Jean B. Schumaker, Ph.D.

Jean SchumakerAffliations: 

  • President - Edge Enterprises, Inc. Lawrence, KS 
  • Retired Associate Director and Senior Research Scientist - University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning Lawrence, KS
  • Certified SIM Professional Development Specialist - University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning Lawrence, KS
  • Professor Emeritus, Department of Special Education  - University of Kansas Lawrence, KS

Background and Interests:
I grew up with a concern for children who need special help. One of my earliest experiences was organizing birthday parties for children with disabilities at the Matheny Medical and Educational Center in New Jersey. After the birthday parties were over and all the decorations had been cleaned up, I spent additional time with those children, putting them to bed, reading to and talking with them, and singing to them. Through those experiences and others as a camp counselor, I found that I loved being with children and teaching them. Eventually, I decided that I wanted to be a clinical psychologist, and I went to college and graduate school with that goal in mind. However, along the way, I got hooked on doing research! In particular, I got hooked on research related to ensuring that children learn. I’ve worked with children in schools, group homes, camps, hospitals, and clinical settings. Across all those experiences, I’ve learned that all children can learn. I’ve learned that, if we hold high expectations for them and use special teaching methods, they usually meet those expectations. I continue to do research with the goal of helping teachers teach and students learn.