Melissa Pearson, a music teacher at Poplarville Upper Elementary, has been named Nissan of Picayune’s Teacher of the Week.

Pearson has been an educator for the past 30 years, the last 24 of which have been at Poplarville Upper Elementary. While most of her career has been in regular education, this is her first year as the school’s third through fifth grade music teacher.

Her favorite part of teaching is the ability to get to know the students.

“At the beginning of the year, I was dealing with our school’s Chromebooks. I really missed the interaction with the students. So, when this position opened up in January, I decided I wanted to take the music job so I could get to know the students,” Pearson said.

Her hope is that her students walk away from her classroom with a newfound affinity for music.

“The most important thing I want students to take away from their time in my classroom is an appreciation for music. Not everyone can play an instrument. But everyone can enjoy and appreciate music,” Pearson said.

Pearson said her decades of experience in education gives her a unique perspective in how to teach music.

“Not only am I a music teacher, but I also have 30 years of experience being in a classroom all day. This experience helps me bring a different style into my teaching of music,” Pearson said.