Services offered by Melissa Tempel, Educational Consultant

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I've provided my services to the following organizations.

At Past, Present, Future Consulting and Media I assisted in creating social studies curriculum, public facing documents, did video editing, advise, and teaching review resources.

I have been contracted to review and recommend resources for teaching Hmong American and Asian American culture and history, network educators and community organizations, and create trainings to support implementation of the new law requiring Hmong American and Asian American instruction in Wisconsin schools.

I also organized a group of AAPI educators to create and present Affirming Asian American Identities: Integrating Asian American Content to educators for the WEA Academy.

In 2015 I became a national facilitator for the HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools . In addition to training educators on LGBTQ+ Inclusiveness in Schools, I have consulted with them to do research on school boards, write lesson plans, and do book reviews.

I have been contracted by Diverse and Resilient to revise public facing resources and create and present training sessions to staff members of local nonprofits on how to support and embrace  LGBTQ+ community members.

Melissa Tempel is an amazing educator with an undying commitment to justice.

Wayne Au, professor, School of Educational Studies, University of Washington Bothell, Rethinking Schools editor. Author, Unequal By Design: High Stakes Testing and the Standardization of Inequality. Editor, Rethinking Multicultural Education.

Melissa is a skilled educator. Her passion, knowledge, and experience as a teacher committed to social justice led to meaningful, engaging, and rigorous learning for pre-service teachers. Her balance of unpacking theory and systems alongside real-life classroom examples offered students the why and the how. Through her intentionally planned sessions, she helped future teachers build the skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed to create classrooms that make all students and families feel valued and seen. 

Kerry Kretchmar, Assistant Teaching Professor of Elementary Education, 

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Melissa Bollow Tempel’s energy was amazing as she shared supporting LGBTQ+ inclusive spaces.  Melissa’s experiences as a veteran educator and the resources were useful and meaningful for our pre-service education students. 

Nga-Wing Anjela Wong, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Education for Equity and Justice

Affiliate, Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

I am a special education teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools, where I have taught for the last 17 years. Ms. Tempel and I met in my first year of teaching in MPS. Since then, she and I have worked closely in different capacities within several organizations and committees. 

Our collaboration encompasses a range of activities, including teaching for MPS, working with the local teachers’ union to advocate for the rights of students and educators, participating in the social studies textbook adoption committee to promote a culturally responsive curriculum, joining a grassroots movement to advocate against the mayoral takeover of MPS, editing for Rethinking Schools to support their mission of advancing public education through social justice and activism, co-chairing the Educators’ Network for Social Justice and organizing a city-wide conference for four consecutive years, and recently, creating a training program for the Wisconsin Education Association to enhance teachers’ understanding of the Asian American Pacific Islander experience.

In our most recent work together, I was particularly impressed by Melissa’s skill in bringing together a diverse group of educators with varied Asian experiences in developing a professional development course following the passing of Assembly Bill 232 which requires the instruction of Asian American history in Wisconsin schools. Ms. Tempel skillfully led productive planning sessions and created an environment where each member could contribute in a manner that suited their comfort level. Additionally, Ms. Tempel’s expertise in technology enabled us to develop a visually appealing, informative, and concise presentation using Canva. Yet again, collaborating with Ms. Tempel was a success and a pleasure.

Kathy Xiong, NBCT (she/her)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Very few colleagues can match the dedication and love that Melissa has to our students, families, and our community. Her infectious personality has and continuous to draw the attention of her students and colleagues for her will and wholeheartedness to issues pertaining to equity and justice. Thank you for being that motivation I look up to. 

Jesús Castellón, Ph.D. (he/him/his)

Department of Teaching and Learning School of Education

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 

Melissa Tempel is an excellent resource in all areas of Culturally Responsive Teaching. As my previous coach, we co-taught lessons to Kindergarteners that explored their individuality and empowered them as competent learners. She implores teachers to look inward and become aware of how they can best serve their students in ways beyond the curriculum! 

Brittany DeWindt, teacher

In my experience, Melissa brought resources to the table that forced reflection about how a teacher's experience influences the way they view their classroom and education as a whole. Furthermore, she facilitated an environment that encouraged dialogue around topics that are almost always tiptoed around. Her class, on a weekly basis, forced me to reconsider many opinions regarding race, socioeconomic status, mother others. Some of these personal opinions I was aware of, and some I was not. This type of reflection is crucial for anyone who works with children but is unlikely without the guidance of someone like Melissa. 

Dave, Teacher/Instructional Coach 

Milwaukee 

Melissa is a dedicated National Board Certified Teacher who puts her students first.  Melissa embodies all of the qualities that make for an esteemed educator: kind, patient, creative, and dedicated.  In her role as an instructor for the Welcoming and Inclusive Schools Course, she ensures educators learn how to support all students, no exceptions. The course has benefitted hundreds of participants who have discovered strategies and techniques to create supportive and welcoming schools.”

Peggy Wirtz-Olsen

President, Wisconsin Education Association Council

Melissa Bollow Tempel is a highly respected, invaluable instructor for the WEA Academy. She designed and regularly teaches one of The WEA Academy’s signature courses, Creating LGBTQ+Inclusive Schools. Feedback from course participants is consistently positive. She regularly updates her course content with new research findings and relevancy. She values her students’ previous learning and life experiences which helps them immediately apply their new knowledge and understandings. She has the unique ability to gently challenge thinking, particularly around issues of anti-racist teaching and creating inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ youth. She connects with educators in an authentic manner providing useful guidance, resources, and instructional strategies. Over the years, Ms. Bollow-Tempel has earned a high level of respect from her colleagues. 

-Jeff Baas WEA Academy

Workshops and Speaking Engagements

Affirming Asian American Identities: Integrating Asian American Content

WEA Academy

Creating LGBTQ Inclusive Spaces

University of EauClaire

Martin Mogensen Education Lecture

Implementing Culturally Responsive Standards-Based Teaching

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Title 1 Innovation and Implementation Conference

Real World Math Connections: How to make math culturally relevant

Wisconsin Mathematics Council Annual Conference

Culturally Responsive Teaching 

Wisconsin Reading Association Conference

Culturally Responsive Professional Development Sessions

• Introduction to Culturally Responsive Teaching
• Exploring Race I
• Exploring Race II
• Culturally Responsive Family Involvement
• Making Cultural Connections
• The Power of Language \

Milwaukee Public Schools Professional Development

LGTBQ Topics at the Elementary Level 

GSAFE Youth Summit, WI

Rethinking Sexism, Gender, and Sexuality 

GSAFE Youth Summit, WI

LGBT Nondiscrimination Policy

Educators’ Network for Social Justice Conference

Transgender Youth

Principals’ Institute, MPS

Bias Based Bullying by Welcoming Schools

Safe Schools Safe Communities Conference, Madison WI

Creating Safe Schools for LGBTQ Students and Families

Free Minds Free People Conference, Chicago IL