrio, Valtellina, in the north of Italy for 3 months study at a languages high school.
1996-1998
Australia
A Bachelor of Arts at the University of Western Australia, double majoring in Italian and Indonesian, minors in Anthropology and Asian Studies.
1996 onwards
Australia
Road tripping and camping all around Western Australia (WA) from Kununurra in the North, to Esperance in the south.
1998
Indonesia
A 6 month scholarship at Universitas Gadjah Madah in Yogyakarta, which the downfall of the Suharto regime ended with an emergency evacuation.
1998
Hong Kong
Seeing a country through expat eyes is a whole new world! This trip was visiting a school friend whose parents were based in Hong Kong for work.
1999
Italy
Family holiday to celebrate an 18th, a 21st, a 25th wedding anniversary and a 50th birthday, in my mother’s home town, Alano di Piave, Belluno.
1999
Australia
Worked in a futon shop. Why? I had a Bachelor of Arts in two languages I wasn’t really fluent in. Took a CELTA and started teaching English.
2000
Indonesia
Decided that taking a ‘gap year’ and teaching English abroad might be a good idea. Ended up getting blackmailed out of the country.
2001
Australia
Licked my wounds after surviving blackmail, by teaching English in Perth. I asked my students where I should go next – they said Japan!
2001
Singapore
Decided a trip before heading back to work would be a good idea, so flew into Singapore and overlanded to Malaysia. My first trip solo!
2001
Malaysia
Trained up the length of Malaysia, before heading to Penang and back across to Sumatra to see the old teaching crew in Medan.
2001
Hong Kong
Visited friends living in Hong Kong, before landing in the land of the rising sun. This is the flight where I learnt that wasabi was not avocado.
2001
Japan
18 months working, starting off in Nagoya then moving on to Matsumoto for the remainder. Snowboarding heaven, awesome community!
2002
Australia
If I didn’t leave Japan I may never leave, so came home to be bridesmaid for a wedding, and taught English to save for the next adventure.
2003
Australia
Round the world? Why not? Started in the top end of Western Australia – Kunanurra, before Darwin, Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks.
2003
Australia
3 months in Cairns to save up for the round the world adventure. Also up to Mossman Gorge, the Daintree, Cape Tribulation and Port Douglas.
2003
Canada
Toronto, Niagra Falls, and a road trip around New Foundland with Vicky, a teaching friend from Sumatra. #underSTANDnewfoundLAND
2003
England
Managing ESL Summer Schools in Exeter, Bournemouth and London, for my old boss from Medan, Indonesia, Thom from Wales.
2003
Scotland
A road trip with Aileen, a teaching friend from Japan and highschool friends living in Edinburgh, through the Scottish Highlands.
2003
Ireland
Cork, Cobh, & Blarney (not that I needed to) kiss the Blarney Stone. Back to my Irish roots with my Irish friend Brid, who I met teaching in Perth.
2003
Sweden
Killing time before Europe, an invitation from a Swedish student I taught in Perth to stay in Gothenburg, then drive a Porche to Stockholm.
2003
Italy
With Celia, a uni friend, backpacking through Europe. Rome, Calabria (to see Anto, from my UK job), then Sicily and back to Alano di Piave.
2003
Greece
A ferry from southern Italy to Athens, then celebrated my 25th birthday in Santorini after visiting the islands of Paros and Naxos.
2003
Switzerland
Visiting a student I taught in Perth – Megan – who took the ‘Tim Tam Slam’ she learnt from me in class, to her wedding.
2003
Germany
A gorgeous trip through Germany, visiting friends of Celia’s in Tuebingin before a sobering week learning about WW2 history in Berlin.
2003
The Netherlands
Amsterdam and a chance to hang out with Dutch friend Almar in Harlem, who I met working in Sumatra. Our karaoke had not improved.
2003
Macao
An 18 hour stop over in Hong Kong on the way home to Perth, so why not trip across to Macao for the day?
