Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Mariangela Bonasera and Maria Barbanente are admired, veteran Italian language instructors who, as co-presidents of the Midwest Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Italian, help facilitate fellowship among their peers.
It’s especially important for Italian teachers to have a community like AATI to turn to because there may be only one Italian teacher in a school and even an entire district, according to Barbanente.
Barbanente, who is in her 12th year at Highland Park High School, is teaching every Italian class at her school as well as one Spanish class this school year. Bonasera, who is teaching around 100 Italian students this school year at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, says Italian teachers are often exceptionally busy.
“They single-handedly develop, create and teach four to five levels of Italian while sponsoring an Italian club, participating in elective nights and organizing cultural events, trips and exchanges,” Bonasera says. “Their burden is a labor of love, but it is still an immense undertaking.”
Barbanente says these challenges have fostered powerful bonds among Italian educators.
“Because many of us work in small or singleton programs, we’ve developed a spirit of collaboration, resourcefulness, and mutual support that is one of our profession’s greatest strengths,” she says. “We come together to share ideas, encourage one another, and advocate for the continued presence of Italian in our schools.”
Bonasera first learned of AATI while completing her master’s degree in teaching at Dominican University in 2010, and joined because she wanted to meet other passionate teachers and learn as much about teaching Italian as possible.
“Above everything that I have gotten from my involvement in the AATI, the relationships are the most precious of all,” Bonasera says. “Finding camaraderie in the daily struggles and the rewards of teaching Italian is what makes teaching that much more meaningful.”
Barbanente began her teaching career at Trinity High School in River Forest, becoming and AATI member in 2009, when she was teaching at York.
first became involved with AATI early in her teaching career, which began in.
“Early on, I had the privilege of working alongside experienced Italian teachers who generously shared their knowledge and helped shape me as a young educator,” Barbanente says. “Later in my career, when I became the only Italian teacher in my school, I realized just how much I valued those professional connections.”
By participating in the group’s conferences, workshops, and ongoing collaboration, AATI members acquire innovative teaching ideas, practical resources, lasting professional relationships and cherished friendships, according to Barbanente.
One of their priorities during their tenure as co-presidents is to create more opportunities for teachers to connect, collaborate and learn from one another throughout the year, she notes.
“When educators are connected through a strong professional network, they return to their classrooms with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and meaningful learning experiences for their students,” Barbanente says. “We hope to contribute to a future in which more students have the opportunity to discover the richness and lasting value of the Italian language and culture.”
Bonasera says she feels immensely fortunate to be sharing the presidency with Barbanente.
“Maria and I share in the belief that together we can conquer anything,” she says. “She is someone I have revered and treasured for many years. We have a way of communicating effectively, balancing each other’s ideas and dividing and conquering in a way that makes things attainable in our incredibly busy lives.”
Barbanente says she felt much more comfortable stepping into the presidency knowing she’d be serving alongside Bonasera.
“I have tremendous respect for her,” Barbanente says. “Neither of us believes leadership is about one or two people doing all the work. We believe in collaboration, delegation, and empowering others to contribute their unique talents. We are fortunate to have an outstanding board and a community of passionate educators, each with valuable ideas and experiences to bring to the table.”
