Katherine McKnight

Dr. Katherine McKnight is an engaging speaker, dedicated teacher, researcher, and award-winning author with a passion for transforming literacy education. Her impressive career blends research with practicality, positioning her to empower teachers and directly impact student outcomes.

Starting as an English and social studies teacher in Chicago Public Schools, Dr. McKnight’s commitment to student engagement set the path for her future work. She spent 15 years teaching at the university level. Her career in higher education culminated in her appointment as a Distinguished Professor of Research at National Louis University. In 2015, she founded Dr. Katie McKnight’s Engaging Learners, an education company built around her innovative Literacy & Learning Centers. She has helped turn around many struggling schools with this centers-stations-and-rotations collaborative learning model that is designed specifically for grade 4-12 learners.

She has written extensively, authoring 25 books that support educational strategies to engage all learners. Her popular book, "The Teacher’s Big Book of Graphic Organizers," won the 2013 Teachers’ Choice Award. Other key titles include "Literacy & Learning Centers for the Big Kids, Grades 4-12" and "The Second City Guide to Improv in the Classroom." Dr. McKnight collaborated with literacy specialist Alan Sitomer to create the research-based writing program Short, Short, BIG. Dr. McKnight influences educators and boosts teaching confidence worldwide with classroom-tested instructional practices that are backed by research and personal experience. She and Dr. Jennifer French co-host the podcast The Science of Reading for Grades 4-12 with Katie & Jen. Dr. McKnight gained national attention for her 2024 EdWeek Market Reports prediction that the Science of Reading body of research will soon take hold in upper grades. “Many middle school teachers are alarmed by the lack of foundational skills they see in their classes and are weighing how phonics and other strategies should be applied” to support their students.

As a consultant to schools across the U.S. and internationally, Dr. McKnight is committed to improving educational practices and supporting teachers. Her Coffee with Katie and Richard webinar series, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic with Dr. Richard Cash, became a global platform for K-12 educators to engage in valuable professional training as they dealt with the pressures of adapting instruction and maintaining teacher-student relationships.