Kaitlin Northey
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education
85 South Prospect Street
534B Waterman
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- PhD in Early Childhood, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
- MAT in Education, Smith College
- BA in Art, Education and Child Study, Smith College, Massachusetts
BIO
Dr. Kaitlin Northey’s scholarship and teaching centers on advancing early childhood (EC) as a profession. Her courses aim to prepare all students, even those outside of education, to be advocates and agents of change who understand early childhood research, policies, and the social spheres that influence children’s, families’, and education professionals’ identities, development, and well-being. Her students examine how education policy, research, and theory work together to influence teachers' practices. Her courses on curriculum development prepare preservice teachers to design inquiry-based learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, academically rigorous, and integrate the arts.
Dr. Northey’s research explores how EC systems and policies are experienced by the workforce, including educators, leaders, and preservice teachers for children birth through age eight, and other stakeholders to inform improvement efforts. By documenting and elevating the perspectives of those implementing and experiencing policies, her research contributes to stronger and more equitable and just EC systems. Her research demonstrates the nuanced and overt ways fragmentation produces and reinforces inequities for the workforce. By contributing to deeper understandings of implementation within the EC field, her research identifies opportunities for improving and strengthening systems and policies.
Dr. Northey is an active advocate both nationally and in Vermont. She currently serves as a National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators member, and works collaboratively with faculty across the country to improve higher education teaching practices.
In 2023, the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) recognized Dr. Northey’s significant contributions though its Outstanding Member award. She has partnered with Let’s Grow Kids, Building Bright Futures, and VTAEYC on a variety of projects. As a member of the Core Team for Vermont’s work to advance the early childhood education profession. In collaboration with the Early Childhood Higher Education Consortium, she worked with colleagues across Vermont’s higher education institutions and other stakeholders to improve the alignment and articulation of Vermont’s EC professional preparation pathways. She also provided guidance for a systems analysis ordered by the Vermont General Assembly through Act 45 as a member of the Early Childhood Systems Analysis Advisory Committee.
Publications
Awards and Achievements
Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) Outstanding Member Award (2023)
Area(s) of expertise
- Early Childhood Education
- Early Childhood Teacher Preparation
- Leadership
- Policy Implementation
- Early Childhood Workforce
Bio
Dr. Kaitlin Northey’s scholarship and teaching centers on advancing early childhood (EC) as a profession. Her courses aim to prepare all students, even those outside of education, to be advocates and agents of change who understand early childhood research, policies, and the social spheres that influence children’s, families’, and education professionals’ identities, development, and well-being. Her students examine how education policy, research, and theory work together to influence teachers' practices. Her courses on curriculum development prepare preservice teachers to design inquiry-based learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, academically rigorous, and integrate the arts.
Dr. Northey’s research explores how EC systems and policies are experienced by the workforce, including educators, leaders, and preservice teachers for children birth through age eight, and other stakeholders to inform improvement efforts. By documenting and elevating the perspectives of those implementing and experiencing policies, her research contributes to stronger and more equitable and just EC systems. Her research demonstrates the nuanced and overt ways fragmentation produces and reinforces inequities for the workforce. By contributing to deeper understandings of implementation within the EC field, her research identifies opportunities for improving and strengthening systems and policies.
Dr. Northey is an active advocate both nationally and in Vermont. She currently serves as a National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators member, and works collaboratively with faculty across the country to improve higher education teaching practices.
In 2023, the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) recognized Dr. Northey’s significant contributions though its Outstanding Member award. She has partnered with Let’s Grow Kids, Building Bright Futures, and VTAEYC on a variety of projects. As a member of the Core Team for Vermont’s work to advance the early childhood education profession. In collaboration with the Early Childhood Higher Education Consortium, she worked with colleagues across Vermont’s higher education institutions and other stakeholders to improve the alignment and articulation of Vermont’s EC professional preparation pathways. She also provided guidance for a systems analysis ordered by the Vermont General Assembly through Act 45 as a member of the Early Childhood Systems Analysis Advisory Committee.
Publications
Awards and Achievements
Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (VTAEYC) Outstanding Member Award (2023)
Areas of Expertise
- Early Childhood Education
- Early Childhood Teacher Preparation
- Leadership
- Policy Implementation
- Early Childhood Workforce