Nanny in Toronto, Ontario

HI! My name is Kathleen Heffernan but you can call me Katie! Ever since I was very young I have loved working with children. My true passion really began when I was 13 when I began teaching a karate class for children with special needs. As the years went on I began to spend every week working with the kids in the class and loved every moment of it. I later became the head instructor of the class and lead all the other instructors and children. As the head instructor, I was responsible for the children's safety as well as making sure the class went smoothly. If there was an issue I was responsible for making sure it was resolved effectively. I also worked to train new instructors for the class so each child could have one on one instruction. As well as having my own student, it was my job to make sure each child was paired properly and that all the children were learning and having fun. I was always sure to keep the class positive and it was a very rewarding and fun experience. I have done this work for more than 5 years. As well, I have worked as a camp counsellor and have been trained in multiple environments for child care. One of the most educational experiences I have had was working as a counsellor in training when I was 14 at Camp Opemikon. This was a stay away camp where children would come to camp outdoors, go on hiking and canoe trips and spend all of their days out in the open air staying active. I was working with a group of kids aged 8-10 and it was a blast! As a C.I.T. I was responsible for keeping children happy and positive even on the most difficult and exhausting trips. I and my fellow C.I.T. were also responsible for planning and organizing activities, teaching crafts and other camp skills such as paddling. I was also responsible for dealing with homesickness and anxiety, which actually became something my head counsellors felt I excelled at. The week went extremely well and I received a very good review. This experience and love for working with kids lead me even further in my passion and I became one of the head counsellors at a day Karate camp in Ottawa. I was responsible for all of the children's safety and well being as well as training and managing other counsellors and counsellors in training. In these camps we had several children with special needs that needed extra care and all the children were very high energy. Everyday I made sure that all the kids were eating their food properly and keeping well hydrated. We made regular trips to the near by park and spent most days outside. As well, I taught them their karate classes and lead group activities throughout the day. I was also responsible for dealing with conflict and issues that children had. I still continue to teach today and I love every minute! My students mean the world to me and I have loved working with them and passing my passion on to others. Even at home my work with children and people doesn't end. I am one of 6 children all of which are girls! One of my sisters has special needs and epilepsy so I have had experience with these needs my whole life. As well, my oldest sister has two children, both of whom I love to spend as much time with as possible. My nephew is 3 years old and an absolute blast to be around. He has strict dietary restrictions though, so I have began learning how to accommodate for this. My whole family is very energetic and enthusiastic, and I am very accustomed to having a lot of people around all the time with a lot of things to do. I have a lot of experience baby sitting and taking care of children of all ages. Today I am a student studying graphic design and I am looking for full time work during the month's of May to the end of August (I may be able to start at the end of April). Due to the high costs of being a student I am asking for at least $15 an hour. I would love to join your family and begin working to help and care for your children. Sincerely, Katie Heffernan I can be contacted at (613) 55... or [email protected] Contact me and I can answer any questions you may have!