Kiss your brain….

“There’s nothing in my brain!” - Kim trying to tell Karla about a place she had eaten, after she couldn’t remember the kind of food, nor the place, nor the neighborhood. This made all of us in the room laugh until we cried. This phrase now comes up daily in the First Teacher office.

Dear First Teacher Community,

Last month, we finally hosted our first in-person workshop since 2020. Jonathan, age four the last time he was in our space, whirled into the office exclaiming in a whispered awe-filled voice, “Ohhhhh, I used to love it here!” He proceeded to enumerate all the things he used to love about childcare during our workshops: snack (Goldfish and bananas), dress-up (the tiger tail), and the songs (“If your name is Jonathan, jump up and down!”)

We were moved by Jonathan’s descriptions, but more than anything, we experienced our own awe that he remembered all these details. Like many of you, our memories are cloudy and our brains don’t feel half as sharp as they used to. While we may feel that there is nothing in our brains, when we reflect on the incredible accomplishments of our last year together, it proves that our brains are stronger than we think, often thanks to our relationships at First Teacher.

We filled July with laughter, relief, and joy as we came together during our first in-person Family Play Week(s) since 2019. (Thanks to our hypothalamus, located at the top of the brain stem, which helps us to bond and build connections, often through touch.)

We worked with an amazing Cape Verdean therapist, Tania DeBarros, during our Wellness Wednesdays, to regulate, calm, and heal ourselves so that we could guide our children in doing the same. (Thanks to our amygdala, located smack dab in the middle of the brain, which helps us manage our emotions.)

We gathered in our pajamas together in the evenings to answer questions posed by our G’Night Book Club facilitators as we explored a beautiful new book together. (Thanks to our frontal lobe - the part of the brain truly under construction during the toddler and teen years…if you know, you know! - which helps us comprehend and analyze language.)

We connected with other amazing organizations in our community doing incredible work, like The Small Steps Healing Project, part of the We Got Us organization. The Small Steps Healing Project is a community-based collaborative focused on bridging various institutions, community organizations, and people to create an alliance to increase free access to acupuncture and holistic healing for the historically marginalized populations in Boston and beyond. We are excited to ask you to support The Small Steps Healing Project in addition to First Teacher this year, if you are able. For more info, visit https://www.wegotusproject.org/. (We know how closely the brain and the body are connected!)

This year, our brains have had more than enough practice transitioning back and forth from virtual to in-person programming, ultimately landing on a hybrid model that works for the First Teacher community. (Thanks to our prefrontal cortex, which helps us build our cognitive flexibility!)

We are grateful that you have stayed connected with us through all these transitions. This year, our annual appeal goal is $50,000 again. We have opted not to increase our goal since money is so tight for so many. If money has not been tight for you, we ask you consider increasing your investment in our community if you can do so without sacrificing your families’ comfort.

As always, thank you for believing and investing in the idea that all children have the right to be ready for kindergarten and beyond and that all parents and caregivers have the power to prepare them to do so. And, as we tell our kids, kiss your brain!

With love, respect, and gratitude,

The First Teacher Team

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