Vanessa F. - Alexandria Babysitter

My name is Vanessa Florentino, I'm 27 years old and I'm from Brazil.
I've been here in US for almost two years (six months in New Jersey
and the rest in Washington DC area) and I'm really enjoying the
experience. I'm a teacher graduated in Education - with focus on Early
Childhood. I graduated in one of the best Universities of Brazil in
June/2006. I love children and I love what I do, that's why I've
decided to become a teacher.

I've been working with children for more than seven years. I've worked two years as kindergarten teacher, than I've worked as a live in nanny with an American family from California in Sao Paulo for six months, where I took care of a
ten-year-old-girl, after that I worked one year as a bilingual teacher
in a American school. For all those years, I've worked with children
from 3 months old to 12 years old. At College I've learned everything
about children, like their development (psychically, psychology and
socially), I've read the best books about children and the best
authors (Montessori, Piaget, Kohn, Nelsen, Kvols, Pestalozzi,
Vygostky). I've worked in some of the best privates schools in Sao
Paulo, the business city from Brazil.

I'm an easygoing person, very neat and organized, I love arts and
crafts (scrapbooking, painting, drawing, knitting, embroidering,
sewing, etc) and I'm just crazy about it! I also eat very healthy and
love practicing all kinds of sports, like dancing(zumba), riding bike,
swimming, hiking, yoga, and all outdoors activities. I love traveling
and getting to know new places and different cultures. I'm also a very
affectionate, creative and very energetic. I use all my hobbies and my
passions as a teacher/nanny. I try to teach kids the importance of
art, sports, enjoy the nature, take care of the world, recycle and eat
healthy.

hope as a nanny I can give to your children all the love, fun and
learning experiences that I can offer as a teacher. Especially because
of my background and creativity, I usually like to keep the kids
entertained most of the time. I try to make a fun schedule but also
including the 7 languages that are important to develop in a child
(coordination/physical, math, language, arts, music, imagination,
etc). So I will make puppets socks, art projects, plant projects, food
projects, reading and story time, singing time and music, drama and
fairy tales(super heroes, princess, mom and dad, teacher etc), play
games (board games. games we are going to create/ outdoors games).
Indeed, I will give a lots of hugs and kisses, because I'm very
affectionate and I believe that children whom receive love are
happier. Because of my two years experience in a Italian Model School
(Reggio Emilio model - more modern than Montessori) I'm very flexible
nanny/teacher and I give children choices and opportunities to be
independent and believe in themselves(supporting self esteem), however
I still believe that children need limits and have a positive
discipline(that don't include punishment or rewards). Since I've been
here, I've tried to not be away from my Education's believes. I also
took a really great Education class at NOVA about guiding children's
behavior (the professor is also my reference).

I'm great driver, I have never had an accident. I have CPR and First Aid (2006/2007). I'm calm, sweet disposition, speak great English, very caring, fun,energetic, responsible, non-smoking and am not allergic to any animals. I have excellent references, from my first family in New Jersey, my family here in Alexandria, VA and also all the families
I've been babysitting the past year.