Dr. Katie Knapp

My love of children and learning have led me on an interesting journey to my current destination, the Early Childhood Education program at Kent State.  After "playing school" for countless hours as a child, earning my BA in Music at Marietta College, attending graduate school in Divinity at Harvard University, earning an M.Ed. in Education from The Ohio State University, and receiving my license in teaching grades 1-8 in Ohio, I landed at Kent State where I earned my Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction focusing on Social Studies Education.  I taught in the public schools for a decade as an elementary and middle school teacher.  I then taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Kent State. I am currently an Associate Professor in the Early Childhood Education program.  In addition, I am honored to teach in the Curriculum and Instruction program here at Kent State.

It is my privilege to teach courses in social studies methods, to facilitate workshops in issues of culture, race, and class, and to support student teachers during their last semester at KSU.  My research interests include the use of family history with children, examining the U.S. History narrative taught in schools from a critical perspective, and students' (particularly African American children’s) experiences with social studies in the classroom.  My personal interests include my own children, Callaghan and Emma, who are my most fascinating research participants!