Melissa Schellenberg, Phd Email & Phone Number

After teaching in middle school for 13 years, I wondered what children experienced before and after these years. I spent 2 years working as a substitute teacher in Pre-K through high school to investigate and was interested in the impact of the early years on educational and life outcomes and experiences. Over the next few years, I completed a doctoral program in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, and our family decided to be a foster family. These experiences have shifted the way I think, and I am currently figuring out what to do with these shifts. During my time as a teacher, I taught Math, Reading, Grammar, Social Studies, and Science. I worked in public and private schools and served students identified as needing special education support, students identified as gifted, and everyone in between. I believe that learning happens everywhere all the time, and I enjoyed learning from my students during this time.As I worked through my doctoral program, I collected and analyzed data for a variety of projects, collaborated with professors and peers, and managed multiple projects while completing my coursework and running a household. My dissertation research focused on how my White racial identity impacted my teaching in various contexts. I look forward to continuing this investigation as I more forward in my career.