Meet Dr. Katie Appling

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Katie Appling a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Katie, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Being the only one in the room means that you are allowed to pave your own path. You are allowed to define what success even means to you. You are not restricted by the norms and rules that society puts on you based on looking and being like everyone else. If you look at it from that perspective, it is as if you are given the freedom that others do not have. This freedom allows you to push forward and succeed in ways that are out of the box and non-traditional.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I came into education as a career late in life. I had just come from a divorce and was looking for a career that would give me similar hours to my children. I started as an instructional assistant in special education while finishing my bachelor’s in history. Once I had my bachelor’s, I was able to have a classroom while I completed my alternative license. At first, I was nervous. Most teachers had husbands at home or significant others who were helping to support them; for me, it was me and my four children. The longer I was in the classroom, the more I wanted to see things change. But where do you start to make changes in education? I pursued my Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. This would allow me to make an impact on what was being taught: the tests, the textbooks, the information that was being distributed.

It was not long before my building principal persuaded me to get another master’s in administration. At an admin level, I could make true changes. I could have an impact on the way that schools are run. So I did it. But even this was not making enough changes. I was involved at the state level, the most I could be raising kids, working, and going to school. I kept hearing the comment over and over that no one will listen to a woman unless she has “Dr.” in front of her name. I did not want to believe it, but as I sat and watched, it appeared to be true.

This led me to get my Doctorate in Education. I am still trying to make changes and still trying to leave a mark on education. I tell people that if I could accomplish this while raising my kids, there is nothing that you cannot accomplish.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Flexibility- nothing is ever set in stone, and the more flexible you are at what life throws at you, the easier it is to deal with.
2. When something has you extremely overwhelmed or stressed- ask yourself “Will this __________ be important in 5 years?”
3. Do not get down on yourself. There are plenty of people in the world who will mentally try to beat you up; you do not need to do that to yourself. It is ok to be your biggest cheerleader.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I do something that is just for me. This usually consists of putting together Lego sets or playing video games. They allow my brain to shift gears and focus on something in the total opposite direction of what has me overwhelmed. Then I can come back and look at that overwhelming thing with a different headspace.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: katieappling
• Facebook: Katie Appling