Meet Lecturer Melodie Workman, M.Ed., who teaches in Whitworth’s undergraduate teacher education department. Workman has over 20 years of experience in education, spanning middle school English language arts, high school literature and college composition. At Whitworth, she teaches courses such as Supporting Multi-Lingual Learners and Children’s Literature.
Q. What drew you to your academic discipline?
A. I come from a long line of teachers (dad, mom, grandparents), and when I started teaching, I found joy in helping students find their own directions in life. Being able to train young teachers to do the same is now a passion of mine.
Q. Tell us about a fun class you teach.
A. Children’s Literature is an interactive course where students get to explore a variety of literary genres with their own classrooms in mind. We work together to understand the different elements of literature and what makes books appealing to children, including both truth and beauty.
Q. What advice would you give to a student who’s interested in studying education at Whitworth?
A. Becoming a teacher is one of the most challenging and rewarding careers you could explore. Every day is filled with problems that need to be solved with creativity and forward thinking, and you have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people. In our culture, we need good teachers dedicated to their students and their craft, ones who will create life-changing relationships with their students through authenticity, personal connection and challenging academic content. You could be one of those teachers!
Q. What’s something great about your Whitworth department?
A. We all believe we are doing life-changing work by pouring into the next generation of teachers, and we are dedicated to making our department better each semester. We love our students and value the time we have with them in our classrooms.
JUST FOR FUN…
Q. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?
A. In my spare time, I like to build furniture.
Q. What’s the most interesting or unusual item in your office?
A. An antique sculpture that holds taffy.
Q. What’s your favorite spot on campus?
A. Program Coordinator Abby Leman’s office because she has a good view and great snacks!
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