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Natacha Jones

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Teacher Education and Administration

Email: Natacha.Jones@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, University of Texas at Austin, 2024
    Major: Curriculum and Instruction
  • MEd, University of Texas at Austin, 2019
    Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Professional Positions

    Academic - P-12

  • Educator - Multiple positions, UT Elementary School. UT Elementary School. (2009 - 2018).
  • Fourth Grade Teacher, Parmer Lane Elementary. Parmer Lane Elementary. (2005 - 2006).
  • Fourth Grade Teacher, Campbell Elementary School. Campbell Elementary School. (2004 - 2005).

    • Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Graduate Researcher, The University of Texas at Austin. The University of Texas at Austin. (2018 - Present).
  • Instructor/Teacher Assistant, The University of Texas at Austin. The University of Texas at Austin. (2018 - 2023).

Professional Memberships

  • Afro-Diasporas Futures in Education Collective. (2022 - Present).
  • AERA Division K. (2020 - Present).
  • AERA-Division G. (2020 - Present).
  • Critical Perspectives in Early Childhood Education - AERA. (2019 - Present).
  • Agency and Young Children Research Collective. (2018 - Present).

Development Activities

  • Continuing Education Program, GAIT (Generative AI Institute for Teaching), DSI Clear UNT. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (August 2025 - December 2025).
  • Continuing Education Program, ACUE (Association of College and University Educators)' Effective Teaching Practices course, UNT. Denton,Texas,United States of America. (August 2024 - May 2025).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • EDEC 1010 - Learning With and From Children, 5 courses.
  • EDEC 6543 - Contemporary Critical Issues in Early Childhood Studies, 1 course.

Directed Student Learning

  • Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader, Teacher Education and Administration. (August 2025).
  • Dissertation Committee Member, Teacher Education and Administration. (October 2025).
  • Dissertation Committee Member, Teacher Education and Administration. (October 21, 2025).
  • Dissertation Defense Committee Member, Teacher Education and Administration. (May 8, 2025).

Awards and Honors

  • Dissertation Award: Frederick Eby Research Prize in Humanistic Studies in Education, The University of Texas at Austin. (October 16, 2024).
  • Frederick Eby Research Prize in Humanistic Studies in Education, UT Austin. (October 2024).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Journal Article

  • Jones, N.N., Adair, J.K. (2025). Black Girl Joy (Un) Interrupted: Recognizing and Nurturing Black Girls’ CommunityBuilding Capabilities in the Early Grades. Urban Education. 60 (7) 974–2015. Thousand Oaks, California, SAGE Publications, Inc.. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/urban-education/journal200963
  • Adair, J., Jones, N. (2024). Assessing Contexts, Not Children: Working Towards Early Educational Equity by Prioritizing Agentic Learning Experiences Over Control. The Educational Forum. 88 (4) 415–426. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2024.2383128
  • Adair, J.K., Park, S., Alonzo, M., McManus, M.E., Odim, N., Lee, S., Jones, N., Payne, K., Colegrove, K.S. (2024). Equitable access to agency-supportive early schooling contexts for young children of color. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 69 49-64. JAI. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.06.003
  • Jones, N.N., Fowler, A., Adair, J.K. (2023). Assessing Agency in Learning Contexts. Young Children. 78 (1) 16-23. Washington, D.C., National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc
  • Perez, M., Saavedra, C., Jones, N., Abril-Gonzalez, P. (2022). Woman of colour feminisms as a vehicle for racially-just methodologies in educational research. International Journal of Research & Method in Education. 45 (4) 323-329. Oxfordshire, Routledge / Taylor & Francis Ltd. https://www.routledge.com/

    • Reprinted Article

  • Jones, N.N., Fowler, A., Adair, J.K. (2024). Assessing Agency in Learning Contexts: A First Critical Step to Assessing Children. Spotlight on Young Children: Observation and Assessment, Volume 2 - NAEYC. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/books/spotlight-observation-assessment-vol-2

Presentations Given

    Panel Presentation

  • Jones, N. (Author & Presenter), Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education (RECE), Cultural Ecologies and Rhythms of Place: Rethinking Agency and Identity Development in Early Childhood Spaces, Santiago, Chile, Chile. (2025).
  • Jones, N. (Author & Presenter), (Author & Presenter), American Anthropological Association (AAA), Ethnographic Insights into Place, Culture, and Early Childhood Environments, New Orleans, LA, United States of America. (2025).
  • Jones, N. (Author & Presenter), American Education Research Association, Ethnographic Research for Repair, Liberation, and Community Empowerment in Early Childhood Settings, Denver, CO, United States of America. (2025).

    • Professional Meeting Contribution

  • Jones, N.N. (Other), "Early Childhood in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Convening hosted by the Bezos Family Foundation in partnership with the Spencer Foundation, Early Childhood in the Age of Artificial Intelligence., Bezos Family Foundation in partnership with the Spencer Foundation, Seattle, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).

    • Symposium

  • Perez, M. (Author & Presenter), Jones, N. (Author & Presenter), Cheruvu, R. (Author & Presenter), Kim, K. (Author & Presenter), Holmes, Z. (Author & Presenter), Doherty, M.J. (Author & Presenter), Barces, A. (Author & Presenter), Castillo, J. (Author & Presenter), et, a. (Author & Presenter), Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education (RECE) conference, We are stronger together, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).

Service

University Service

  • Member, TEA Curriculum Committee. (August 2025 - Present).
  • Member, Doctoral Program Applications Committee. (October 2024 - Present).
  • Member, Student Affairs Committee. (September 2024 - Present).
  • Member, Recruitment for Early Childhood Programs. (August 2024 - Present).
  • Member, First Flight College Day. (August 2025 - August 13, 2025).

Professional Service

  • Guest Speaker, San Francisco State University, San Francisco California. San Francisco, California. (November 17, 2025 - November 17, 2025).
  • Guest Speaker, The University of Texas at Austin. Austin, Texas. (October 29, 2025).
  • Guest Speaker, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia. Medellín, (October 24, 2025 - October 24, 2025).
  • Guest Speaker, Texas State University, San Marcos Texas. San Marcos, Texas. (October 20, 2025 - October 20, 2025).
  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, AERA Division G. (August 2025 - September 5, 2025).
  • Guest Speaker, The University of Texas at Austin - 399L Young Children as Learners. Austin, Texas. (November 21, 2024 - November 21, 2024).
  • Guest Speaker, The University of Texas at Austin - EDC 396: Completing Phd Academic Jobs. Austin, Texas. (October 30, 2024 - October 30, 2024).
  • Guest Speaker, The University of Texas at Austin - ALD 321 Play in Early Childhood Development. Austin, Texas. (October 29, 2024 - October 29, 2024).
  • Other (Letter Writer for a faculty in Curriculum and Instruction nominated to receive a teaching award), The University of Texas at Austin. (September 2024 - September 2024).
  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, AERA - Critical Perspective in Early Childhood Education SIG. (August 2024 - September 2024).