How best to teach in urban schools is a particular interest of Dr. Kate French, who began her career teaching high school science in Dallas.

As a critical theorist in the field of education, she scrutinizes the intersections of power, privilege and oppression in teacher development — how policies, processes and sociocultural contexts influence how preservice teachers and novice teachers learn, and how they later put their learning into practice. The goal of her teaching and research is to foster a more equitable, inclusive educational environment.

Dr. French’s courses include Foundations of Education, Secondary Principles, and Clinical Experience for Secondary Principles.

She joined the Hope faculty in 2024 after chairing Madonna University’s teacher education program for three years. From 2019–2021 she taught administrative leadership courses and a graduate seminar in teacher education at Wayne State University’s College of Education. As a postdoctoral fellow at Wayne State (2019–2021) she focused on educational leadership and policy studies, with a particular focus on teacher evaluation instruments. While completing her doctoral studies, she taught urban education courses at Davenport University, including courses focused on teaching science in diverse contexts.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Dr. French utilizes humanistic inquiry to study early-career teachers’ habits, beliefs, practices and understanding of teaching pedagogy, broadly speaking. She investigates issues of educational equity, particularly for marginalized or underrepresented groups, and contrasts the experiences of early-career teachers with those of more seasoned educators. Her research challenges fundamental beliefs and assumptions in teacher education, striving to create more inclusive and respectful learning environments for human flourishing.

EDUCATION

• Dual Ph.D., educational policy and K–12 educational administration, Michigan State University, 2017
• M.Ed., educational policy and leadership, Southern Methodist University, 2011
• B.S., biomedical sciences, Lee Honors College of Western Michigan University, 2009

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS  

• “Beliefs, Perception, and Change: A Study of Ego Network Influence on First-Year Teachers,” with C.D. Lee and A. Zellner, Journal of Educational Change, 2023
• “The Paradox of Teaching for Social Justice: Interest Convergence in Early-career Educators,” Urban Education, 2023
• “Does the Choice of Observation Instrument Matter?” with J.M. Lewis et al., Mathematics Educator, 2022
• “Identity Development & Belief Change: Experiences of Beginning Urban Teachers,” Current Issues in Education, 2020
• “Student Teaching and Urban Educator Aptness: The Significance of Similar Sociocultural Scenarios,” Education and Urban Society, 2019
• “Advancing or Inhibiting Educational Opportunity: The Power of New Teachers to Reinforce or Deconstruct Social Reproduction in Urban Schools,” chapter in The Power of Resistance: Culture, Ideology and Social Reproduction in Global Contexts, ed. by R. Elmesky, C.C. Yeakey and O.C. Marcucci, Emerald Publishing Limited, 2017

View more of Dr. French’s publications

OUTSIDE THE COLLEGE

Dr. French enjoys learning, traveling and experiencing new cultures. As a former intern for Michelle Obama, Kate is passionate about advocating for social issues and strides to make the world a better place. When she’s not working, Kate is either hitting the pavement as an avid runner, whipping up her legendary thunder cake (if you know, you know), or exploring new places with her husband and their two children.