Teacher of the week 12: Jeffrey Melone

Teachers are real life superheroes. Every day, CHS teachers touch the lives of thousands of students, and their work extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom. To show appreciation for these teachers, the Crier asked students to identify teachers that have made a real impact in their lives. A new student and teacher will be featured each week.

Maggie Jakopac | Conant Crier

Mr. Melone teaches his students about angles and parallelograms.

This week, Kristin Pollastrini, ‘17, nominated math teacher Jeffrey Melone. He’s a big fan of music–especially country.

Pollastrini: Mr. Melone makes math fun and has a very outgoing and sassy personality. I had a lot of anxiety with math, and he made it easier for me to handle. He also connects easily with his students and genuinely cares about them.

Crier: Why did you decide to teach math?

Melone: I was trying to find a path in college; I was between things. But I realized that math is just really easy for me, and it was my best subject. Math also presents a challenge for many students, so I thought it was best for me to go into a field where I get to help others understand a complicated subject.

Crier: What are some things you like to do in your free time?

Melone: I like playing the guitar. I started playing during my sophomore year of high school, and I loved playing it because you can do many covers of different genres of songs with the guitar. During high school, I also played the trombone, but nothing beats the guitar.

Crier: What made you want to coach soccer?

Melone: It was because I played soccer in high school. I went to high school here, and during my junior year, we were fourth in the state. It’s cool because this year, the boys team was fourth in state, too. When I came back to teach at Conant after college, I knew right away I wanted to coach as well.

Crier: What are some of the ways you connect with your students and make math and soccer easier?

Melone: I like to use a lot of humor during class and on the field. Mostly, it’s just stuff that comes off the top of my head. Sometimes I mess with my students. For example, there is a girl in my class who hates the song “Closer,” so I start off everyday by playing it. One of my top searches on iTunes is “annoying songs.” I also play “Party in the USA” often to get everyone pumped.

Crier: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Melone: I’d be an architectural engineer. During senior year, I dropped AP Spanish and took CAD instead. If I had known about the engineering and architecture classes freshman year, I would’ve taken them all.

If you’d like to nominate a teacher who has made an impact in your life, click here.

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