About
Unlocking child-centered perspectives for over 35 years.
Hola, I’m Martha!
As an educational consultant my work is based on supporting adults as they unlock their strengths, via practical and productive ways of thinking and acting to nurture children’s development and capabilities.
I use inquiry-based exploration to help early childhood educators, leaders, and families grow their practices as they accompany children on their learning and growing journey. My areas of passion and expertise include social emotional learning, conflict resolution, culturally responsive teaching, social justice principles, leadership development and parenting practices. As an educator, a parent, and a citizen I am curious and invested in understanding children’s development and the roles adults play in nurturing it.
I am a first-generation Chicana, born in East Los Angeles and raised in various southern California cities over the first 18 years of my life. East L.A. however, is the place I call home in my heart. My parents were both from Michoacan, Mexico and traveling back and forth from the United States and Mexico to visit family was a regular part of my growing up.
I have been a Bay Area transplant since 1983 when I came to UC Berkeley for my studies. I fell in love with the BAy Area and have made it my physical home since then. I do still miss the warmth of the daily sunshine of So Cal.
My passion for children’s development started early in my life. As the eldest and only daughter in a family of 4 children I was tasked, early on, with the duty of taking care of my three brothers and cousins. After college I began working with toddlers and loved every minute of it. This fascination with development led me to teaching college courses and parenting classes in order to understand how adults understand children and their development. As I moved along my 35 years of experience in education I dove deeper into the bigger picture of early childhood development and found a crossroads of family culture and language, societal expectations, and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion that make up my view of why and how to support both children and adults in their development.
I am excited to get to know you and share more about my passion for children’s development as we continue to grow in our practices together.
Hasta pronto,
My Background and Experience
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Undergraduate: UC Berkeley, BA Chicano Studies
Graduate: San Francisco State University, Masters, Early Childhood
Doctorate: San Francisco State University, EdD, Educational Leadership
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American Educational Research Association (AERA)
2019, Toronto CanadaShifting Identities, Shifting Power; Parents and Teachers Collaborate
2017, San Antonio, TexasEarly childhood educators and practitioners inquiry: Promoting whole site reflection.
2015, Chicago, IllinoisPromoting Reflective Practice in a Cross-National Project: The Role of Early Childhood Preschool Directors
2013, San Francisco, CaliforniaEarly Childhood Teacher Research for Professional Development: Mentorship, Emotional Strength, and Cultural Difference
2011, New Orleans, LouisianaAn Inquiry Focus on Early Childhood Math/Science Education: Enriching Our Identities as Reflective Professionals. National Association of Education for Young Children (NAEYC)
2019, Long Beach, California -
Melgoza, Martha. (2023) Everyday Gifts: Children Show US the Path-We Observe and Scaffold in Brillante, P., Chen, J. J., Stephany Cuevas, D., Christyn, H., Emily Brown, M., Daniel, R., ... & Roy, L. R. (2023). Casebook in developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs: serving children from birth through age 8.
Escamilla, I.M., Khales, B., Meier, D.R., & Melgoza, M. (2018). Reflecting across Borders: Palestian and US Early Childhood Educators Engage in Collaborative Science Inquiry (Voices).
Melgoza, M. (2017). Leadership and Inquiry At A Parent Cooperative Preschool. In Documentation and Inquiry in the Early Childhood Classroom. (pp. 175-189). Routledge.