1. What drew you to become a Mini Maestros teacher, and what has surprised you most about working with 0-5 year olds?

"The thrill of educating children about the joys of having music in their lives. How wise beyond their years these little people can be. I had a 2 year old tell me the names of many dinosaurs the other day. At a similar age I was lucky to remember anything beyond a T-Rex."

2. Can you share a memorable moment when you saw a child have a breakthrough or transformation in your class?

"I had a little boy on his first day who was too shy and upset to even enter the room and stood there crying. I started the class so he could see the fun and interaction being had with all the other children. Every minute or so I would place instruments towards him and gradually he crept closer until he and his Grandma were sitting with us. This little boy now loves coming to music each week and has been coming for 2 years now."

3. How do you handle the challenges – like a room full of toddlers having a meltdown or a particularly shy child who won't participate?

"It really depends on what has caused the meltdown. It may mean swapping things around, doing a calming activity or if everyone has the jitters or ants in their pants I would choose a dance or something physical to get all the wiggles out before moving on to the next activity. I have had a little boy coming all year who is particularly shy but also super musical. I have just been very gentle with him, allowing him to tell and show me what interests he has and letting him come to me. We are now developing a relationship based on trust. I was thrilled to bits when Grandmother showed me a video of him playing drums to Metallica with his dad. My heart just melted."

4. What's the most rewarding part of your job?

"The most rewarding part of my job is to have a child who initially arrives shy or unsure or perhaps even unsettled and a little rowdy and then watching them develop, grow and settle into their music. My favourite thing is when parents tell me that their child likes to pretend to be 'Tiffy' in the home and sets up either all their dolls/toys and/or family members in a circle to be the students so THEY can be the teacher. It's super special!"

5. How has being a Mini Maestros teacher changed or influenced your own perspective on child development and learning?

Being a Mini Maestros teacher has given me the opportunity to see that every child is different, and every child develops and learns at their own pace. It has taught me to give each child the chance to tell me or show me what they are needing from me and how to get the best out of them in their own time.