Teacher Tuesday: Melissa Lisell Edition

Melissa came to Beverly from another Plano school after her school lost a teacher due to numbers. She was an instant match with the second grade team. Everyone was so excited that we got such an awesome teacher out of a situation that is often uncomfortable. She later moved to third grade and it was another great fit! Melissa is just a few years younger than me, and another Plano grad...I'll give her break even though she went to one of my rival schools, Plano West.

When we were both just a tad bit younger, we hung out some outside of school and I always had a great time with her.

Melissa is someone you can talk to about anything. She is open and honest and I appreciate her friendship and value as a coworker every single day.

Get ready to meet the amazing, Melissa Lisell...

How long have you been teaching? 

11 years

What is your classroom decor? 

Red and Black for Texas Tech

You know I LOVE this room! Wreck'em! 

Look at this cute "Turkey in Disguise" project! So fun! 

What is your favorite story about a student? 

Wow! It is hard to pick out just one. Every time a student succeeds at something new achieves academically, or socially, I get to think: I helped them do that. Even if I have had a similar student before, it is never exactly the same. So it's new, every time, every year. That's why I am a teacher and that's why I look forward to each new year.

What is your favorite lesson to teach?

Science experiments are always a favorite because the kids are so engrossed in the experience. It is amazing to watch the ideas, explanations, and connections pour our of their brains, as well as witness the natural collaboration that occurs between students.

What inspires you? What is your strong?

Every day is a new day. Mrs. Savant, our principal, put quotes on the tables for our back to school in-service. One said, "Would YOU want to be a student in YOUR classroom?" I posted this saying above my computer to remind myself to make every day memorable and make every interaction with my students count. 

With a teacher who can rock Leonardo with the best of them, who wouldn't want to be in her class? So fun! 

What is your favorite Caffeinated Beverage?

Diet Coke

What is your favorite school celebration?

Comprehension Cafe. The 3rd graders practice reading special books, jokes, and poems for several weeks. They work on their fluency and intonation, as well as many other skills. On the day of the cafe, the 3rd graders read their books to 1st graders. They dress up as chefs and the entire 3rd grade is turned into a cafe complete with white tablecloths, twinkling lights, cookies, and hot cocoa.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Read! 

Ok, so she didn't write this herself, but I want to put it out there. While she is an amazing teacher by day, she is an awesome travel agent as well. She's pictured here with her mom and her sister and they are killing it with their travel biz.

Tell us your best classroom management trick.

Distraction ;). I switch seating arrangements and partners frequently. I believe in redirection and positive reinforcement. When a child doesn't feel they are being singled out or reprimanded, they are much more likely to produce the behaviors you desire.

Favorite teacher you've ever had?

Mrs. Meacham (4th grade at Daffron Elementary) because she would read amazing stories to our class. We would become so captivated by the books that we would beg for one more chapter every single day. I can still remember the books she read us, including one of my favorites, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

5 adjectives to describe your classroom...

Organized, Fun, Independent, Focused, Positive

Her classroom is ttuly all of these things! I love going to her room to teach guidance lessons. Her kiddos are always so respectful and engaged in the lessons.

For this interview, I used three of Ms. Lisell's cute third graders. They loved being the "experts" on their teacher and I can tell they know her really well. Plus, they all have a really great sense of humor! 

 Meet Michael, Gabe, & Kelsey!  

How old is your teacher?

Kelsey- 30

Michael- How am I supposed to know?

Gabe- I don't think I should guess.

These kids are smart! :)

What does your teacher do for fun?

K- Check Facebook (insert laughter) What? That's what my mom does! Sorry, Erin ;).

M- Do more work for us!

G- Play Candy Crush on her phone.

What would your teacher do with $1,000,000?

K- Buy like a TON of Diet Coke from McDonald's. She drinks one every day!

M- Buy a Lamborghini!

G- Buy school stuff like clipboards, pencils, you know, that's all you teachers like. Gabe's mom is a teacher too, so I'm sure he gets more than enough time in the school supply aisle at Target :).

If your teacher wasn't a teacher, what would she be?

K- A Counselor

M- A Nurse

G- A Mom

Or maybe she would be Little Red Riding Hood, you never know! 

If your teacher was a fruit, which one would she be and why?

K- An apple because apples and teachers are always together. Even in Kindergarten, it's like a-a-apple.

M- Grapes because she has a lot of friends and grapes are bunched together like friends. 

G- A peach because she is sweet.

What is something your teacher doesn't like?

K- Work completion and bad grades! 

M- Sour grapes

G- Bad Handwriting

If your teacher could teleport, where would she go?

K- Back and forth all day from home to school so she could be with us and check on her dogs at the same time. 

M- Hollywood

G- She would go to different schools to see what it is like and to experience more things.

She definitely loves her dogs. They are super cute, too! 

What makes your teacher so special?

K- She plays music while we are working.

M- She lets us take dance breaks.

G-She's really nice.

That's a wrap! Let's Dab on it until next time...