SYDNEY - Half an hour west of the Sydney CBD lies Cerdon College, a girls’ school with over 60 years of history. When Cerdon first opened, it had just 50 students. Now it has over a thousand.
For nearly 30 years, Italian teacher Maria Barbieri-Marando has witnessed the evolution of the school.
“It was 1998 when I started at Cerdon College,” she said, “and over the years the demographics have changed a lot.
“Today, at least 80-90 per cent of the students are of Arab origin and speak Arabic at home.
“Despite this, they consistently rank among the top in the state, which makes my work even more rewarding, considering they’re competing with native Italian-speaking students from other, often prestigious, schools.”
Despite their lack of Italian practice at home, the language has, thanks to Barbieri-Marando’s passion, become important to them.
As the daughter of Italian parents from Calabria who migrated to Sydney when they were young, Barbieri-Marando has always felt a deep connection to the Italian culture in which she was raised.
“Because of that strong connection to my heritage, I started studying Italian at school,” she explained.
“Later, I took a course at the Dante Alighieri Society and attended the Università per Stranieri (university for foreigners) in Siena, where I spent about three months.
“From then on, I’ve always travelled to Italy frequently.”
In the classroom, the teacher always tries to keep things engaging. “My trick is that the students never know what to expect from me,” she said.
“Every lesson is different, and they learn through mistakes and challenges.”
The ace up her sleeve for keeping Cerdon’s students interested in Italian is the school trips to Italy that she organises.
“In 2022, I remember one of my students, Annalise - 100 per cent Australian - told me after our study trip that she would make me proud by finishing first in the state,” Barbieri-Marando recalled with a smile.
“And she did.”
The following year it was Lebanese-Australian student Diya’s turn to get the highest Italian score in the state, and last year it was Daniella, who, although of Italian descent, didn’t speak the language at home.
Last year, four Cerdon students achieved top marks in New South Wales, out of a class of only 10 students. This string of success proves that a combination of commitment, passion and method can lead to great outcomes.
During her lessons, Barbieri-Marando also explores Italian culture, something she sees as an essential part of language teaching.
“This year we followed Sanremo a bit and listened to some songs,” she revealed.
“I always try to find things the girls will enjoy; we watch YouTube videos, like short interviews with Massimo Bottura and Jannik Sinner, for example.
“Sometimes we read newspaper articles.”
It’s all with the goal of bringing a little piece of Italy into the classroom. Another important element, according to the teacher, is the competitive spirit within the group that pushes each student to new heights.
But Barbieri-Marando has simultaneously created a relaxed and encouraging environment, building a relationship with each student based on support and connection; “We work and learn together.”
A group of 15 Cerdon students is currently preparing to leave for Italy in the coming weeks to experience that special journey which will likely inspire them to continue studying Italian and give them a boost before their final exams.
In the meantime, they’ll enjoy 15 days exploring the wonders of Rome, Florence, Bologna (with a cooking class), Venice, Verona, Milan and Lake Como.
