Ana Isabel Gaspar

1. Who am I? What do I do during my day?

Hi, my name is Ana Isabel and I’m 21 years old. First of all I am very happy to participate in this project.
I’m on the 3ed year of the degree for basic teacher of Maria Ulrich University.
Besides studding, I also do babysitting from Monday to Friday, in the afternoons from 5 to 8pm. I take care of 2 children: one with 5 and another with 9 years old.
I am enjoying it at lot though it is not easy to conciliate all my activities!
On weekends I also do some children parties with a group of friends. I have a lot of fun because on each time I am a different character (Minnie, pirate and many more! We have a website so that people can know us better: http://www.biquinhosdepes.com ). To see the children’s joy is absolutely amazing – every get-together is like entering in a fantasy world where everything is possible.
I also belong to a typical Portuguese dance group – the Folkzitas. All our work finds inspiration on the choreographies of the typical “ranchos” and “folklore” of our country, from north to south – from Minho to the Algarve, without forgetting the islands. Nevertheless our work is totally original and exclusive, organized by our responsible/choreographer.
We also have a website: http://folkzitas.no.sapo.pt
I am very happy in all the things I do: I work with children, dance with inspiration and am a different character each weekend.

2. Why do I want to be an early childhood educator/primary school teacher?

My motivation to become an early childhood educator started during my professional secondary studies training for “Educational Assistant”. During my time in this training I learned to see children in another way; to know how to respect their opinions about what surrounds then; to know how to love each and every one in all circumstances.
To me, to be an early childhood educator is much much more than just teaching something to children. Is to help them grow and see the world always with a smile; finding ways to improve, to be on each day a better person – knowing also to see the other in a special way.
I truly believe that to be a good early childhood educator we can’t only know the theory and to have good personnel values (that you get during all your growth); is also important to see and try to understand all that surrounds us – after all we are all different and have different perspectives and opinions.
Something  also very important is that the educator is to be able to see and find all the beauty and potential in all things – from a small leave that falls from a tree, to the freshness of the wind when that touches our faces. Nature is one of the most important things to our wellbeing and to be able to find ways for children to live in balance with nature is wonderful.

3. What I thing about the program? What do I feel about it, what does it says to me?

I am looking forward for the beginning of this project, as I think it is a great opportunity to meet other cultures and to know more about Lisbon together with other students.
Though I live in this city, I know that I have many things to discover. Having the help of other people that live in other countries it will be even better.
Together we will learn a lot. I want to go out to the street with a book, pencil and photo machine; to walk the streets of Lisbon, feel the smells, see the images and hear the sounds that I never heard with that much attention. We can all share our experiences. I must confess that it will not be easy because I have some difficulty to speak English, but with enthusiasm I will make it, I’m sure!

4. How can I participate? What I hope to learn?

I hope to…
Share ideas, different ways to see Lisbon and a great determination to work;
Be able to receive the Italian and Swedish students, as well as I hope they help me understand them (my English…);
Lear more about Lisbon, about new ways of thinking and seeing the world and our city;
To have a new vision of the importance of cities to children and for their learning;
Discover good people;
Be able to pass all the difficulties;
Be happy with all the attendants of this project!