Katie M. McKinley, M.Ed.

Hi, I’m Katie McKinley.

Educator, STEM enthusiast, and a believer in the power of curiosity.

For more than 20 years, I’ve helped students ask questions, explore ideas, and grow into confident problem-solvers. My teaching journey has taken me from fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms to middle school math and science, and now to my work as a technology teacher and school technology coordinator.

Throughout that journey, one belief has stayed with me: meaningful learning happens when students have opportunities to investigate, create, collaborate, and connect what they’re learning to the world around them.

My roots are in the classroom.

I spent 15 years teaching fourth- and fifth-grade homeroom and another five years teaching sixth- through eighth-grade math and science. Those years gave me a deep appreciation for how children learn—and for the planning, flexibility, and encouragement that good teaching requires.

They also shaped my approach to STEM. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics become more meaningful when students use them together: to explore a question, solve a problem, test an idea, or improve a design. I’m especially interested in the connections between STEM and other subjects, including reading, writing, and the arts.

Today, I teach technology to students across the elementary and middle school grades while coordinating my school’s technology program. My work brings together STEM, digital literacy, creative communication, digital citizenship, and responsible AI use. I help students learn how to use technology thoughtfully—to support their ideas, strengthen their understanding, and make informed decisions.

Supporting teachers is part of my work, too.

Alongside teaching, I’ve developed curriculum, coached colleagues, mentored new teachers, and led professional learning at the school, district, and diocesan levels. I’ve also shared my work at regional and national conferences, including ISTE Live and the Maryland Society for Educational Technology.

These experiences have reinforced something I know from my own classroom: teachers need ideas that are inspiring, practical, and adaptable. A promising activity needs to work with real students, within real schedules, and with the materials and support available.

That’s the perspective I bring to the resources I create. I want to help teachers make purposeful connections across subjects, encourage student thinking, and build learning experiences they can confidently make their own.

Learning should offer every student a way in.

My approach is informed by Universal Design for Learning: planning for different learners from the beginning and offering meaningful ways for students to participate, understand, and show what they know.

In STEM, that can mean giving students opportunities to sketch, build, explain, write, test, or demonstrate their thinking. It also means helping students see that revising an idea is part of learning. A design that needs improvement gives us something to investigate—and a reason to try again.

I want students to see themselves as capable thinkers and creators, with ideas worth exploring.

Why I’m creating this space

This website brings together my classroom experience, my love of STEM, and my commitment to supporting educators. As I develop educational resources and work toward a book, I’m creating a place to share practical ideas, thoughtful guidance, and encouragement for bringing STEM into everyday teaching.

You’ll find classroom connections, teaching reflections, and resources designed to help students ask better questions, think creatively, and solve meaningful problems.

My goal is to make STEM feel approachable for teachers and full of possibility for students.

My education and professional background

I hold a Master of Education in Applied Educational Technology from Wilmington University and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, with a focus on mathematics and science, from the University of Maryland.

My credentials include advanced Maryland certifications in elementary education and middle school mathematics and science, certification as an online instructor, Google Certified Educator Level 2, and Gemini Certified Educator.

Those qualifications support my work, but the classroom continues to shape it. Students’ questions, teachers’ challenges, and the moments when an idea finally clicks keep me learning, too.

I’m glad you’re here. Let’s make room for curiosity, creativity, and discovery—one classroom experience at a time.