With a master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media from Columbia University Teachers College and teaching certification from California, Melissa has over 20 years of experience in the field of education.

Melissa’s interest in technology and literacy grew out of her experience teaching Kindergarten and first grade for several years. After receiving her master’s degree, Melissa worked as an educational consultant / teacher trainer, robotics and Scratch teacher, and as the technology teacher at a Hebrew day school in Brooklyn (grades Kindergarten – eighth).

She can’t decide which part of her career she loves best – watching children develop a passion for reading, or seeing the look on children’s faces when they discover that a line of code they’ve written makes things happen.

Melissa made Aliyah in July of 2012. Since then, she has coached First LEGO League (FLL) and has taught after school coding classes in various schools and summer camps in Jerusalem. She has also volunteered with the Jerusalem African Community Center, where she teaches computer skills to asylum seekers.

In addition to teaching coding, Melissa is a certified self-defense instructor and violence prevention educator for adults and children.

When she’s not teaching or practicing karate, she loves to spend time with her two lovable special needs rescue dogs.