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Can you tell us about yourself? 

"Hello, My name is Melissa Parker. I am a first grade math and science teacher at Holbrook Elementary in Houston, Texas and this is my 13th year teaching all here at Holbrook."

Why did you start a career in education?

"I decided to start a career in education because children had always been up part of my life and I, I thought I could help them become the people that they were going to be." 

If you could have any other job what would it be and why?

"If I could have any other job, I would be on the LPGA because I've always loved to play golf and it was a way that my father and I connected." 

How are kids different now than 30 years ago?

"The kids today are different than I was when I was three because of technology. I spent my summers outside playing. They spend it indoors playing roadblocks and Minecraft on their iPad." 

How is teaching different now than 30 years ago?

"In that same way, teaching is different than it was 30 years ago. That kind of technology has to be incorporated to meet their interests, meet their needs." 

What would you tell someone who wants to become a teacher?

"I have a student teacher right now, so I tell her that she has to roll with the time. She has to find out what these children are passionate about and become passionate with them. Not only to show them that to that technology, but to show them how to use it to benefit themselves." 

What is one thing you would change to help kids learn better?

"One thing I would change to help students learn better is to help them understand that learning is a process. It is not going to happen overnight. It's not even going to happen in a week, but it is going to take time, patience and dedication and a lot of the students are too impatient now to understand that. That is something I would change. Thank you very much for your consideration. Goodbye."