TE823: Who I Am

Hello Everyone!

My name is Melissa Hocking and I just finished my 17th year of teaching.  Presently I am teaching high school science in Webster City, Iowa and began work on my master's degree this past spring.  While I am presently teaching science this is not where my journey began.

I was born and raised in rural Michigan and since I grew up in rural Michigan I had a love for agriculture and became extensively involved in FFA.  This drew me to a major in Agriculture Education wanting to stay connected to the two things that I was passionate about, agriculture and the FFA.  While I began my education at Michigan State University I then transferred to Iowa State University to finish my degree.  I was then married and economically it didn't make sense for me to pursue my graduate degree at that time so I began teaching. While I loved the FFA part of my job, teaching agriculture was really not my passion and being FFA advisor required a lot of time away from my family.  When I spent a Halloween separated from my 3 year old daughter I realized this was no longer for me.  At the time a science position had become available in our district and since I had enough credits in the field to earn a science endorsement, I switched.  I now teach 9th grade general science and 10th grade biology and truly have found my passion, or at least one of them!  Last year I wrote a grant for a classroom set of iPads and obtained 30 iPads for my classroom.  Since them I have flipped my classroom and put all my lectures on podcasts.  I knew that technology could be the gateway to a much more engaged classroom with better differentiated instruction which leads to my other passions of technology and curriculum and instruction. 

I have always wanted to obtain my graduate degree but I am glad I have waited until now when I really know what I want to do with my career. I didn't want to go back to school just to get a degree so I could move up the salary schedule, I wanted to earn a graduate degree based on my passions and how I wanted to advance my career.  Many times in education, teachers earn their master’s degree so they can move lanes on the salary schedule but that is not what graduate school is about for me.  It took me a while to determine what my passions were about and I have been able to narrow them down to three; curriculum, technology and science.  In the future I see myself as a curriculum director or teaching on-line or face to face courses at a community college or working in some role with technology in public schools.  I am very passionate about the education system in the United States and how it is the backbone of the future of America.

I am also excited to be doing so at Michigan State University.  Attending MSU has always been important to me as my grandfather graduated from MSU and always wanted me to attend school at MSU.  He will be 99 when I obtain my graduate degree and nothing would make me happier than if he was there to witness it.   

My husband Pat is the superintendent of schools, at a nearby district, and we have two children Ryan and Madison.  We love to travel, camp and boat.  My hobbies are my flowers and sports. Spartans all the way!