Whether you're helping your child tie shoelaces, your gran with her new phone, or a boardroom of executives, if you have knowledge or skills that someone else doesn’t—and you want to help them learn—you are a teacher. To be human is to teach, so the question is: what kind of ‘teacher’ do you want to be? We’ve all been taught by someone who bored us to tears—and many of us were lucky to have teachers who made learning fun and memorable. If you’re a Gen Xer or Boomer, chances are you were taught in a ‘sit down and repeat’ style classroom. And unless you consciously choose otherwise, that’s the style you’ll default to. But there’s a better option: a learner-centred environment built on collaboration, communication and discovery. It’s more effective, more engaging—and it shifts the responsibility for learning to where it belongs: the learner. This book distils the foundations of good teaching into four core pillars and shows how to make learning in any context effective, fun and lasting. Maria’s ‘universal methodology’ is drawn from 30 years of global teaching and facilitation experience.
You’ll learn how to:
* Connect with learners to unlock their potential
* Structure sessions for real engagement
* Guide learning without lecturing
* And reflect on what works—success or not.
Ideal for professionals and subject-matter experts who don’t have a teaching degree (and don’t want to be a ‘Death by PowerPoint’ presenter), this book is a hands-on guide to creating extraordinary learning. Includes a free 30+ page Engagement ToolKit: A Facilitator’s Guide to Breaking the Lecture Habit. All profits support volunteer teacher training in communities with limited access to quality education.
Maria is an international educator, facilitator and speaker with more than 30 years’ experience across education, aid and development, and corporate training. She has worked on Australian Government–funded development programs, delivered keynotes at global education conferences, and designed learning experiences for corporate, government and not-for-profit audiences in over 47 countries. A lifelong learner fluent in six languages and with experience across more than 100 cultures, Maria has been featured in over 50 publications, podcasts and columns.
Her workshops, based on the principles in Teach Like a Human, have been delivered to groups ranging from 5 to 250 participants. The book also includes a complimentary 30+ page Engagement ToolKit: A Facilitator’s Guide to Breaking the Lecture Habit. All profits support Maria’s ‘Paying It Forward’ project, a volunteer teacher-training initiative she has run annually since 2011 in regions with limited access to quality education.
* Broad commercial appeal: The central idea—that we are all teachers in some capacity—makes this book relevant far beyond schools or training rooms. Ideal for the education, personal development, communication, and leadership sections.
* Everyday applicability: Perfect for parents, coaches, consultants, team leaders and subject-matter experts who need to transfer knowledge but don’t have a formal teaching background.
* Not another classroom theory book: Unlike traditional education texts, this is not focused on primary, secondary or tertiary theory, nor limited by online/offline or East/West perspectives. It’s a universal, experience-based approach suited to most adult learning contexts.
* A global evidence base: Maria draws on 30 years of hands-on experience across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific, North America, Scandinavia, and Australia. Her insights are informed by roles in teaching, teacher training, curriculum design, instructional design, project management—and by being a lifelong learner herself.
* Instant take-aways: Each chapter ends with practical action steps, and the book includes a free 30-page Engagement ToolKit: A Facilitator’s Guide to Breaking the Lecture Habit.
* Feel-good purchase: 100 per cent of author profits fund volunteer teacher-training projects in under-resourced communities. A strong hook for socially conscious readers.
* Proven authority: Maria has worked in primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary sectors, for NGOs, corporates and governments alike. She’s walked the talk across six languages, three degrees, and many disciplines.
Publicity:
* Speaking engagements across Australia – The author will integrate the book into keynote presentations, workshops and events, ensuring high visibility and strong back-of-room sales opportunities.
* Professional PR campaign – A PR firm specialising in non-fiction book promotions (Quickmark Media) has been engaged to secure national media coverage, podcast appearances and opinion pieces, building awareness and credibility.
* Strategic social media campaign – A sustained multi-platform campaign will be run, including content partnerships, short-form videos and behind-the-scenes storytelling to drive engagement and visibility.
* National book launch events – The author will host book launches in major Australian cities in early 2026, designed to generate media coverage, community engagement and retail sales momentum.
* Publishing strategy support – The author is working with publishing coach Andrew Griffiths to design a long-term leveraging strategy that keeps the book front of mind and relevant well beyond launch.
* Retailer collaboration – The author will support bookshops with co-branded in-store collateral, signage and author-signed stock to boost on-shelf appeal and sales where possible.
* Targeted email marketing – A targeted campaign will be sent to the author’s established subscriber base and through partner databases, with high-conversion messaging tied to the book’s key themes.
* Podcast tour – The author will appear on relevant Australian and international podcasts as a guest expert, using these platforms to promote the book and direct listeners to stockists.
* Author website and resource hub – The book will be featured on a dedicated page on the author’s website, with a buy link to participating retailers, bonus downloads and media resources.
* Industry and thought leader endorsements – The author will leverage endorsements from respected voices in their field, using these across all marketing channels to enhance credibility and retail confidence.
