PrepNow Tutor - Melissa C.
“I believe the most important pursuits a person can undertake are acts of service to others,” Melissa says. “I am incredibly motivated to help students overcome challenges and maximize their potential, particularly individuals who experience communication difficulties or struggle with literacy.” Melissa holds a BBA in marketing from the University of Georgia, a paralegal certification from the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education, and an MAT in special education with a focus in reading from Brenau University. While Melissa started her career in marketing, she transitioned to education after working as a caregiver for a young boy with Autism and discovered her passion for literacy. Throughout her career, she has taught reading and writing to K-5 students in public schools, volunteered with English language learners, and served as a lead pre-K teacher at the Atlanta Speech School. Most recently, she’s worked as a reading specialist and classroom teacher at a nonprofit serving under-resourced middle school students.
Melissa became a teacher to honor the time she spent as a nanny. “I wanted to refine the talents I discovered while nannying and enter a role where my impact would be greater,” she says. Her philosophy regarding teaching is that every adult who works with students makes a series of choices to be there. “No child gets to choose where they go to school, and they certainly do not choose to have disabilities or struggles,” Melissa says. “The adults who choose to put themselves in positions of service or advocacy for students ought to perform acts of service and advocacy.” As such, Melissa always leads her sessions with kindness. “I teach because critical thinking is becoming less and less common in our world, as is peaceful discourse, and I want to do my part to reverse those trends,” she says.
Melissa describes her teaching style as a mix of Mary Poppins and Major Payne. “I am an empathetic, authoritative teacher who holds my students to lofty standards,” she says. “I am a pusher, but I have an adaptive approach that meets my students where they are.” Melissa establishes clear expectations for both work time and play time. “I truly enjoy teaching, so I incorporate a lot of fun into my lessons—but I am there to work and expect my students to put forth their best efforts.” She notes that at times she is laid back and has been known to be pretty silly to capture her students' attention. “Time is everyone’s most precious resource, and as an interventionist, my job is to achieve the most return I can in the time I have,” she says.
As a student, Melissa participated in band, JROTC, tech team, drama, and academic team. She loves to sew cross-stitch projects and complete jigsaw or logic puzzles. She is a bookworm, particularly of nonfiction and history, and loves to watch movies, TV shows, and documentaries/docuseries. Her favorite outdoor activity is hiking.
She was nominated the equivalent of Teacher of the Month in 2023 and has been trained in various multi-sensory literacy instruction programs and curricula. She is also a member of the International Dyslexia Association. “I am a lifelong superfan of Bruce Springsteen,” Melissa says. "I once had the opportunity to babysit for Mike D of the Beastie Boys."
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