2004
Australia
Working for an Australasian teacher training company, running workshops in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
2005
Japan
Nothing like going back for a holiday, and for a close friend’s wedding!
2005
India
Team Leader. 12 volunteers. Fundraised $20,000 for Habitat for Humanity. Stayed in an orphanage and helped rebuild a burnt out village.
2005
Thailand
Needing a break, with uni friend Kara, we hotfooted it out of Bangkok, north to Chiang Mai before a 2 day boat up the Mekong into Laos.
2005
Laos
Luang Prabang, then onto a battered aircraft to Vietnam because the roads were too dangerous to risk due to vigilantes near the border.
2005
Vietnam
From the hills of Sa’Pa in the north, the crystal clear beaches in Halong Bay to the mud baths of Nha Trang, Vietnam didn’t disappoint!
2005
Cambodia
Siem Riep. Temple fatigue. So we asked our Tuk Tuk driver to take us to his local village, and a floating village instead. Magical.
2005
Australia
Teaching Academic English at Curtin University, became an IELTS examiner & started my Master of Education (by distance) at Wollongong University.
2006
Hong Kong
Worked at a British Council Summer School, while doing my Masters of Education study.
2007
The UAE
Worked at another British Council Summer School, and finished my Masters study.
2008-2009
Australia
Office of Teaching & Learning at Curtin University, on the c2010 Project as a curriculum developer, where my systems superpowers were discovered.
2010
Spain
Barcelona to stay with an English friend I’d met teaching in Hong Kong. Madrid and Granada – fell in love with the home of free tapas!
2010
France
Finally made it to Paris, where I caught up with Ianis, a French friend I had worked with in the UK.
2010
Jersey
Flew to Jersey to hang out with Shelley, a friend I met when working in Japan.
2010
Belgium
Brugge – a few days with Jennifer (a friend from teaching in Perth), and Almar (my Dutch friend from teaching in Sumatra).
2010
Fiji
My first Pacific stopover, on the way to Kiribati. Also holidayed with John (a colleague from Curtin University), and Louise, a teacher trainee.
2010-2012
Kiribati
A 4 month contract at the teacher training college, turned into a 2 year position as Senior ESL Manager at the vocational college KIT.
2012-2014
Indonesia
Fell in love with Bali all over again, visiting Ubud, Candi Dasar, Padang Bai, Jimbaran and Seminyak, and the Gili Islands in Lombok.
2012
Indonesia
I went to work in Jakarta teaching English with Simone who I teacher trained with, and did the India Habit for Humanity trip with in 2004.
2013
Sri Lanka
With an Australian friend Hannah who I met when working in Japan – our grandmothers were friends in the 50s in Bunbury, WA.
2013
Qatar
Peter, who was working in Kiribati at the same time as me, came to visit me in Sri Lanka, then I went back to visit him in Qatar.
2013
Australia
I went out on my own, as a consultant in Adult Education and Training. Still delivering work across Australasia and the Pacific.
2013
Malaysia
With Pauline, an English teacher I worked and lived with in Sumatra. Sabah. Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Mount Kinabalu.
2014-2018
Indonesia
For the wedding of Simone. This was the trip that inspired me to spend more time in Bali, where I started living more permanently in 2015.
2015
Samoa
A friend I met in Kiribati, Amber, flew me over to babysit her teenager kids for a few weeks so I also did some volunteer teacher training.
2016
Samoa
A keynote and a series of workshops for teachers in the Primary and Secondary sectors. Also delivered ‘Giving Back’ workshops.
2017
Indonesia
Running my business from Bali, I found schools and did a number of workshops as part of my Giving Back projects.
2018
Singapore
Trips to visit 3 of my favourite people – Australian Hannah (from Japan), Australian Mana (from Kiribati), and English Vix (from Hong Kong).
2018
New Zealand
Another round the world trip #festivalof40 North Island road trip with Jen, a teaching friend from Perth and Hobbiton with Kiribati friends!
