Christie Chrystal

Your place is where the world’s greatest need meets your greatest love.” I work at Neilson Grove in the School Age and Preschool Programs. My qualifications include: A Bachelor’s Degree in Arts with a double minor in English and History, My ECCE Assistant Certificate, and I am currently working towards the completion of ECCE certificate.

A little bit about me: I got married in the summer of 2008, and live in Ladner with my husband Kalle and our dog Tula. In October 2010 we welcomed a new addition to our family, a healthy baby girl, Alexa. One of my favourite things to do is spend time with my family and friends, as they are very important to me. I love watching Alexa discover the world around her. She is like a sponge, soaking it all in! I also love to read, write, camp, travel and go for walks with my dog. My favourite places to travel are Las Vegas and Mexico! If my friends were to describe me they would say that I am happy, honest, environmentally aware, a little sensitive, and very compassionate.

Me and Childcare

Working with such a wide range of ages is interesting as I get to see the similarities between children and the differences between their ages. I love working with the preschool age children because they are excited about school and it is such a rewarding feeling to watch the children learn and grow. The school aged children are so creative and inventive; the opportunities are endless for the older children as they transform our room daily into shopping markets, restaurants, doctors offices, etc. I love when the older children sit down to share their days experiences with me, show me projects they are working on or even ask for help with spelling or reading. I love that our classroom is like a community; there is respect and a sense of comfort that make the children feel safe and at ease.

I’m a big fan of the Reggio approach to teaching because the focus is on the children, which is so important. I believe that children learn more when they are truly interested in what they are learning about. I also love that play is an important aspect of the Reggio philosophy because I believe that children learn so much through playing and interacting with their peers. Our topics change as the children’s interest change and that flexibility is a wonderful thing to work with! It makes coming to work each day a new experience. One of the most interesting projects that I have worked on with our preschoolers is the doghouse. The children in both the 3 and 4 year preschool class loved the topic of dogs and to expand on that we brought in a real wooden doghouse for the children to paint and play in. The children worked hard on designing the exterior of the doghouse, first on paper with black felt and then on the doghouse with crayon, then finally on the doghouse with paint. The whole process was so great to watch, and the finished product sat in our dramatic play corner and was one of the most popular pieces of furniture in our classroom.

Conclusion

I see the potential that all children have to learn. I enjoy the fact that all children in every age group are unique and that they have different strengths that all work well in our little classroom community!