Life of a Cooperating Teacher

Tomorrow is an exciting day. 
   I have a student teacher starting in my classroom!

I remember my first day of student teaching 12 years ago. Greenfield Elementary 

on the corner of Samson and Chestnut....

2nd grade inclusion. 

I met students who would leave lasting impressions on my heart, mind, and soul. The ones I think about 

(and many more who have joined the list) 

who remind me on the hard days why we do what we do! 

Egypt...Louis...Jasmine...Eric...

I value the experience I had! I look back on my cooperating teacher and while she taught me so much about the job, our time together lacked inspiration!

I am forever grateful for the incredible teachers

whom I have crossed paths with over the past 10 years that have inspired me to want to 

do more, 

be more, 

learn more, 

teach more, 

inspire more!

I have attempted to keep these inspiring teachers as friends 

(and family)

and I continue to learn from them 

and be inspired from them daily!!

I always try and inspire my students but rarely am I

handed an opportunity to help another teacher-to-be 

learn not only the job, but ways to love the job!

This is my 2nd time at this job!

My first student teacher changed my life! 

Mary Whittle is one of the most extraordinary women 

I have ever met! 

While I helped teach her the in's and out's of being a special education teacher, she taught me so much more!

Together, we inspired each other

and I believe have formed a life long friendship!

While every student teaching experience can't follow the same path, I can only hope that while I try and help teach my student teacher the formal details of what the life of a teacher is like, 

I hope to also share my love for the job...

and my love for the students!

I hope to inspire him that this is the greatest job 

in the world 

and his opportunities to impact kids lives are 

invaluable and endless!

Having a student teacher is so much more work that the job typically is on a day to day basis. 

But it is so worth it!

I have high hopes....

and high expectations....

And in the end I hope I am able to just do a good job 

of teaching what I love...teaching and loving kids!

A Love of Music

A Love Of Music...

I can't exactly remember when my love for music began!

My mother was always singing in our house! And she can sing! 

She could then! And she can now! 

She does an amazing Patsy Cline but she can sing anything with a tune!
She even did her rendition at our wedding!



Everyone LOVED it!

My dad was always musical too! 

Not really in the same way though! 

He tried...he really tried to sing! 

He would belt it out without a care. 

He could be heard in the kitchen...in the shower...

in the car...and the best (and closest proximity) was in church! 

He loved to sing! 

Unfortunately, he did not possess the same melodic pitches as my mom. But you had to love his willingness to try! 

We would giggle in church as he belted it out!

But beyond his love for singing...and for making us laugh...

I'm not sure which he loved more...He always LOVED music! 

The louder the better! 

You still can tell when my dad pulls in the driveway 

when you hear the music 

(even with us in a closed up house and him in a closed up car!) 

He also loved to dance! He had dance skills like no one else. 

And I mean it! 

He can cover every inch of a dance floor....and do it with such grace! 

He is and will always be my favorite person to dance with! 

(Admittedly Domenic doesn't love to dance...I love dancing with him! But it's a different kind of dancing. It's better! 

I just don't always follow his lead!)

But following my Dad's lead on a dance floor is so much fun!

We actually even named a dance move "The Daddy!"
(more pics to come!)

My parents love of music includes everything from

Born to be Alive and lots of other disco... to

I Got Lucky and lots of other elvis.... to

Unanswered Prayers, A Father's Love, Guardian Angel and lots of other country.... to

Man! I feel like a woman, Move This, Pump up the Jam, I'm Coming out, Let's Get Loud...and lots of other music another man might not be caught dead listening to!

They love it all!

And I'm pretty sure I owe my love of music to them!

A Brand New Year

A Brand New Year....

           
                The Same Ol'e Me...Only Better!

I fully recognize just how lucky I am...

sometimes my lens gets a little foggy 

as I cloud it with stressors or desires for material items. 

Still I see and appreciate all that I have and all that is good!

My husband is my rock! 

My support! 

He is handsome, charming, 

and has the unbelievable ability to make me laugh 

when I am feeling my most frustrated!

My two children are my inspiration! 

They are kind and smart and affectionate. 

They inspire me to be better at everything!

I am lucky to have 2…well 3 amazing sisters! 

Bernadette has and will always be a sister to me! 

My sisters and I are extremely different from each other 

in so many ways and still have relationships that are 

unbreakable and invaluable!

My parents…well, it's hard to find words for them! 

They are incredible role models for marriage, love, 

friendship, faith, communication, work ethic, 

parenting, generosity, and family. 

I love them and appreciate everything they've given me!

Domenic’s parents have never treated me like an “in-law.” 

I’ve always felt part of the family. 

They provide unmeasurable support and love 

for both Domenic and I and for Luke and Nicholas. 

They are wonderful parents and amazing grandparents.

We are blessed with wonderful friends and family members. Some we see often and many we see only once in a while. Friends and family are invaluable and special 

and we could never live without them.

We have jobs that allow us to do what we love! 

Teach! 

We work with kids and there is no better job on the planet. 

It’s not always easy. 

It’s not always fun! 

There are days where we’d prefer not to go.

But it’s the world’s best job!

We have our health!

There are no words to describe how valuable that is!

Still….

There are always areas for improvement!



This year is going to be excited

(and maybe a little terrifying)!

This year we will be welcoming 

a little brother or sister for Luke and Nicholas!

WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!

Baby Mingacci will be joining us this summer!



Definitely a little terrifying.

Man to man is out the window

and we need to operate in a zone!

So with a new year, 
with many expected and surely unexpected 
twists, turns and suprises....

We set goals for ourselves!

This year, I have many goals!

Some will be easier to keep than others!

And some will be easier to measure than others!

1. This year I want to simplify....in every way!

    I want to simplify in "stuff" and learn to trash things I don't  

    need, don't use, or don't make me happy!

   

    I want to simplify my calendar. I want to learn to say yes to  

    things I am most excited about or know are most 

    meaningful to the people I care for most....and learn to say 

    no when I know I just need a break.

    I want to simplify my stressors. (Sounds pretty lofty to me!)
    I really just need to practice not stressing the small stuff. 

    This has always been tough for me. I need to just trust that 

    everything will turn out ok and everything happens for a 

    reason!

2. This year I want to get myself back to slowing down! 

     Breathe in the moment! Smile when you're upset! Pick up 

     where you left off! 2011 was a great year for me on this one! 

     2012 not so much!

3. I want to blog more! 

    I want to remember special moments!

    I want to log what I'm thankful for!

    And I want to add my crazy love for music into my daily  

    stories!

4. I want to be a better Me!

    

    I want to be more patient with the boys!

    

    I want to laugh and sing out loud with them everyday!

    

    I want to listen more than I talk!

    I want to go on even more dates with my husband!

    I want to go outside more than I'm in front of my computer!

    I want to be healthy and recognize that for much of this 

    year, my body is not all my own!

    I want to read more!

    I want to take more pictures!

    I want to play the piano even more than this past year!

    I want to give Domenic a night off...just because!

    I want to be more reasonable and realistic!

    I want to be less judgemental!

    

    Even with all my goals, I want to not be so hard on myself!

And if worse comes to worse and many of these goals end up on my list next year.....I know I'll be ok!

Because everything happens for a reason and in the end it all works out!

See I'm off to a great start!