2018
The US
Hawaii to visit Kat, San Fransisco to see Ellen, San Diego to see Shawn and Eric, and LA to see Kerri and Amelia, a client from Australia.
2018
Canada
A 70th birthday, a retreat and the Canadian Rocky Mountains with Dianne who I met in Bali, then a road trip with Kerri down to SanFransisco.
2018
Scotland
An Outlander inspired road trip with Scottish Aileen, and to see Sandy who had helped me set up my apartment in Japan while visiting Aileen!
2018
Ireland
To see Brid, an Irish friend I met while teaching in Perth nearly 20 years previously.
2014-2018
Indonesia
While lIving in Bali, Claire held an epic 40th birthday bash were I met my Viking ❤️ Gusti and Sri – my gorgeous Balinese staff!
2018
Indonesia
Giving Back Project-Prima Santhi School, Ubud, Bali. When asked what learners needed, it was fans, to encourage kids to come to school in the heat.
2018
Singapore
A stopover to see old teaching friends in Singapore – Vix from Hong Kong, Hannah from Japan, and Mana, Darren and Kathryn from Kiribati.
2018
Germany
The start of an Eastern European train trip, a few days with Prita, a primary school buddy, a singer-songerwriter based in Berlin.
2018
The Czech Republic
Prague for a few days of sightseeing, taken out on the town by a mutual friend Honza – definitely saw Prague from a local perspective!
2018
Austria
A few days in Vienna, in the pouring rain. No, I did not do the Sound of Music tour – although it is my favourite movie of all time!
2018
Slovakia
A quick stop in Bratislava, because, well, it was on the way to Budapest and would take me through another country…
2018
Hungary
Budapest, for a few days with Prita – crisscrossing between Buda and Pest, relaxing in underground Turkish baths and definitely not being hungry!
2018
Italy
An adventure on the Amalfi Coast with my Viking, who I met in Bali at Claire’s 40th.
2018
Singapore
For a quick Kiribati reunion before heading off to Fiji, with Mana and Darren, Australian friends I met working in Kiribati.
2018-2019
Fiji
Fiji Ministry of Education, developing training for school principals. Met up with Jules, a client, who was delivering volunteer health checkups ❤️
2018
India
The Christmas Indian Odessey. Epic 10 days in Chennai, Pondicherry and Kodikanal with Per, Claire and lots of Indian friends.
2019
Norway
Nothing like getting to know a country by staying with a local! Per, the ultimate host – the start of my Norwegian chapter!
2019
Canada
Canada family time! Trips to the Colombia Icefields, Invermere, Nelson, Devon, Calgary and Riondel, with Dianne’s family and Kerri.
2019
Denmark
Nothing like a roadtrip where you have breakfast in Norway, lunch in Sweden and dinner in Denmark!
2019
Norway
Visits from English Marie (who we met in Bali), and Prita who was on tour in Norway. Norwegian National Day – very different from Australia Day!
2019
The Netherlands
A chance to meet Almar’s family (a teaching friend from Sumatra in 2000) and learn Dutch traditions! Carrot in a shoe anyone?
2020
Indonesia
Giving Back Project in Sumba, which ended very abruptly when COVID hit – I was on the last flight before hotel quarantine was mandatory 😳
2020 onwards
More coming soon!
A lock down, then being let loose to travel again – more adventures coming soon!
What’s my philosophy on teaching and learning?
At the heart of every successful learning experience is connecting with your learners’ needs; then applying the best practice principles, strategies and methods required to deliver it in a way that is engaging, motivating and helps the learner achieve their goals.
Designing extraordinary learning experiences is an art – not something a cookie cutter approach can achieve.
Extraordinary learning experiences change lives, and that is what I’ve dedicated my career to doing: helping professionals confirm themselves as experts in their niche, based on the quality of (and the results they get from) their learning experiences.
What's the time honoured recipe?
