Jan Davis Mallett

Research Assistant Professor of Montessori and Early Childhood

A Conversation with Jan Mallett

What is your current employment/career?

I am currently working in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development’s Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University.

What do you enjoy most about your current position?

As a Research Assistant Professor of Montessori and Early Childhood, I appreciate that I am able to integrate my experiences in public Montessori education and the solid foundation in research methods from A&M-Commerce. I enjoy the collegiality within my department and the scheduling autonomy that I have.

How did A&M-Commerce prepare you for your current position?

One way that A&M-Commerce prepared me for my role was realizing the benefit of an annotated bibliography as an organized tool for building a literature review. I became equipped with a necessary skill and a valuable tool. When I teach research methods now, I routinely incorporate this tool into my syllabus. I also developed the confidence to speak with conviction in the face of dissent, and I have carried that power with me.

What advice do you have for students?

At A&M-Commerce in the Department of Psychology, you will be both challenged and supported. Though the courses are rigorous, each course equips you with specific tools to explore your academic interests. Realize that each professor is sharing their strengths with you, and take the lessons seriously. I cherish the four years I spent in this program and am certain that this experience prepared me well for my current position.

Educational Background

• Ph.D., Educational Psychology, Texas A&M-Commerce, 2014
• MS, Psychology, Texas A&M-Commerce, 2013
• MS, Special Education, University of Texas-Dallas, 1984
• BS, Special Education, University of Texas-Dallas, 1982