Meet Irijanda Meet Iva

1st to 4th grade teacher • Montessori teacher
Step by Step • RWCT

Hello!

I'm Marina Čretni. I spent my happy childhood in a little Zagreb neighbourhood.Together with my brother I used to spend holidays at my grandparents' house in Samobor, where I live today. I was an ordinary little girl who played a lot, spent a lot of time outside, took dancing lessons, sang in a choir, played the melodica and did a lot of other things. Family evenings, accompanied by the sound of the guitar my dad would play for us and by the stories that he would tell us, left a profound impression on me.
On the first day of school… The first thing I noticed about my teacher was a bulging bump on her big toe that I could see through her sandals. What I coudn't see, but could feel right away was her warm, spirited and calming personality. I soon began to close myself into the bathroom and use chalk to write on the tiles pretending to be a teacher. Most of my family's books became the notebooks of my imaginary students. They quickly became filled with notes and grades. My mum never got angry about that. She was always very supportive and often acted as my student.

And today… Today I am the best mum to my boys, Vito and Tim and the best friend to my husband Kristijan. I have two dogs, little Charlie and big Sting. I enjoy taking them for walks in the woods. I love winter and all that it brings. I love cooking (as well as eating in good company). I enjoy reading, drinking coffee, and family gatherings.
Music is still such an important part of my family life. My sons and my husband are the ones who bring music to our everyday life now. I still really love dancing. If I weren't a teacher, I would definitely be a dancer. As a teacher, I enjoy when I'm able to uncover the beauty of music and dance to my students.
In order to gain a better understanding of children and their needs, I haven't stopped learning. After finishing the Faculty of Teacher Education, I got certified in three different educational programmes: Step by Step, RWCT i Montessori pedagogy.

I love to laugh, a sunny day, a blossoming flower, a rainbow in the sky, a ripe tomato in the gaden… they all make me happy. When I'm working with children, I'm the happiest when I see a smile on their faces, and I expect a lot of smiles in Nova škola.