Marina Habashi
Marina Habashi
Master of Teaching (Primary and Secondary Education)
"I love teaching. I find great joy in it. I just can’t wait to be in the classroom."
How Marina found joy
“You know when people say if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life?” asks Marina. “That’s how I feel about teaching.”
Marina Habashi is a Monash student. She initially did a double degree of business and law and went to work as a lawyer. She lasted six months before she quit.
“I enjoyed law, but never felt true joy. My heart was not 100% in it,” she explains.
So Marina enrolled in a two-year Master of Teaching degree, but says her previous learning will never go to waste.
“To go through these experiences has developed character and given me other skills that help me be a better teacher.”
New experiences
Marina says Monash has offered her rich opportunities to extend her learning — including the Monash Global Discovery program in New York and Leave No One Behind, an inter-Faculty entrepreneurship competition.
“As a pre-service teacher any experience we have beyond our placement shapes us as teachers. It doesn’t just have to be about volunteering in the classroom,” Marina explains.
As part of Leave No One Behind, Marina created a social enterprise selling hand-printed T-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles. They read, "Be the change". All profits are funnelled to charities supporting homeless people.
“If I want students to be creative and innovative, then I need to be the example. I was a finalist, but didn’t win a grant. However, the true prize for me is that everything I learned through the experience, I can take back into the classroom.”
The best part
For Marina, a highlight of her Monash experience has been her student placements in three Australian schools and one in Prato, Italy.
“I love teaching. I find great joy in it. I just can’t wait to be in the classroom.”
For Marina, the best part about teaching is the love of learning she can pass onto children — regardless of their background.
“I can give them skills and knowledge to achieve what they want, to even go beyond their dreams. To be able to put them on a journey of lifelong learning, and help them see what they capable of.
“And I can’t believe that once I graduate, that’s what I will be paid to do.”
Marina is currently studying her Master of Teaching. When she enrolled, she wanted to keep her options open and elected to do a primary and secondary dual-sector specialisation.
After attending professional experience in both primary and secondary schools, Marina is now leaning towards becoming a primary school teacher.