About Jennifer
Dr. Jennifer C. Chatmon is an educator, storyteller, and mother who believes that the stories we tell—about ourselves, our children, and our communities—shape what we’re willing to understand, imagine, and fight for. Over more than 25 years in education across New Jersey and California, she has served as a teacher, school leader, and now Director of Curriculum and Social-Emotional Learning at UCLA Lab School. Her pedagogical philosophy is rooted in the transformative power of storytelling to build brave, equitable spaces where every voice is heard and every learner feels a deep sense of belonging and connection. She blends research-informed practice with deep human empathy, integrating social-emotional learning and personalized support to honor the unique, shifting potential of every student—seeing education as a kind of kaleidoscope, where diverse voices and experiences move together to create ever-changing patterns of growth and opportunity.
Through Kaleidoscope Learning Lab, LLC, Jennifer offers personalized coaching and executive functioning support for children, teens, and young adults; Caregiver Learning Conversations; and values-based professional development for schools and organizations. She earned her doctorate in education from Rutgers University and continues to blend scholarship with lived experience in her work as an author and creative. Her children’s book, My Wish for You, and her podcast collaborations with her son reflect the heart of her practice: centering young people, honoring their stories, and building a world where her own child—and all children—can grow, question, and thrive.
My Wish For You (Book)
My Wish for You blossomed from daily conversations between the author, j chatmon, and her son that began when he first started to talk. Every morning upon his waking, she asked and still asks, "how did you sleep?" and "did you dream?" The responses were short and sweet in the beginning, but as his vocabulary grew, so did the imagery he shared. This small exchange provided a launch pad into conversations that had nothing to do with the proverbial to-do list but, helped nurture a safe space for sharing and invaluable memories.
This Thing Called School (Podcast)
This Thing Called School is a podcast showcasing conversations with folks who work in and around education as a way to share and create best practices. Dr. Jennifer C. Chatmon, and sometimes her eight year old son, interview students, teachers, support staff, administrators, and more in effort to unpack how we might redefine and redesign one of our last unifying experiences in society, school.
The Hey Mommy Podcast
The "Hey, Mommy" podcast is one mother and son's attempt to streamline the never-ending questions of the nine-year-old mind in roughly 20-minute bites.