I have a background in Speech and Language Therapy and have completed further training in specialist teaching of children with dyslexia. I am passionate about supporting children to reach their full potential and love watching them progress and gain confidence in their abilities. 

I have been lucky enough to teach in different capacities both at home and abroad and I hold the PGCE, CELTA and Level 5 Diploma in SpLD. My time as a Class Teacher really opened my eyes to the different challenges that children with specific learning difficulties face in the classroom and this is what inspired me to move into SpLD teaching. When I'm not teaching I spend my time reading, meeting friends, walking in Richmond Park and persuading my husband that we should get a dog!

I have been teaching for 11 years and specialised 3 years into my career. I have also worked for a charity based in Ghana teaching children english. I am passionate about reinstalling the love and confidence for learning that I have seen so many children lose through their own struggles. I so enjoy seeing the results and mostly, a happy learner. I joined Emerson House 2 years ago and have so enjoyed continuing doing what I love alongside a team of equal minded teachers. 

As well as my work at Emerson House, I am a mother, keen runner,  (having run the New York Marathon), tennis player and enjoy the Arts having studied History of Art at St Andrews University, Scotland. 

I believe story telling, creative writing and the encouragement of reading can transform a child’s development. These skills give each pupil the self confidence to express themselves in a creative and imaginative way.

I began teaching over 10 years ago in a provision for children who have been excluded from school. Many of these children had  undiagnosed learning difficulties which meant they were unable to access the curriculum. I wanted to be able to help these children more and to understand why they were struggling. This led me to the field of dyslexia and to a greater understanding of what these difficulties are. I love being able to help children access knowledge that has been unavailable to them; and hearing a child being able to  read for the first time is, for a teacher, as good as it gets.

I am Maria. I have been a specialist teacher in both primary and secondary schools for many years. Teaching children and seeing them smile when they are learning something that they have struggled to understand, is one of the best feelings in the world and I can’t imagine doing anything more fun and satisfying. I know the children I teach work ten times harder than children who find learning easy and I sometimes think that their stamina, patience and skills will make them the kindest leaders, friends and teachers of the future.

Watching my son blossom into a confident, engaged learner whilst attending Emerson House inspired me to move from classroom teaching into specialist teaching. Personalised, targeted support is life changing - helping children fulfill their potential and recognise their strengths is hugely rewarding and is why I love working in this field.

I have been teaching Maths, Literacy and Touch-Typing at Emerson House both online and in person for the past year.  Before joining Emerson House, I worked in mainstream schools supporting children with a range of Special Educational Needs, including; dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD and ASD. I very much enjoy my work as a teacher, and find seeing the educational progress and personal development our children make, extremely rewarding.

Before becoming a specialist tutor, I worked in Public Relations (Operation Raleigh, Buckingham Palace, Coca-Cola).  

A mother tells her child, “Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!”  He is nervous about his first lesson at Emerson House Online.  At the end of the lesson, laughing with delight at all he has learnt, she smiles and says, “I told you you’d have fun”.

That’s why I teach children with specific learning difficulties.  I feel privileged that we know how to deliver lessons that match the individual needs and learning style of the child, that target their interests to engage them, and that can make learning fun.  

I am a Chartered Educational Psychologist with many years experience in working with children who have a range of Specific Learning Difficulties including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Developmental Co-ordination Disorder. I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a member with Associate Fellow status of the British Psychological Society. I have taught Maths and Literacy at Emerson House for a number of years. I find my  work both as a teacher and an Educational Psychologist greatly fulfilling and rewarding. I am able to offer Educational Psychologist assessments and can be contacted at ep@nicolam.co.uk.

With a degree in Psychology , Masters in  Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Specialist Teacher  qualification, I have worked in both India and London.  My love for teaching children led me to Emerson House, where the structured multisensory approach to teaching fits in well with my training and enables me to create an atmosphere which is fun, stimulating, encouraging and adaptive to the varied needs of the child.  At home, I am a busy mum to two school aged children who keep me on my toes both domestically and professionally. Being involved in their learning and the pedagogy behind it, gives me a first hand insight into the child centred approach, crucial to my role.

My teaching career began 32 years ago when I was the Head of Department at David Game Tutorial College, a Sixth Form College in Kensington.  I was then the Principal of Ravenscourt Tutorial College in Hammersmith where I also taught touch-typing and shorthand to journalists, school leavers and children in their holidays.

My interest in Dyslexia began when I observed the different needs and learning styles of my students.  It sparked an interest in me then that I am now fulfilling, teaching at Emerson House while pursuing further qualifications with the British Dyslexic Association.  My greatest sense of fulfilment comes from seeing the children surprise themselves with their own achievements and observing how transformative this can be.

In my spare time, I pursue my love of art and painting, occasionally running workshops for children.

After university I worked as an environmental policy adviser and consultant, working for the UK  Government, running a small environmental charity and writing a book on how to combat climate  change. It seems I left the Green agenda just as everyone else was piling in! 

For several years I worked in a West London state secondary school, providing in-class support to  children with special needs – which is when I decided to train as a specialist teacher at the Helen  Arkell dyslexia centre. I had seen children struggling in mainstream classes and wanted to teach  them more individually and in a multisensory way, building their confidence and playing to their  strengths. This training turned out to be the best professional decision of my life: as a specialist  teacher at both primary and secondary level, it is wonderful to see the children’s confidence, self belief and abilities grow, with the right support and encouragement. 

My dream as a child had always been to become a teacher and it came true when I gained my Bachelor’s degree in Primary Education from Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece. During the last two years of my undergraduate studies, I received training in Therapeutic Horse Riding and got impressed by the beneficial aspects of horse riding for pupils with special needs. 

I strongly believe that every child deserves at least one adult who believes in them. My dream is to help my pupils reach their full potential. I know that to be a good teacher, one also needs to be a good student. That's why I decided to come to London and earn a MA degree in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) from UCL. I am an Associate Member of the British Dyslexia Association (AMBDA), a Professional Member of Patoss and hold an Assessment Practising Certificate from Patoss. I am currently enrolled in a L5 course for Dyscalculia organised by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA).

Being a member of the Emerson House teaching team is a really rewarding experience. Emerson House constitutes a hub for all the outside-the-box learners who love learning in a multisensory way.  When I am not teaching you will find me strolling in one of London’s parks with my friends.

After working in the City as a solicitor in corporate law and intellectual property, I requalified to teach children with difficulties acquiring literacy and maths skills.  I enjoy treating each child as an individual, and my passion is helping them "learn how to learn" and build confidence.  The best lessons are those where there is laughter.  

I left University to work in the Film Industry but soon needed more purpose and meaning in my life. 

Training in Specialist teaching and giving children good touch typing skills can help them achieve their own dreams and express themselves creatively and at speed. 

Having been a class teacher for many years in two busy London prep schools, I wanted to focus more on helping individual children who needed a tailored approach in order to reach their potential. Following my specialist training, I became a SENDCo and school manager before moving into specialist teaching full time. All too often, those children who learn differently from the majority in their class, begin to lose their confidence and doubt their own ability. It is wonderful to be able to help to change this perception and to build a can-do rather than a can’t-do attitude. Along the way, I also trained as a nutritionist with a particular interest in the link between the gut and the brain. I feel very lucky to be able to work in the specialist teaching world and to be part of the Emerson House team.