Katie Cunningham

Prior to joining the LitLife Team in 2010, Katie Cunningham worked in independent and public schools in New York City as a classroom teacher and then literacy coach working with grades K-8. Katie received her B.A. in Architecture from Princeton University and her M.Ed in Elementary Education from New York University. She completed her doctorate degree from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2009 where she focused on literacy curriculum and instruction. Her research there focused on the power of read-alouds to engage students at all levels.

Katie has worked as a teacher in all-girls, all-boys, international, and co-ed schools. Based on that diverse experience, she works with teachers and administrators to design and implement a deep literacy curriculum that matches students' needs and the culture of the school. With full consideration for twenty-first century literacy skills, Katie also works one-on-one and with small groups of teachers to plan units of study and demonstrate mini-lessons that help all students see themselves as lifelong readers and writers.

Katie has presented at regional and national conferences on reading comprehension strategies, balanced literacy, critical literacy, using the arts to enhance reading and writing instruction, and reaching boys as readers and writers. In addition to her work with LitLife, Katie is also a professor at Manhattanville College in the department of Literacy Education where she teachers children's literature, workshop methods and research courses. She greatly enjoys working with teachers and students to build joyful communities of readers and writers in schools.