Meet Melinda
Melinda Forward, NBCT, has founded organizations to teach schools how they can help students empower themselves so they can create change in their school and the world. Melinda has provided curriculum, training and support for world language teachers since 1994. She has been in education for 19 years with 12 in Title I schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is the author of hands-on resources and designer of world language curriculum, webinars, and workshops to help language teachers simplify their classroom organization, engage students with Total Physical Response, stories, film, food, festivals, arts+school . Melinda partners with teachers from all over the world support her mission to help students grow to enjoy languages so much that they LOVE living them for a lifetime.
Melinda is currently teaching French at a performing arts school. She continues to develop practical and powerful resources and training for school leaders who want to implement new an innovative programs to boost student achievement.
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Continue to learn more about Melinda’s story in education.
As a student:
Growing up, Melinda always wanted to be a teacher. There was never a question about it. Both of her parents were teachers, one elementary the other secondary. A love of languages inspired her to study both French and English in college. In 1990, she earned a B.A. in French and English along with a Certification in Secondary Education when she graduated with honors from Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. After teaching for a few years, she continued both studied and taught French as a Fellow in the French Master’s Program at the University of North Texas.
Melinda’s deep passion for French and English go beyond her professional life. She incorporates language and culture into her daily life and it is this passion she wants to pass along to her students. She wants them to become life-long learners, passionate about languages and culture Melinda feels that she is responsible to help all students succeed. Teachers have power to create an environment for that happen. What teachers do does matter.
As a Teacher:
During this journey filled with constant experimentation, she developed an innovative strategy which works with how students naturally learn second languages and culture. It also connects with their personal interests and makes language meaningful. Her goal is for them to learn French in a way that is empowering. This method, Dynamic Language Acquisition™, combines the power Total Physical Response with drama, art, film, poetry, music, and culture. Students are engaged in varied content and themes as they develop their communication skills, confidence, cultural understanding and appreciation.
Melinda’s experience in so many different classrooms with students of all ages in multiple content areas, gives her a wide perspective on the needs of students and teachers alike. She understands what they need because she is still in the classroom full-time.
As a Teacher-trainer:
In 1994, in exchange for her school paying for a trip to a conference, she began teacher-training by doing a presentation at her school about brain-research as applied to the classroom. Melinda started putting in proposals for state, regional, and national conferences. This led to being hired to present in-services for schools nationwide. At one point, she was presenting and developing curriculum full-time. Passing along ideas that have made her job easier so others may learn from them gives me great joy. Melinda wants to help teachers enjoy their classrooms, and their students.
Mission:
The Culture Quest Language Institute is dedicated to teaching students the mindsets and skills they need to succeed in all areas of life. This foundation for success is built on their education and that means ALL students creating dreams that give them the energy to dedicate themselves to their education and personal growth, for a lifetime.
It is Melinda’s mission to inspire & empower language teachers with innovative regional/national conference presentations, curriculum, workshops, and online webinars so they can be catalysts for change.
Expanding the Mission to connect schools worldwide
In 2014, Melinda sponsored the very 1st DREAM Wall at a Title I high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This project led to her development of the “We All Have a Voice!” Student Engagement Program. This started a movement to help people gain the skills, confidence, and courage to express their voices. She founded The School Culture Project to provide resources and training to school leaders to they can implement innovative new programs to engage students so students are empowered by success and motivated by their dreams. The intention is for students to see school as vital to their accomplishing their dreams, so they stay in school and graduate.
Sign up for Lesson #1 Engaging Student Voice to receive your FREE Lesson Plan and more information about the project, including monthly challenges and events.
Join this movement to provide new opportunities for students to engage in school and stay in school. Sign up for Lesson #1 Engaging Student Voice to receive your FREE Lesson Plan and more information about the project, including monthly challenges and events.
