About

Hello! My name is Maria Pashiardes, and I am an English language instructor and SAT tutor based in Nicosia, Cyprus. I was born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A. where I completed my primary and most of my secondary education. In 1999 I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Communication Studies and a minor in Information Systems. I later went on to complete a TESOL Certificate Course at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, offered by the School for International Training (based in Brattleboro, Vermont).

Over the years I have taught English in a variety of places and settings. In Montevideo, Uruguay in 2000, I taught business English to adults working at international corporations such as L'Oreal and Exxon Mobil. After moving to Cyprus in 2005, I began teaching English to children at a private institute in Nicosia.

Several years later I began giving private and small-group lessons to children and adults interested in learning English and preparing for exams such as those offered by Cambridge English. In addition, I also started preparing high school-level students for American standardized tests such as the TOEFL and the SAT which are part of most US college application requirements.

I find teaching rewarding and fulfilling. The ‘aha’ moment that occurs when the ‘light bulb’ goes on over a student’s head is magical for both the student and the teacher. I enjoy inspiring others to love learning.

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”

Anthony J. D’Angelo