Melinda Karshner | Literacy Educator | EduVenturing
Melinda Karshner has been in classrooms for more than twenty years. She started teaching in 2005 in Pasadena, California, and was named Teacher of the Year for Pasadena Unified in 2009.
She has taught elementary literacy, math, science, and robotics. The subject changes. The work doesn't. It's about the moment a kid figures out something they were sure they couldn't do. Her focus now is literacy, specifically structured literacy: decoding, vocabulary, comprehension. She does not think skill and joy are competing goals. Taught well, they grow together.
She has worked extensively with struggling readers, including students with dyslexia. Explicit instruction and real books. Kids deserve both. Eduventuring grew out of that work. It's a place to share what actually works in real classrooms. Some of it is morphology and word study. Some of it is helping older struggling readers get into rich texts and novels. All of it comes from years of doing this with actual students.
Literacy Tools and Projects
The tools here are built around how strong readers actually think. Breaking words apart. Recognizing patterns. Figuring out how meaning gets built. Explore them here and at summitspelling.com/
A Note About This Work
Everything here comes from a classroom teacher's perspective. It isn't polished theory and it isn't perfect answers. It's practical tools that help kids learn and help teachers do the work they care about.
Teaching is complicated. Reading is complicated. But when a student reads something they thought was out of reach, the room changes. That's what this is about.
Awards and Honors
Teacher of the Year, Pasadena Unified School District, 2009
Professional Expertise & Certifications
Karshner holds a Master of Education from the University of California, Irvine (2004) and maintains a wide range of specialized credentials:
Thought Leadership & Publications
She actively shares her educational philosophies through several public platforms:
She has taught elementary literacy, math, science, and robotics. The subject changes. The work doesn't. It's about the moment a kid figures out something they were sure they couldn't do. Her focus now is literacy, specifically structured literacy: decoding, vocabulary, comprehension. She does not think skill and joy are competing goals. Taught well, they grow together.
She has worked extensively with struggling readers, including students with dyslexia. Explicit instruction and real books. Kids deserve both. Eduventuring grew out of that work. It's a place to share what actually works in real classrooms. Some of it is morphology and word study. Some of it is helping older struggling readers get into rich texts and novels. All of it comes from years of doing this with actual students.
Literacy Tools and Projects
The tools here are built around how strong readers actually think. Breaking words apart. Recognizing patterns. Figuring out how meaning gets built. Explore them here and at summitspelling.com/
A Note About This Work
Everything here comes from a classroom teacher's perspective. It isn't polished theory and it isn't perfect answers. It's practical tools that help kids learn and help teachers do the work they care about.
Teaching is complicated. Reading is complicated. But when a student reads something they thought was out of reach, the room changes. That's what this is about.
Awards and Honors
Teacher of the Year, Pasadena Unified School District, 2009
Professional Expertise & Certifications
Karshner holds a Master of Education from the University of California, Irvine (2004) and maintains a wide range of specialized credentials:
- Orton-Gillingham Certified: Specialized training for supporting students with dyslexia and diverse learning needs.
- Multi-Subject Credentials: Licensed to teach Elementary Education (K-6), Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (K-12), English (6-12), Mathematics (6-12), and Science (6-12).
- Instructional Range: Her experience spans elementary and secondary settings, including teaching 4th grade, 6th Grade Math, Pre-Algebra, Earth Science, and Robotics.
Thought Leadership & Publications
She actively shares her educational philosophies through several public platforms:
- Substack Author: Melinda writes about literacy, teaching, and education systems through her Substack newsletter. Her writing reflects on classroom life, the challenges educators face, and the importance of protecting meaningful reading experiences for students. You can read her writing here: https://substack.com/@melindakarshner
- Podcast Contributor: Has appeared on programs like the ThoughtStretchers Podcast to discuss critical topics such as leveled reading and student growth.
- Teacher2Teacher Contributor: Authors articles on professional development, classroom culture, and the importance of teacher camaraderie
