Dr. Melissa Collins has been an elementary school teacher at John P. Freeman Optional School in Memphis, TN for 19 years, where she is constantly amazed by her students’ curiosity about the world around them. She is an expert in teacher leadership and voice and also an advocate for global learning, STEM education, and high standards.To help ensure that all children have access to a caring and committed teacher, she has mentored several teachers through the National Board process. She is the recipient of several awards and honors, including: the Global Teacher Prize Finalist (Top 50), Queen Smith Award, Stephen Sondheim Award, Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the National Science Teaching Association Sylvia Shurgrue Award, and West Tennessee Teacher of the Year. She is a proud National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Early Childhood Education.
My National Board Journey: Reflections From a National Board Fellow
September 26, 2018
What motivated me In 2006, I was approached by my former principal, Mrs. Parks, to pursue National Board: until then, I had never heard of the National Board Certification process. When examining the National Board process, I looked at the standards in my desired content area, Early Childhood. The standards were age appropriate for my grade level and I learned how to implement them into my instruction. I noticed the standards encouraged me to use an interdisciplinary approach which challenged students. After a careful analysis, I knew that the process was for me, and I was ready to be engaged…
Read More