Loud, orchestrated chaos, and a whole lot of fun can sum up a day spent with Mrs. Price. Melissa teaches STEAM to 1st - 5th-grade students at 5 different elementary schools in the Sheridan County School District #2. Students work collaboratively, in small groups of 2-3, while engaged in unplugged problem-solving activities, engineering projects, robotics, and computer programming. Rich discussions amongst students happen daily from understanding the strategies of computational thinking to working through the iterative process to solve a problem.
Loud, orchestrated chaos, and a whole lot of fun can sum up a day spent with Mrs. Price. Melissa teaches STEAM to 1st - 5th-grade students at 5 different elementary schools in the Sheridan County School District #2. Students work collaboratively, in small groups of 2-3, while engaged in unplugged problem-solving activities, engineering projects, robotics, and computer programming. Rich discussions amongst students happen daily from understanding the strategies of computational thinking to working through the iterative process to solve a problem.
Melissa aims to get students excited about computer science and how it is interconnected with science, engineering, art, and math. “I want students to realize CS is a part of everything we do and they are the ones that can control it. In other words, it doesn’t just happen magically as they consume it. Students have the power to be producers of it. They are computer scientists solving problems through engineering and programming. Computer science isn’t just a “smart kid” content. Anyone of any ability or background is encouraged to share their ideas and contribute. Diversity in our teams is celebrated. All ideas are important and should be considered by the team to make sure what is created is beneficial to all. Students hold the power to create the next new technology that makes the world a better place. Computer Science is a powerful skill set to possess. Knowing the foundational principles will benefit any student.”
Teaching is not Melissa’s first career. She began her working in commercial lines insurance as a rater back in 1990. At that time, raters were human computers doing math equations all day to determine policy premiums. “I rode the tidal wave of technological change. In 1992, the rating was done by computers and raters would notice when algorithms were off. We would contact the IT department and tell them they had another bug to fix. By 1996 the company was paperless and we were online. It was crazy how fast we went from paper-pencil to having 3 computer monitors on our desk and very limited paper.”
Due to a lack of a sense of purpose, Melissa changed careers and chose to get an elementary teaching degree. Melissa has been a para-professional, a certified K-6 classroom teacher for all-inclusive and gifted and talented classrooms, and a STEAM specialist for the past 18 years. She has a BA in elementary education from Regis University and a MS in Learning, Design and Technology from the University of Wyoming. Computer science technology has always been integrated into her classrooms. “Maybe since technology– to a point– replaced my position in my first career, I realized how important it was to place it in the hands of my students.” Melissa loves the challenge of teaching students and supporting their love of learning. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”