Me and my second grade class having fun yesterday

Me, myself and my experience as a teacher/caregiver:)

Playing with my ex host kid.

Don't drop it, please :)! They loved this game!

"Thank you! We like museums now, teacher Marcio"-

My job :)

I'm an english teacher in my country, and I have a lot of experience with children.
Many years ago I realized that I should work with children, so I studied many things about them during high school and university. I got my teacher degree 10 years ago.

In my last job, I worked at a bilingual school (English/Portuguese). I had to teach English to children from 11 months to 13 years old, and that was truly a great experience.
I have read about Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, Paulo Freire etc. I just love to study about cognition , maturation and the first steps of development.

I used to teach english + arts to my two last classes: (12 months - 9 years old)

We created a lot of things using ink, paper, glue, and other materials... they enjoyed it a lot and learned while having fun. I like to exercise both my creativity and the kids.

But I also learned, after all these years dealing with children that we have to be flexible and reinvent ourselves at every moment, so that the day can be productive to all of us
I like doing many activities with the kids.

I would like to develop their abilities every day :
Tell them stories , teach them how read and write some words ( in English or other language If you prefer), playing with toys, doing some painting, research and teach them about holidays, walking to parks, visit many places like libraries, playgrounds... creativity is the limit here!! Would be great hearing about it from the parents!
I could organize many things for the development of maturation and cognition.
We could talk about your children’s day - for example: What kind of food do they like? What time do they have to take a shower? What kind of activities do the like?

I worked as a caregiver in 2007.
I took care of a 6 years old boy! We used to play a lot! He loves to play at the park and play soccer! It was great! Check my references sending them an email or calling if you wish.

I have lived in California many years ago. I just loved that experience abroad. This year, I thought I could work in Canada doing something which I have experience with, so I realized I could go to work with children there.

I'm also a great swimmer because I had worked as an English teacher at an oil platform and there , everyone had to be able to swim very well :) There I got a First Aid training. My wife Carol was a caregiver in BC in 2006. She just loved the experience, the canadian people then now, we want to stay there for a long time as a caregiver and be able to get the permanent residence.

I could stay with your family for 2 years under the live-in-caregiver program.

I hope you enjoy the pictures of my job with children, my host kid and just me :)

How to make an Easter Bunny!

This project will appeal to all ages but children and the elderly will especially have fun making sock bunnies for Easter or anytime. Quick and easy!

Materials:

• One sock*
• 24" Ribbon
• White yarn or string
• Two 10mm googly eyes
• Polyester fiberfill (stuffing)
• Poly pellets or rice 1/2 cup
• Blush, pink paint & a paint brush or a crayon
• 1/4" Pink pompom (nose)
• Black button thread
• Black fabric paint in a squeeze bottle or black permanent marker
• 1 1/2" pompom (tail)
• White glue
• Optional - 1 bumpy white pipecleaner and a hot glue gun

* The size of your sock will determine how big your bunny is. If the sock is bigger than you need, you can always cut the top to get a smaller bunny. Our sample used a ladies crew sock.

1. Pour about 1/2 cup Polly pellets or uncooked rice into a sock.
2. Add Polyester fiberfill to your sock until it is the size you want the body of your bunny to be.
3. Using a piece of yarn or string the same color as the sock, tie the sock closed just above the stuffed area.
4. Start adding more stuffing (fiberfill) to the sock above where you tied it. This will be the head.
5. Once the head is the size you want, tie it off with string or yarn.
6. There should still be more sock above the head which will be used to make the ears. Cut down the center of the portion of sock remaining above the head - dividing it in two.
7. If desired, trim the two ear pieces into an ear shape by cutting off and rounding the corners.
8. To color the center of the ears, the belly and the cheeks either brush with blush, color in with a pink or rose crayon or brush on some fabric or acrylic paint.
9. Tie a ribbon around the neck between the head and body.
10. Glue the 1 1/2" pompom to the back of the bunny for a tail
11. Cut several strands of button thread to 3" long. Hold the strands together as one and make a knot in the center of the strands. Trim. These will be your bunnies whiskers.
12. Glue the knot in the whiskers to the center of the bunnies face and glue a 1/4" pompom on top of the knot for a nose.
13. Glue on googly eyes above the nose and whiskers.
14. Using fabric glue in a squeeze bottle or a black permanent marker, draw a mouth and eyebrows.
15. Feet are optional - if making with small children, either eliminate this step or have an adult do this part. Cut one "bump" off of a bumpy pipecleaner. Fold the bump in half and hot glue it to the bottom of your bunny for one foot. Repeat for the second foot.

Ideas:

• Try making bunnies out of pastel colored socks.
• Check your local dollar store for cheap white socks.

ENJOY !!
HAPPY EASTER!!!

Marcio