Regardless of the size or nature of the work you do, I have discovered there are 4 stages to creating transformative learning content if you want your learners to be engaged and walk away with real life skills.
We follow best practice adult learning principles to ensure the project is completed on time, on budget, and does exactly the job you need it to:
Stage 1: Design Your Product
What product are you going to create?
How is it delivered?
What can your clients expect?
Are you catering for different learning styles?
Do you have a complete user experience plan?
Stage 2: Write your Curriculum
What product are you going to create?
How is it delivered?
What can your clients expect?
Are you catering for different learning styles?
Do you have a complete user experience plan?
Stage 3: Build Your Resources
What product are you going to create?
How is it delivered?
What can your clients expect?
Are you catering for different learning styles?
Do you have a complete user experience plan?
Stage 4: Review your Content
What product are you going to create?
How is it delivered?
What can your clients expect?
Are you catering for different learning styles?
Do you have a complete user experience plan?
Hear from organisations and thought leaders
Full of energy, accurate and engaging
Debbie and her team needed a 25 page policy turned into an educational video series and quiz.As the project manager for the Alcohol and Other Drugs management policy implementation project I chose Maria to work with because during our initial meeting she claimed to be highly motivated, professional and passionate about her work.
The project has now been completed and Maria was true to her word, she was full of energy and ideas and clearly loved the work she did which resulted in an educational package which is accurate, engaging and suitable for a diverse audience of over 30,000 people.
A deep understanding of Educational Design, a talented teacher and inspiring mentor
Maria has a deep understanding of Educational Design, she is a talented teacher and inspiring mentor. I worked alongside Maria for two years in a remote and difficult context as she successfully developed and implemented a comprehensive English program for both trainers and students.The gains in English language competence for all learner categories were impressive and, most significantly, the local English teachers achieved internationally recognised certification and the skills, understanding and confidence to sustain and take ownership of the programs developed.
Impeccable approach ... an exceptionally high standard of work
Maria is effervescent, passionate and energetic with the resilience to focus tirelessly until the job is done. She is a compassionate person who considers issues and challenges from a holistic perspective ensuring outcomes and decisions are inclusive of all stakeholders.Maria’s impeccable approach and keen attention to detail culminates in an exceptionally high standard of work in terms of presentation and output.
Maria really embodies what she does
Lots of people talk about engagement or creating trainings or inspiring your audience but Maria is the real deal. She has literally decades of hands-on, real life experience in incredibly varying environments working on understanding learning and user/learner engagement. Maria has a deep understanding of how learning happens and because she is just so damn good at what she does, she doesn't really explain things - she demonstrates them so you can see them in action. I saw first hand exactly how I can better communicate with my audience and not have people yawning in my videos, by watching her demonstrate and then explain different skills - this is the beauty of working with her - she really embodies what she does! Maria inspires, motivates and truly connects with her learners.
She has an uncanny knack of helping your brain make sense of a tonne of information
Maria has this uncanny knack of helping your brain make sense of a tonne of information. The time I spent in her group workshop was just what I needed to re-set my systemisation skills and help me continue to pull together all the stuff inside my head into a usable format.Maria is the person to go to help you get your ducks in a row so that you’re ready to chunk and package your know-how into something that works. Plus, she is great fun to work with and is so generous with her help and support. Thanks Maria.
Who Maria works with
- All
- Universities / Colleges / Schools
- Corporates
- Government Organisations
- Not For Profits
- Small Business / Thought Leaders
Not sure what you need?
All good. Sometimes you just need a few hours of strategic planning, sometimes you need a short-term consultant to manage a project. I hear you.
Book your complimentary 30 minute strategy session so I can help you move forward with your content and delivery plans.
Every client is different, every solution is different.
Articles
The articles I’ve written showcase the issues my clients have when developing curriculum and learning materials, and give you tips and practical actions to implement.
How can you leverage your book to grow your business?
Why I quit studying my 6th language
How is AI changing education and training?
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