Melissa Jalkio

5308 Hunt Master Drive, Midlothian, VA| 973-270-5508 | jalkioma@dukes.jmu.edu | melissajalkio.weebly.com

OBJECTIVE
I want to empower kids to become confident, collaborative learners with an ongoing hunger for learning. I hope to
foster an inviting classroom environment and community that inspires my students to continuously improve and
challenge themselves to become individuals ready to take on the world.

EDUCATION
James Madison University, MAT James Madison University, Bachelor of Science
Major: Education, MAT Major: Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies
Minor: Elementary Education (PK-6) Minor: Elementary Education
Completion date: May 2020 Completion date: May 2019
Cumulative GPA: 4.0 Cumulative GPA: 3.535, Cum Laude
Licensure: Postgraduate Professional Education GPA: 3.972

EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
Practicum Student, J.C. Myers Elementary School, 4th Grade, Spring 2020
I worked alongside my CT on Mondays and Wednesdays, helping implement her lesson plans, working
with reading groups, building relationships with students, and completing research on using higher order
thinking questions in the classroom.
Student Teacher, JB Watkins Elementary School, 1st and 5th Grade, Fall 2019
I gradually took on the role of full time teacher in both classrooms. I created and implemented a variety of
lessons, built relationships with my students, cooperating teacher, and other staff members while
immersing myself in the JB Watkins community.
Practicum Student, Ashby Lee Elementary School, 3rd Grade, Fall 2018
During my practicum experience at Ashby Lee, I was able to build relationships with my cooperating
teacher and her students, implement lesson plans, and attend parent teacher conferences to get a better
understanding of the roles that a teacher has in and out of the classroom.
Practicum Student, Bessie Weller Elementary School, Kindergarten, Fall 2017
I had hands on experience in a kindergarten classroom during my junior year practicum placement. I helped
the teacher, built bonds with the students, created a case study on a student, and designed engaging lesson
plans that I implemented in the classroom.

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
Teacher at Lil Bloomers Daycare, January- March 2020, August 2018-June 2019, August 2017-May 2018
Teaching in the two-year-old and toddler classroom, facilitating developmentally appropriate activities
while keeping the children happy and safe throughout their day.
Teacher at ChildTime, June-August 2019, May-August 2018
Co-teaching in the two-year-old classroom, following the ChildTime curriculum while incorporating my
own teaching style into the classroom.
Stay and Play Attendant at YMCA, May- August 2017, May- August 2016
Supervised and facilitated fun, developmentally appropriate activities for children ages 11 weeks to 5 years
while their parents were using the facilities.

RELEVANT ACTIVITIES and SPECIAL SKILLS

Member, Virginia Society for Technology in Education, Spring 2020-present
Member, Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in Education, Fall 2016-present
Tutor, The Gus Bus, October - May 2017
Volunteer, Second Home, a before and after school program, Fall 2015
Working knowledge of Promethean and SMART Boards, and Microsoft office application
Intermediate Spanish speaker at a basic conversational level