糖心vlog视频

For alumna Melanie Gohn, M.Ed. 鈥�12, teaching is more than just a job 鈥� it鈥檚 a lifelong calling. She鈥檚 been a teacher for more than 25 years, the last 11 in the Boerne Independent School District near San Antonio. 

For her dedication to students and the profession of teaching, she recently received the from the Association of Texas Professional Educators and the from the Alliant Group for innovative science teaching. 

Gohn said her passion for teaching started while she was a camp counselor during her undergraduate years, where she realized how rewarding it was to work with children. 

It wasn鈥檛 until she studied for her Master of Education at the 糖心vlog视频鈥檚 School of Educational Studies, however, that she became more reflective about her teaching practice. 

The path to UW Bothell聽

For her undergraduate degree, Gohn studied at Texas State University, and she said she was unsure about what she wanted to do afterward. She didn鈥檛 know what to declare for her major so tried a variety of classes across different subjects. After taking classes in education, she realized teaching was her calling. 

鈥淚t just clicked,鈥� Gohn said. 鈥淚 knew it was what I was supposed to do.鈥� 

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies, Gohn immediately started teaching in Texas, then a few years later moved to the North Puget Sound region and began working for Everett Public Schools. It was during her time there that she was inspired by colleagues to go to graduate school. 

鈥淭here was a group of teachers at my school at Woodside Elementary in Bothell, and we decided that it would be fun to get our master鈥檚 degrees,鈥� Gohn explained. 鈥淲e just thought, 鈥楲et鈥檚 push ourselves, let’s do it!鈥欌�� 

Soon, they were all enrolled in the Master of Education program at UW Bothell.

Mindset and experience

At first, it was a challenge for Gohn to get back into the mindset of a student, but she soon found out her experience in the classroom was invaluable. Earning her degree while also working allowed her to focus on changing her teaching practices immediately.

鈥淲e鈥檇 go to classes at night, then we would use whatever we were learning in our classroom,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o you鈥檙e not just going to college and writing papers. You鈥檙e embedding it into what you’re doing in your work.鈥�

Gohn said her time at UW Bothell tripled her confidence in her teaching ability, especially once she saw how her learning had a positive impact on her classroom where the children were blossoming.

Through the three years of her degree, Gohn鈥檚 mindset as a teacher changed, and she said she became much more of an intentional practitioner. 鈥淚鈥檓 constantly reflecting on my practice and what I鈥檓 teaching my students 鈥� what鈥檚 working and what鈥檚 not.鈥�

More than a decade later, she still carries that same reflective mindset into her work as an elementary school science and math teacher.

The value of making a mistake

Gohn said she is constantly looking to hone her craft and find the best ways to teach her students.

鈥淚 tell my kids that I鈥檓 still learning, and they say 鈥榃hat?! But you’re a teacher!鈥� And I say 鈥楨xactly!鈥� I鈥檓 still learning new things about how the brain develops and best practices for working with children.鈥�

A key part of her practice, Gohn explained, is having a positive mindset towards failure, something she also shares with the children she teaches.

鈥淚 tell them failure is a way of learning. I tell them about Dr. Seuss, and how he was rejected 鈥� I think it was 41 times 鈥� before he was published. I’ll even make a mistake in front of them and say 鈥極h my gosh, Ms. Gohn just made a mistake. Let me fix it.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 modeling that it鈥檚 okay to make mistakes and that it鈥檚 proof of learning.鈥�

I鈥檓 constantly reflecting on my practice and what I’m teaching my students 鈥� what’s working and what’s not.

An award-winning professional

When Gohn received the , she said she was lost for words. 

鈥淚t means everything,鈥� Gohn said. 鈥淚 know that I give my whole heart to this, and for other people to notice that I give 100% to my career and my kiddos 鈥� for somebody else to see that 鈥� it was so special. It鈥檚 probably the highlight of my career.鈥� 

This year, Gohn also won a for increasing student engagement with her innovative lessons. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 do science out of a workbook,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have to think outside the box to make classes engaging for the kids.鈥� 

When asked what topic her students enjoyed the most, Gohn said that learning about space was always engaging due to the creativity involved in teaching it. For one lesson, Gohn turned her workroom into a completely dark room by placing black paper on the walls. She then attached glow-in-the-dark stars to the ceiling in the patterns of constellations. 

After entering the room through a 鈥渟pecial portal,鈥� Gohn said some of the children felt like they were floating in space as they pointed to the glowing stars and called out the constellations they could see.

Makings of a successful teacher

Gohn believes one of the most important attributes of good teachers is being dedicated to their work and to the students. 鈥淎ll children deserve an accomplished teacher,鈥� she said, 鈥渟o you鈥檙e going to invest time in getting to know them and what makes them tick.鈥�

For Gohn, this means her relationships with children extend outside of the classroom. 鈥淚 try to be their person 鈥� you know, if they need somebody in their life who鈥檚 their cheerleader who’s going to have their backs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want them to know I鈥檓 in their life, that I’m their person if they need one.

鈥淚t’s not like you’re in my classroom for one year, and then I say 鈥楤ye, see you later.鈥� I’ll go to soccer games for current students, and I’ll see former students. They run up to me, and I love it.

鈥淭hat’s pure joy right there. You feel like a rock star.鈥