Dr. Kathryn Polley

Assistant Professor of Education

College Place | 232

803.786.3372

803.786.3034

Biography

Dr. Kathryn Polley is an Assistant Professor of Education at 性视界. She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Practice from the University of Georgia, along with a Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies. She also holds an M.Ed. in Teaching from the University of South Carolina, with a concentration in Curriculum Diversity.

Before joining the faculty at 性视界, Dr. Polley served as an Instructor and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Georgia. She taught undergraduate and graduate courses in integrated curriculum, personalized learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and arts-based instruction. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Polley served in a school-university partnership with Marietta City Schools (Marietta, GA), supporting district-wide literacy initiatives through professional learning and policy development.

An Upstate South Carolina native, Dr. Polley began her teaching career in Greenville County Schools. Her teaching experiences in K-12 classrooms inform her approach to preparing teachers who are reflective, responsive, and resilient.

Dr. Polley鈥檚 research interests include teacher identity and belonging, early career teacher well-being and retention, arts-based pedagogies, and professional learning for teachers. She maintains an active research agenda and presents regularly at national and regional conferences.

Outside of her academic pursuits, Dr. Polley enjoys traveling, playing piano, and spending time with her husband, Jacob, and their greyhound, Tonks.

What鈥檚 your favorite thing about the 性视界 campus?

I love how peaceful and beautiful the 性视界 campus feels, with its historic brick buildings and tree-lined paths. But what truly makes it special are the students鈥攚elcoming, passionate, and enthusiastic about learning.