Just the Beginning

-----Original Message----- 
From: Patricia de Cerqueira Leite 
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 2:06 AM 
To: Ticha 
Subject: First day!

Hi All,

I am really sorry about the MASS email, but you are getting this because you are either a dear friend or family that has inspired me, supported me, and helped me get to where I am now... IN THE CLASSROOM!! ... and I have only one question... Why the h#$& did you let me do it?!

Ok, just kidding!

My first day of teaching at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School (formerly known as Somerville Charter School) was challenging to say the least.  Although I am not a homeroom teacher, I teach 5 classes with about 24 students in each for 50 minutes at a time. I don't have my own room, so I float from classroom to classroom and my desk is housed in 1A - a first grade homeroom (happy to have a desk!)

The day today was off to a great start as I had many fun activities planned to build relationships w/ my students. However, I learned that my first graders like pictures better than word search puzzles. My second graders loved the word puzzle but wanted to color instead of searching for every word. My third graders were all about testing my boundaries... my more patient attitude was REALLY not working well w/ them today. Fourth graders were a breath of fresh air and finished their word search faster than the sleepy but sweet fifth graders.

After 2 beers, a good talk w/ my colleague (who is also new, teaches Spanish and left almost in tears) and a LONG nap, I am able to take comfort in the few positive minutes of my first day of teaching just as a child that is scared of the dark finds comfort in a night light.... Does that make any sense at all?! LOL!

Today was all that I expected... EXTREMELY frustrating, exciting, scary, and full of surprises... and while I am not bursting with fruit flavors saying "I LOVE MY JOB" ... I see it all in the horizon. In the meantime, I am taking notes... for a lot of policy work awaits me as does my elementary education certification classes!

I miss all of you and thank you sooooo much for all of your support. This is not easy, but if I wanted that I wouldn't be here.

Love you all tons and miss you like crazy! - Tricia (aka: Ms. Cerqueira)

This is just the beginning ...