Meet a Staff Member

10 minutes with…. 

Donna Borg (Gaudiano)

Year 9 Level Leader

Been at Marian College for 29 years

1. Tell us a little about your life outside of teaching? Eg. Family, hobbies. Passions

I am a mother of two teenage boys 19 and 16 years old. I have been married to my husband for 22 years. I am blessed to have parents in their 80s and am the middle child. I have two brothers on either side of me. In my spare time I love to watch my boys play football and am a passionate Collingwood supporter. Our family also follow the Liverpool Football Club and were fortunate enough to see a game at Anfield last December. I also love to cook and travel is a big part of my life too.

2. How did you end up teaching at Marian College?

After finishing my teaching degree, I decided I still wanted to study when I began a post graduate diploma in educational studies. My desire was to teach and work with deaf children in secondary schools. However a phone call from one of my university lecturers changed my career path. Marian College was looking for a chemistry teacher to begin work straight away. After an interview the job was mine and as they say the rest is history!

3. What do you like most about teaching at Marian College?

Being a mum of boys, I like working with young women and hopefully empowering them for the future. On the other hand, the staff at Marian are the best. In my role as Year Level Leader, I enjoy talking and working with all the teaching and non-teaching staff. They make me laugh and encourage me to do the best job I can.

4. What are the biggest challenges facing teachers today?

Teaching has changed a lot over the years. Today we are not only educators but role models to these young people. The workload has increased and we are continually trying to balance work and life so that we are preparing and delivering the best curriculum we can for our students but also look after our own wellbeing.

5. What are the biggest challenges facing teenage girls today?

I think the biggest challenge for our students is trying to work out where and how they fit in. Social media pressures is impacting the way our students interact with their peers and the way they think and act.

6. Favourite food & drink?

 Being of an Italian background, I have to say that I cannot go past a good pasta, bread, and salami. I do not mind an Aperol Spritz in the summer and a glass of red on cold nights.

7. Favourite holiday destination?

 Lake Como in Italy, Paris and Barcelona

8. Favourite TV show & Movie?

 I don’t watch a lot of TV, but a favourite movie is Dirty Dancing.

9. If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

I would love to be running a Café and bookshop.

10. Which 5 people in history would you like to invite to a dinner party?

Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Queen Elizabeth (II), Jane Austen and Edith Cowan