This month’s Teacher Spotlight features Melissa Battersby, a dynamic sixth-grade math and science teacher at Moorestown Township Public Schools. With 18 years of experience, Melissa is all about creating a classroom where every student feels supported. She’s currently enrolled in NJCTL’s Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TOSD) Add-On Endorsement Program to level up her skills and provide even more for her students and their families.

Her decision to dive into special education has made Melissa a better general ed teacher in ways she never expected. While she was initially drawn to the idea of job security, she quickly found that the benefits extended far beyond that. “Even if I don’t have students who are formally labeled as special ed, there’s still a huge variety of needs in my classroom. Having this knowledge is crucial if I’m going to be the best teacher I can be for all of my students.”

What’s been especially eye-opening for Melissa is how much her coursework has translated directly into real-life teaching situations. “I can’t believe how much I’m learning in class and how much of it immediately comes up in IEP meetings,” she says. “Before, I’d sit in those meetings and try to keep up with the data and the terminology, but now I get it! I can better understand the behavior, the patterns, and how they connect to the supports I’m already implementing in the classroom.”

Melissa is quick to point out that the knowledge she’s gained isn’t just for special education teachers—it’s for everyone. “The first course I took on neurodivergent students, for example, has completely changed how I communicate with parents. I used to send emails about behavior or concerns, but now I’ve got a much better understanding of how to frame things,” she says. “It’s not just about what I say, it’s about how I say it. That kind of communication is key for any teacher, not just special ed.”

Melissa’s passion for teaching goes all the way back to childhood. “I was the stereotypical little girl with her stuffed animals lined up, pretending to be the teacher. I’ve wanted to do this since I was little,” she says, laughing. Now that she’s a teacher herself, she’s even more in awe of the challenges and joys of working with 6th graders. “Sixth grade can be tough, but I love spending every day with these kids,” she says. “There are days when it feels like we’re grinding it out, but then we get to celebrate those small victories. That productive struggle is so rewarding, and I just love being part of their growth.”

Balancing teaching with life outside the classroom isn’t always easy, especially for someone like Melissa who works full-time while raising a family. But she found the NJCTL program to be a perfect fit. “It was a lot of work, but I was able to work at my own pace, and the instructors were incredibly supportive,” she says. “Even though I was juggling a full-time job and kids at home, the flexibility of the program made it possible to keep up. It wasn’t just a ‘gimme’—the coursework is demanding, but still totally manageable.”

Looking back, Melissa wishes she had pursued special education training earlier in her career. “If I had done this sooner, it would have made me an even more effective teacher from the beginning. But I’m grateful I’m doing it now!”