Hi I’m Maggie!

This is my story…

2010 Searching for all round musical fun!  

When my son was young I set out to find a piano tutor book for him to learn from. I trawled through several, feeling increasingly frustrated that they didn’t seem to engage with the joy of music that I wanted to inspire. It was with great relief that I found Piano Magic that encouraged a pupil to make up music all over the keyboard whilst also learning the fundamental basics of reading a score. The book encouraged you to tell the story of a spider spinning a web, or of a motorbike and a bicycle. At last, fun at the piano!

1990s My love of teaching developed.

Were you ever asked what you wanted to be when you grew up? Well I always said I’d become a teacher, and even as a teenager I enjoyed teaching flute or helping at Sunday School. I didn’t make it my first career – I graduated from Durham University with a theology degree, then after a year’s voluntary work in Paris I trained as a residential social worker. Eager to travel again, I got exceptional marks in my Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) from Cambridge University and travelled to Poland to teach in an international school in Warsaw. I trained at Canterbury University to pass my Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE – Primary) and taught at state and private schools in Kent and Yorkshire.

2010s Training on the job.

I always want the best for my pupils, and part of that is ensuring that I am up to speed with my own learning. To that end I took piano lessons and passed my Grade 8 piano with distinction. I am a member of The Curious Piano Teachers (CPT) and the European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA).  I have an up to date DBS check and policies to ensure children’s safety within my home. I have attended training in a wide range of areas, including how to use Dogs and Birds (based on Kodaly principles), Ready to Play and Piano Safari teaching methods. I continue to have regular piano lessons. For me, learning never stops.