rainbowlandteacher@gmail.com
Workshops on Culturally Responsive Teaching, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Creating LGTQIA+ Safe Spaces for Youth
Social Studies and Language Arts curriculum development rooted in racial and social justice.
Maestra Melissa Presents! Read alouds and tutoring in Math, English, and Spanish literacy.
At the core of my philosophy is my belief that children must feel comfortable and safe at school before they can learn. I love discovering new ways to engage students of all ages in learning and figuring out how to support my most fiery students. But don’t just take my word for it.
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
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
During her 20+ year career as a classroom teacher, Melissa coached peers as a culturally responsive teacher leader, mentored new teachers and hosted many student teacher candidates and fieldwork students from schools within the University of Wisconsin System and Carroll University. Additionally, Melissa taught the adjunct courses Intercultural Context in Education and Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education and designed, developed, and lead Creating LBGTQIA+ Inclusive Spaces in Schools for WEA Academy and student teaching seminar for students practicing in Milwaukee Public Schools. Finally, Melissa has supervised bilingual teacher candidates from UW-Milwaukee.
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
Milwaukee Public Schools Summer PD Series
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
See me live at Lion's Tooth Books and Art Space in Bay View, WI on October 21st at 10am
Panel conversation hosted by Rethinking Schools and Zinn Education.
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