Kimberlie Kowalka Todd is an advocate for educational reform.
“The main draw to The University of Toledo was the social justice aspect of the Foundations of Education program,” Todd said. “Being able to study history, sociology and philosophy of education has given me a broad range of knowledge and discipline to empower me to be part of the necessary changes in education in the future.”
Kimberlie Kowalka Todd, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in foundations of education as well as earning certificates in peace education and culture and change in institutions, became an educator after a 20-year career as an office manager and bookkeeper.
Pursuing a Ph.D. in foundations of education as well as earning certificates in peace education and culture and change in institutions, Todd also works as a K-12 visual art specialist at the Alternate Learning Center, a literacy tutor for Toledo Tomorrow, and a research assistant in the Herb Innovation Center (THInC).
At 58, though, Todd said she was only able to become an educator after a 20-year career as an office manager and bookkeeper.
“My grandmother was a teacher at Holland Elementary for 30 years. I grew up with a love of learning and wanted to share that love with others,” she said. “I thought I had missed my opportunity to be a teacher when I opted out of the education part of my art degree in my early twenties. Thanks to the licensure and master’s program at UToledo, I was able to fulfill my dream of being in the classroom.”
While working at THInC, Todd works with the Literacy Everywhere! project, which aims to teach families with young children experiencing housing instability simple and practical ways to support early literacy, while simultaneously linking those families to economic resources and support systems.
This month she will be participating in a seminar presentation at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in Denver on the research project “Literacy Everywhere!: Designing Supports for Early Literacy and Awareness for Families Experiencing Housing Instability.”
“Working on Literacy Everywhere! allowed me to work with professors and students from the social work program,” she said. “It expanded my personal connections and allowed me to learn to look at issues like homelessness and early childhood literacy as the complicated, interwoven mashup of education and social services that they are.”
Todd is also a published researcher with a biographical chapter on Martha C. Nussbaum for The Palgrave Book of Educational Thinkers. Supporting her researching efforts is Dr. Dale Snauwaert, a professor in the Department of Educational Studies.
“Kimberlie is a very thoughtful educational scholar and educator,” Snauwert said. “She has a special talent for uncovering the theoretical underpinnings of teaching and the connection between theory and practice.”
After graduating, Todd said she will hopefully write books and work in national educational policy as an advisor, researcher and educator.
“I would recommend taking theory and social foundation courses, even if they are not required for your major,” Todd said. “The philosophical, political, social, moral and historical aspects of the American education system affect everyone’s lives. Everyone would be the wiser for it.”
