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!