Arden, sitter - BT5 Knock

Hi :)!

My name is Arden and I live in Belfast and I'm currently studying at Stranmillis to be a primary school teacher ! I would so love it if I could help out with your family and I would be willing to help with homework and any household chores.

With my enthusiasm for and previous experience in working with children, I believe I would succeed in the role of a babysitter for your family . This valuable opportunity will also provide me with experience to assist me in my chosen career path. My first experience takes me to the heart of my church St. Johns where I have helped in both crèche and bible class since the age of 13. In Sunday school I take not only the role of an assistant sub-group leader working with other members of the church, but also once a month lead Sunday School as main group leader. Alongside this, during the weeks that I am not teaching Sunday school I lead the morning worship, singing both solo and in the choir, and I am thrilled to state that I have recently been appointed as the youth music co-ordinator. At church functions I also enjoy serving refreshments and interacting with the congregation. Part time jobs in both Dolce Vita Pizzeria and Hillmount have provided me with basic culinary skills which may be of benefit if chosen to babysit for your family. Both part time jobs have also given me the experience in adapting skills to interact successfully with all age groups. Working in the hospitality industry has provided me with vital experience in dealing with pressure and the importance of team work.

I aim to gain as much relevant experience as I can in working with young children. It is what I enjoy most. Despite the fact I absolutely love working with children and taking part in various different childcare projects, due to the high demand of the BEd course it is necessary for me to obtain as much experience as is possible. Summer 2015 was a busy summer with regards to childcare experiences, having been chosen to be a leader in the Sunshine Summer Scheme with roles including, assisting throughout swimming lessons, leading dance and sport, and teaching the children basic cooking skills. I was also selected to be a leader in the Enniskillen 360 Summer Scheme, and in the last week of August took the role of a leader within my church Holiday Bible club. In the month of September (2016) I have also been given the opportunity to travel to Thailand, teaching Thai children English.

For the past five years I have been working as a self-employed singing and piano teacher. This experience demonstrates my drive and determination to succeed as being self-employed comes with its own challenges. In order to be successful, each lesson requires preparation and flexibility alongside a passion for children to learn and enjoy music. In dealing with the children’s parents I have also developed people skills, important when dealing with children of different ages. Alongside working as a self-employed singing and piano teacher, I also babysit for the families in my local area meaning I have basic experience.

My mum is also a self-employed drama teacher, teaching from home and in the prep of my Secondary School, Penrhyn. From the age of 5 I have studied drama, achieving my grade 8 LAMDA qualification for speaking and verse and prose at the age of 16, therefore both my written and spoken English are of a high level. I have been privileged by her workings and have been given numerous opportunities to assist with younger classes.

Fighting off tough competition, I was delighted to have been chosen to peer mentor junior students throughout my final year at Strathearn Grammar School. This role involved leading one lesson a week dealing with hard hitting topical issues, monitoring behaviour, counselling and providing a sympathetic ear. I feel that these experiences reaffirmed my ambition to work with children and have equipped me with the enthusiasm and determination to succeed.

During my 6 week placement with Stranmillis in year 1 I gained valuable experience in working with young children from different cultures and ethnicities , with children from a wide range of different countries including; China, Poland, Africa and Japan. I have also gained appropriate childcare experience throughout my work experience in a specialist school for children who suffer from severe ADHD and Aspergers. As well as assisting in the small classes of varied age and academic ability, I was fortunate enough to form a relationship with the children and earned the trust of those who had encountered life changing abusive experiences. From this I learnt many things including; how to deal with volatile children, how to encourage positive learning and how to deal with confrontation.