Melanie Weser is a teacher and Social Studies Department Chair at Peninsula Catholic High School. Melanie is committed to making learning not just informative, but also fun.
In recognition of Melanie’s passion for making learning fun, she has been named Stukent’s® Teacher of the Month for September 2023!
Melanie teaches personal finance and economics. To spice up her classes, she created “Weserville,” a fictional town rooted with elements of her real-life hometown.
In Weserville, students become citizens of a small town with its own economic challenges and opportunities. Every economics and personal finance study unit is linked to events within this town, fostering a deeper understanding of economic principles. From securing a federal grant to building a project to drill for natural gas, every decision influences the fate of Weserville.
Melanie also recognizes the importance of leveraging educational tools to empower her students. She has incorporated Stukent’s Personal Finance Simulation and curriculum into her economics class, transforming it into a dynamic banking system that mirrors real-life financial scenarios. Her students engage in simulations that teach them the value of financial responsibility and decision-making.
Last year, Melanie expanded her teaching repertoire by integrating Stukent’s Marketing Simternship™ into her Intro to Marketing class. This addition allowed her students to gain practical insights into the world of marketing, providing them with a taste of what a marketing career entails.
“It’s not so much about your content, but your ability to connect to each student individually,” Melanie said. “I’m in a small school, so we have the privilege of building relationships with students. My class has a reputation, and the kids want to be in my class. So before they’re even in my class, they will talk to me. So, I build those relationships before they’re even in class. I greet them at the door, I go to their games, I go to their theater productions, and if I know where they work, I’ll show up at work because I want them to know that I care about them as an individual. And once they get that, then they actually will learn.”
As Melanie continues to shape the minds of her students, she leaves an indelible mark on their educational journey, providing them with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Her innovative approach to teaching is a testament to the transformative power of education when guided by passion and creativity.
Each month, Stukent highlights a standout higher education instructor. Those selected use Stukent products in the classroom and exemplify Stukent’s core values and mission to help educators help students help the world. To learn about Stukent’s first-in-the-world Simternships and courseware and to get FREE instructor access to Stukent materials, visit Stukent’s website.
