JAGged Edventures

Hi, I'm Melissa Troyer! I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education with a focus on English Language Arts (ELA) and have a teaching license in this area. While these qualifications allowed me to start my career teaching middle and high school ELA, I discovered my true passion in the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program. I began as a JAG Specialist and eventually advanced to JAG Manager, where I now oversee a team of 20 specialists who teach young adults essential career and personal skills for navigating life.

In my teaching, I adopt a constructivist approach, where I focus on helping students build on their existing knowledge and actively engage with new concepts. Much of my curriculum is centered around applying what students are learning to real-world scenarios, making the content not only relevant but also applicable to their everyday lives. This approach helps students see the direct connection between their education and the world around them. I also emphasize experiential learning, offering bi-monthly guest speakers, monthly field trips, and community service projects to give students hands-on experiences that enrich their understanding. These experiences provide opportunities for students to connect classroom learning with real-world applications. Additionally, Project-Based Learning (PBL) plays a significant role in my classroom. By working on long-term projects, students tackle real-world issues and develop solutions or create meaningful projects. This approach fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, empowering students to apply their knowledge in practical ways and prepare for challenges beyond the classroom.