For Melanie Bohane ’19, M.Ed. ‘20, school was never easy.
Throughout her childhood, she struggled to find the motivation needed to complete her academic tasks. It wasn’t until two of her high school teachers saw her potential beyond her grades, that she began to feel empowered in her education. In those moments, Melanie was inspired her to pursue a career in teaching, with the goal of providing others with the same kind of guidance and understanding.
But Melanie’s dedication to student support went beyond the traditional classroom. Around the same time, she was introduced to a friend’s sister, who was diagnosed with Autism. Melanie witnessed this young child struggle; not always getting the basic human rights and equality that she deserved in her everyday life. “Seeing her family struggle through difficult situations, which for most families are routine tasks, made me want to be a person who could help people in similar positions,” Melanie said. “I wanted to really focus on giving students and children the basic rights they deserve despite their disabilities and their struggles.”
Two years later, Melanie found herself in a unique position as a sophomore Elementary Education student at Curry. The College rolled out the then brand-new 5th Year Master of Education program, which Melanie enrolled in as a pilot group member. The 5th Year M.Ed. program offered dual licensure while also giving her early access to student teaching opportunities, both of which were crucial for Melanie and her career plans.
“Curry did a great job in offering different experiences within the classroom as a student teacher so early in my career,” she said. “By the time I graduated, I had teaching experience in a classroom where students didn’t speak English, another at a private Catholic school, and also in grades from first to sixth.”
Perhaps the most impactful student teaching experience for Melanie came in 2020, a year that marked a significant turning point both globally and in the education field. At the time, she was serving as a support professional at Walpole Middle School for a teacher with whom she had developed a strong bond. When that teacher decided to retire, Melanie had the opportunity to step into the role, a position she’s now held for six years.
Despite the challenges of starting her career during the pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, Melanie showed incredible resilience, always striving to give her best for the students she cared so deeply about. “Working as a teacher during the pandemic was really challenging. Trying to meet the needs of students with disabilities virtually was extremely difficult, and a disservice to the students. It gave me such a different perspective and appreciation for them.”
As a Moderate Special Needs Teacher for Walpole Middle School, Melanie works with students who have a range of different disabilities, often in the areas of reading, writing, or math. She also works with students who have emotional disabilities, some students on the Autism spectrum, and some who have different trauma histories and challenges with behavioral regulation.
Melanie credits her career success to her faculty and the diverse experiences she received at Curry that shaped her into the kind, understanding, and supportive teacher she is today—one that she hoped she’d be while sitting in her high school classroom years ago.
“Curry College is a place that got me to where I am today. I was so fortunate to have started student teaching my sophomore year and to have had so many diverse experiences and wonderful professors that had a lifelong impact on me and made me the teacher and person that I am today.”