Teach in BelizeWhat type of job are you looking for? I am looking for employment that utilizes my skills and abilities in teaching primary school and I specialize in Art, Design, Art History and Arts and Crafts. I think there is a great need for children to be able to express themselves in Art and most jurisdictions see it as a luxury that they cannot afford but this age of high tech its greatly needed. What nationality are you? I am an American. I was born in Washington, DC. What languages do you speak (and at what level)? Spanish- a little French- a little What country or area are you looking to work in and why? I am looking to work in Belize, CA. I have lived there for three years I bought property and built a house there and I absolutely love it. The property is in the Corozal District right outside Corozal Town so I would greatly appreciate a teaching job in that area and I will work for whatever the appropriate wage is in that profession. What countries have you worked in? I worked in Finland near Helsinki as a counselor and U.S. delegate for Children's International Summer Village. The experience was magical and enchanting. Each counselor was assigned a day to plan and coordinate the day's activities. On my day, I planned a trip to the village Art Gallery in the morning and off to the beach in the afternoon where we had lunch. The children were really excited. What countries do you have a visa to work in? I have a tourist visa in Belize. What field do you currently work in? I am currently working in Elementary Education as a Substitute Teacher. What fields have you worked in before? I worked in the Banking profession as a Customer Service Representative, Branch Operation Specialist and I worked as an Art Teacher for twelve years in the Washington DC area. When I was in College I worked my way through school as a Hotel Desk Clerk. What qualifications do you hold? I have a BFA degree from Howard University.(Dean's List for 3 semesters) I went to school at the Art Academy College of San Francisco I have taught ART at the Smithsonian Institute's Summer Youth Camp I have taught ART at FLOC's Adventure Camp I did post-graduate work at Trinity College I was a U.S. Delegate for Children's International Summer Village Which do you consider more valuable? Formal education or skills and why? Well to be honest I feel they are both valuable. Formal Education because it gives you special training and qualifies you in a special field. In most cases, College not only teaches you those specialized skills and knowledge but it teaches you how to think which I think is very important. How to reason. Life experience however is equally valuable because it teaches how to apply those skills and you get the benefit of being in a working environment amongst other people. Describe the benefits of working with others In working with others you develope social skills,oratory skills and organizational skills. In many cases,you learn to work with a team. When working with a team it gives you the opportunity to exchange ideas. Sometimes you have the opportunity to lead the group and sometimes you are an active participant. These are skills that are invaluable as you go through life. Describe the benefits of working alone The benefit of working alone is that you can be very resourceful in implementing your ideas. You can easily show iniative and independence. You can work to meet deadlines or goals. What was your worst working experience? My worst working experience was when I had designed the backdrop for a school play, it was a western saloon. I was very proud of the finished product that I decided to take a picture of it. When I went to the stage my work had been almost destroyed by a young man who was very troubled. I was devastated. I found out who the boy was and then I took him under my wing, gained his trust and tutored him in Art and Math. What is the most important lesson you have learnt throughout your career? The most important lesson I have learned is that you dont give up. Sometimes a child can be very challenging. They seem to always be missing patience and love. So you nurture them and let them know that they matter. The most effective strategy that I use is praise and encouragement. It really helps to inspire them to learn and to perform well. What unique skills do you have? I like to paint in Watercolour. I also make beaded jewelry and ty-dye T-shirts. This year I want to learn how to do Batiks. Learning is a never ending process. I am great in teaching children how to draw. I de-mystify it by breaking it down into simple shapes and then as they get older they learn to add more and more detail. What would you consider as your 'dream job'? My dream job would be to work with children somewhere near the rainforest. I would combine natural science with local crafts. We would create Art that we could use. It could be wearable Art or something they could use around the house like baskets,pottery, t-shirts,doll,placemats or chimes. What are the most interesting aspects of your field? Its all interesting to me. Learning how relate to children in new and innovative ways. Meeting with colleagues to exchange ideas. Learning new forms of Art. Seeing children light up when they discover something new. Creating. What are the least interesting aspects of your field? I guess the least interesting aspect would be when you run into people who dont want you to succeed. They are competitive and they want to be the only ones to shine. Why cant we all shine. That's how I feel. Wouldn't that be great if we could all shine. Please replace this with a question of your own Will this reach many potential employers. How can potential employers contact you? Darkim67@yahoo.com | 
