Salvete, Omnes!
My name is Melissa Greer, and I am currently pursuing my EdD in Curriculum with a concentration in instructional technology at Valdosta State University. I have a B.A. in Latin, and B.A. in Classical Culture, and a B.S.Ed. in World Languages Education from the University of Georgia and a dual-cert M.Ed. in Instructional Technology and School Library Media from Georgia Southern University. I am in my 6th year teaching at the Newton College and Career Academy and STEM Institute in Covington, GA. I wear a bunch of hats, so buckle up! I teach a full course load of Latin I and II classes, I am the building lead for instructional technology, and I work VERY closely with our STEM Program Leader in the daily workings of our STEM Institute program. Since I am a certified media specialist, I also assist in teaching research skills to our students and teaching about copyright and plagiarism to our teachers and students.
My ultimate goal and purpose as an educator is to help, support, and advocate for teachers so that they can provide their students with the best possible education. My dream job is to be a sort of instructional technology coach. I want to be able to help teachers integrate technology into their curriculum to innovate their instruction so that their students are receiving the absolute best education and graduate prepared for their future.
My current areas of research interest are kind of all over the place. I am very interested in game-based learning and gamifying the classroom. I am also interested in researching ways to provide equity in STEM education to underserved populations (i.e. feminine and non-binary identifying folks, BIPOC, neurodivergent, low-SES, etc.). Another recent interest is the equity in assessments, especially higher stakes testing (e.g. using words that people from non-white, hetero, middle/upper SES, male backgrounds don’t have a context for in their daily lives is unfair. Former teacher, now comedian Noah Gardenswartz has a good sketch about this.).
Personally my interests are all over the place as well! I like reading, trivia, hiking, cross-stitching, solving mystery boxes, playing with my new sewing machine, and a good new fashioned Netflix marathon. When the world isn’t exploding, I travel with friends/family and take my students to Italy (Florence, Italy is the city of my heart!) I also LOVE baking and cooking and have a side hustle, of sorts, custom decorating sugar cookies. Even though it doesn’t look like it, I’m also a whole nerd, so watching/reading sci-fi, watching some anime, cosplaying, going to conventions, etc. are also somethings I like to do. Naps with my pupper, Zeia, are also a favorite of mine!
Title: Latin Teacher, Technology Teacher Leader, ILT
