The student to (soon) become the teacher – Maysaa shares her journey

“I work in language support at TAFE Queensland in Toowoomba — it's mostly interpreting for my community in Ezidi language. But I also work as a teacher aide, supporting students as well as teachers,” said Maysaa.

“During the student breaks the students know they can come and ask me anything – some ask me to help them increase their number of study days, sometimes they ask me to fill the forms for bus stickers, support them complete applications for student cards, or email teachers.”

“I also translate English into either Arabic or Ezidi language when interviewing new AMEP students, confirm appointments and general office work,” shared Maysaa.

Maysaa can certainly relate, having only arrived in Toowoomba herself in 2018, and having gone through similar ‘AMEP student’ experiences, to establish and thrive in a new country, city, and life.

Escaping conflict in Iraq, Maysaa journey eventually led her to relocate to Toowoomba, Queensland.

“I’m Yezidi from Iraq. Due to the Yezidi genocide I escaped in 2014 and we moved to Turkey. My family and I then lived there for four years. In August 2018, we came to Australia, settling in Toowoomba,” Maysaa shared.

“When I first moved here, I didn't know anyone. I didn't know how to talk to them, and wondered whether they’d like to talk to us or not.” 

“But still, we felt safe, comfortable because we saw the Australian people smile at us and we saw that they actually wanted to talk to us.”

“So in October of that year I enrolled in TAFE Queensland as a student and I began my journey by studying English through the AMEP,” Maysaa said.

Despite beginning in the lowest AMEP English course, Maysaa’s determination to learn propelled her steady advancement.

“Firstly, I started with tutorial classes — the lowest level. I thought my English was good — I could say ‘ABCD’ — the alphabet — but during the assessments which involved naming pictures — I found out my level was low, so I continued with the alphabet,” she said.

Maysaa’s eagerness however saw her accelerate through the English levels.

“I finished level one, then level two, level three — I enjoyed it all, a lot. I was so excited and enthusiastic to learn English. That's why I learnt quickly,” explained Maysaa.

“Sometimes I give the AMEP students advice when I talk and translate for them, as they ask me, ‘How did you learn English and to speak English that quickly?’”

“And I tell them ‘I used to take four days at AMEP!’ And often they will then say ‘Okay, we’ll change our days to four days!” Maysaa laughed.

After feeling comfortable with her English, Maysaa then turned to University courses – first ELICOS – an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), and undertook UniSQ’s Tertiary Preparation Program to complete her high school studies, as she had only finished until the end of year 10 in Turkey.

“I then applied to study a Bachelor of Education – originally secondary school, but I’ve since changed to primary level — to get more experience and strengthen my English first,” said Maysaa.

Maysaa is thrilled to be studying in the area of education, whilst working in a paid role with the AMEP team at TAFE Queensland, which she applied for in a volunteering capacity – thinking it would be helpful in building her teaching skills and experience.

“My mother, who is studying here at AMEP as a student, told me that they needed teacher aides which I was keen to do as I needed that experience. But AMEP also needed a language support role – so now I assist in both roles, and get paid for it,” Maysaa said.

“For youth classes, some students call me ‘Teacher Maysaa’, which is really helpful. That's me! Like I feel I'm doing a good thing for them!”, Maysaa – the future Toowoomba primary school teacher – finished. 

The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. In Queensland, it is delivered by TAFE Queensland.