Aline Rodrigues Cuchiaro | Elementary Teacher: Brazilian Social Studies - 4th and 5th Grade
In Love with Dogs
The new teacher for Brazilian Social Studies in the Elementary has a degree in Education and has a specialization in Psychopedagogy from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC). If that were not enough, she soon intends to enter the Masters of Education at the University of São Paulo (USP). To do so, Ms. Aline has already taken some courses in order to better prepare for the selection exam.
Ms. Aline found Chapel through a colleague. She began her new job very motivated and eager to meet the students. "I desire to do a great job, I want to contribute and learn new things," she says. Ms. Aline says that she loves the structure that Chapel School offers and says she feels welcomed by all her colleagues. "The environment has a very positive energy. The school has shown much investment in professional development. I see this as something very important," she says.
In moments of leisure, Ms. Aline likes to travel - she visited Bariloche during her last vacation and she learned how to ski. She enjoys being with her family and friends. But what she loves the most is spending time with her dogs.
Mehir Rajendra Desai | Elementary Teacher: 6th Grade
Bungee Jumping on the Sumaré Bridge
As soon as he arrived in São Paulo in mid-July, Mr. Mehir Desai took advantage of his free time to get to know the city. Before classes began in August, the Boston-born American had explored the city of São Paulo and carried out more adventures than many Paulistas - touring all of Paulista Avenue, the neighborhoods of Itaim, Vila Madalena, Ibirapuera Park and all their restaurants, and if that were not enough, he ventured out to practice bungee jumping on the overpass of Sumaré Avenue in Perdizes.
Mr. Mehir is determined to learn as much as he can about Brazil and how to speak Portuguese. The 6th Grade teacher is is fascinated with different people, cultures and countries. He has been around - he has been to Europe, Asia, and even Africa. He says that South America was missing. "I chose Brazil because I have always heard great things about its people, culture and nature. When I found Chapel School at the Job Fair in Boston, it seemed the most welcoming of the schools, and the principals spoke very well of the students and the community, "he says.
Mr. Mehir is a graduate from Georgetown University in Washington. He has a degree in Political Science but also obtains a MA in Education from New York University. Mr. Mehir lived in China for two and a half years, where he taught English. Before coming to Chapel, he taught for 4 years in New York as a 6th Grade teacher. "I'm finding Brazil and Chapel perfect. The people have been very good to me. The food is great! I've already seen a lot of nature. I like the balconies and the libraries of the school," he says. His hobbies are traveling, reading and practicing adventure sports - parachuting and bungee jumping. The latter he has proved indeed.
Matthew Charles Plain | High School Teacher: Social Studies and History - 7th and 8th Grade; Geography - 10th Grade; and Religions of the World - 11th Grade
90 Countries Logged in his Travel Journal
The Canadian citizen of the world, Matthew Charles Plain, has been to 90 countries. He has a habit of logging his travels in a journal, but not with the intention of publishing them - they are simply to remind himself of the memories he has experienced along the way. A undergraduate of Political Science from the University of Victoria, Canada, Mr. Matthew also holds a Master's from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.
Mr. Matthew enjoys traveling around the world. He has lived in several countries, including Jordan - where he taught History - and Lebanon - where he taught English. “I did not know any countries in South America. So I’ve decided to come and live in the largest of them, Brazil. Besides, I have many Brazilian friends in Canada and I already knew a little bit of the culture," he says. It was at the Job Fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that he found out about Chapel.
When he arrived in São Paulo in July, he found the city to be very large. "Even though I have visited large cities like Tokyo and New Delhi, São Paulo still impressed me. I was impressed mainly because of the number of buildings," he says.
In his spare time, Mr. Matthew hopes to become more familiarized with the Brazilian culture and experience all that he can in the city of São Paulo. "I want to learn more about the Brazilian history and literature. I like Portuguese literature. I am familiar with Fernando Pessoa’s work and now I intend to get to know Brazilian writers," he concludes.
Ligia Buoro Ribeiro | ECEC: Pre-1 Teacher
"I was Born to be a Teacher"
Before discovering her true calling in education, the young Ligia Buoro Ribeiro studied Dentistry. It was only after working for a year in pediatric dentistry that Ms. Ligia realized she enjoyed working with children. She knew she wanted to work with children, not in dentistry. That is when she returned to Methodist University of São Paulo, in São Bernardo do Campo, and studied Education. "I found myself in education, I realized that I was born for this," she states.
So in 2012, she started working at Chapel as an ECEC's assistant. She left Chapel in 2016, when she received a proposal to take up a nursery classroom as a head teacher at a Canadian bilingual school. But according to Ms. Ligia, the great surprise came this year, when she was invited to participate in the selection process for a position as an ECEC teacher: "It was incredible! It was wonderful! It has always been a dream to work as a teacher here."
Ms. Ligia was accepted to Chapel as a teacher and took over a Pre-1 classroom in August. "I feel at home here and I also identify with the Chapel education. I believe in what the school does, and it is where I want to pursue my career," she says.