Anna 40 - mother of Ola (aged 9)
I have always been interested in working with children. Being a scout enabled me to spend a lot of time with them organising their time in the most interesting way. I was responsible for organising trips, meetings with interesting people, summer and winter scout camps. I had a great time with children and I think that they also enjoyed my company.
The choice of my studies was quite obvious- being a teacher was my dream. I chose English Studies Departament as I found it intersting and giving me opportunities to find a job in a good school.
While studying I worked in a language school for children as a teacher of English which gave me the chance to work with kids. I learnt how to keep them interested, how to motivate them to work and help them improve. I also had to possess basic knowledge of teacher-parent relationship as I had to meet their high expectations.
After graduating from the University, I started working as a regional representative of English Publishing House Heinemann. My job was to contact the teachers of English in my area and encourage them to try our publications. It was a very challenging job as I could see the teacher's job from the "other side". Teachers told me about their problems and I tried to find the best solution possible. I learnt a lot, really.
Finally, I found the perfect school for me. It was a lower secondary school in Lodz. I had classes with kids aged 13 to 16. Many people consider this age to be the most troublesome but the fact is that everything depends on the relationship that appears between a student and a teacher. I have never had any serious problems with my students relating to their behaviour. The best way to work with them was to be consistent in what you were doing. They really respected that. Working in that school gave me the opportunity to make friends with teachers who were lovely and supporting people.Work is very important to me but apart from that I devote myself to many other activities such as doing sport (cycling is my favourite one), reading, watching films and sightseeing.
I am a very active person, ready for challenges, enjoying the company of others but also being able to work individually at the same time. I believe that every dream may come true.
In September 2008 I started work as a childminding assisstant in London. At the same time I took all the necessary courses to become registered childminder myself. In April 2009 I was approved by Ofsted and became a registered childminder. Together with my friend Dorota we opened our own childminding in Greenwich.
In order to keep up to date I completed numerous courses and trainings provided by the Greenwich Council such as e.g.'Active Learning in Early Years Foundation Stage', 'Building Warm and Respectful Relationships with Parents', 'No Doors Shut - diversity in Early Years' just to name a few. In October 2010 I completed NVQ level 3 in childcare.