Kara Morton

Dr. Morton comes to Salem State University after a professional teaching career which spanned nearly 18 years in both Catholic and Independent schools. Most recently, She was a middle school mathematics teacher at the Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA. Over the last 15 years at Shady Hill, Dr. Morton taught grades 6,7,8 and developed enriching, hands-on curriculum for students and teaching apprentices, alike. In her role, she was instrumental in bringing mindfulness and holistic learning experiences to the students. Further, an extension of her middle school teaching naturally parlayed into her work with graduate students as a part-time Senior Lecturer at Lesley University.
 

A graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. (B.S.), Lesley University in Cambridge, MA (M.Ed) and Northeastern University in Boston, MA (Ed.D), Dr. Morton has spent time living and working abroad in Europe, studying educational systems and has spent time observing and researching countless school districts and systems to better understand the ethnic and racial disparities in America’s classrooms. Dr. Morton believes deeply in the profession, in the voice of educators and providing a safe and welcoming space and community for all learners.

• Teacher training programs
• Mathematics and Science Education for the Pk-8 educator
• Intersection of Social Justice and Mathematics 
• STEM and STEMx initiatives
• Cognitive development coursework for preservice teachers
• Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
• Teacher Retention 
• Student Achievement
• Mindfulness in the classroom 
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in today’s classroom 
• Accessible curriculum 
• Educational Technology 
• Building inclusive academic communities
• Student/Teacher learning communities

• Morton, K., Mercado, A., & Ryder, R. (2024, October). Unleashing creativity and innovation: How makerspaces are transforming college classrooms [Poster presentation]. 41st Annual Conference of the Northern Rocky Mountain Educational Research Association, Lake Tahoe, CA, United States.

• Ernest, B., Obery, A., Morton, K., Reaves, M., Lawless, K., Lawless, T., Srsic, A., & Rice, L. (2024, October). From “Emperor’s new clothes” to “just have courage”: Navigating self-perceptions in a professional learning community [Conference presentation]. 41st Annual Conference of the Northern Rocky Mountain Educational Research Association, Lake Tahoe, CA, United States.

• Morton, K. (2025). Manuscript review of Photovoice project and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) experience, by P. Barbosa Salem State University, Salem, MA & P. Farias. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UMFG), Brazil.

• Morton, K. (2025, May 2). Empowering students for global collaboration: Working with COIL to address global challenges [Conference presentation]. Salem State University Research Day, Salem, MA, United States.Salem State University, May 2, 2025. 

• Barbosa, P., Condie, C., DeLeon, P., Fitzpatrick, T., Glencross, H., Miller, B., Morton, K., Pilaud, S., & Stahura, D. (May 2025). Joy as a Liberatory Outcome: Expanding and Honoring the Sacredness of Teaching [Poster session]. Salem State University CTI Teaching and Learning Symposium, Salem, MA.

• Condie, C., DeLeon, P., El-Sherif, J., Fitzpatrick, T., Glencross, H., Miller, B., Morton, K., Naidoo, V., Pilaud, S., & Stahura, D. (May 2025). Honoring the Sacredness of Teaching through Zines [Poster session]. Salem State University CTI Teaching and Learning Symposium, Salem, MA.

• Barbosa, P., Blaber, Z., Brockenbrough, A., Damon-Bach, L., Farias, P. F., Hartling, X. (C.), Lee, I. S., Morton, K., & Song, W. (2025, May 2). Empowering students for global collaboration: Working with COIL to address global challenges [Panel presentation]. Salem State University Research Day, Salem, MA, United States.

• Morton, K. (2025, May 21). Visualizing mathematics across cultures: An SSU–UNESP collaboration in conceptual design [Poster presentation]. CTI Teaching and Learning Symposium, Salem State University, Salem, MA, United States.

• Morton, K. (2025, May 21). Making math visible: Engaging visuals for data storytelling [Lightning talk]. CTI Teaching and Learning Symposium, Salem State University, Salem, MA, United States.