Writing, Evaluation and Advocacy for the Public Good.
In the News! How Kate Shuster Does History (Contingent Magazine)
“Kate is a planning maestro. She listens. She gathers info. She processes, then unfolds a plan that intertwines grand concepts and on-the-ground logistics.”
—Barrett Golding, Hearing Voices
I Solve Problems.
Everyone (funders, developers, well-wishers, etc.) wants numbers. I am very skeptical about the things people do with numbers. I have extensive training in sophisticated quantitative and qualitative research - both applied and theoretical. I do good measurement and critique bad measurement.
Lots of people out there want to get their stuff into classrooms. But teachers are busy, and “lesson plans” are basically obsolete. I work with non-profits and interpretive sites to bridge the gap into K-12 in mindful and non-exploitative ways for mutual benefit.
Innovative projects deserve innovative strategies. I use stakeholder analysis and backwards design to achieve big things that reach hundreds of thousands of people. And I’m always thinking about keeping costs low and scale big.
I Build Teams.
Local, national, international. I find the right people and put them in a position to succeed for projects that are meaningful and sustainable.
About Kate
Kate Shuster, Ph.D., is an education researcher, author and project manager based in Montgomery, Alabama. She manages the Teaching Hard History project, produces podcasts and films, evaluates education initiatives and promotes debate education. She has written widely influential reports about the state of history education and several textbooks. She forms and leads interdisciplinary teams to produce innovative K-12 teaching resources, including critical efforts to teach the history of slavery and struggle in what is currently the United States of America. Kate consults widely with non-profits and interpretive centers to bring cutting-edge research into classrooms and communities, and works to bring sustainable and effective educational projects to scale. She has trained thousands of educators in more than a dozen countries and taught at five universities.
What People Are Saying
“We knew how vital it was for our work at Freedom on the Move to be useful for educators beyond the college environment. Kate helped us craft smart, appropriate, and user-friendly models and frameworks for teachers.”
— Joshua D. Rothman, Professor and Chair, Department of History, The University of Alabama
“Kate has put together a ‘Dream Team’ of history educators. They have the knowledge, know-how, and passion for helping institutions interpret hard history accurately and effectively. I recommend Kate without any reservations. She will steer you right.”
— Hasan Jeffries, Associate Professor of History, The Ohio State University
"Kate is a master of project implementation. She listens to, learns from and appreciates organizational needs and nuances. She has a gift for assembling creative teams—engaging them in conceptualization and leading them through creation."