Reading by Heart

Hello! I'm Laura, a reading intervention specialist and creator of "I Can Read GIGANTIC Words!" For more than 40 years, teaching reading has been my passion! I'm a reading intervention specialist, gifted and talented specialist, and elementary classroom teacher 2-5. I've also taught secondary language arts and college English, middle school social studies and have been a homeschool mom. I've taught in schools in Western Washington State, the South Bronx, NYC, and in Queensland, Australia.

I try to teach to strengths, celebrate success, strive for continuous improvement, and design my teaching to support rigor for all students. I support learners by analyzing and assessing, diagnosing and prescribing, setting and working toward individual goals, addressing individual needs, and building success from where each student is. I value learning that is hands-on, creative, and with a focus on fostering independent, self-directed, responsible learners.

In 2004, I received the International Reading Association's Regie Routman Teacher Recognition Award for Reflection on the Practice of Teaching Reading. In 2005, I was named to the Top 100 Irish Americans - Irish America Magazine, 2005

I attended Marylhurst College in Oregon, graduated from the University of Washington, and studied writing at The Evergreen State College.

FAST FACTS ABOUT ME: ~ Mom of 2 grown sons, Robby and Jonathan. ~ I make sparkly bead earrings. ~ I had a 10,000 volume classroom library. ~ I'm sometimes called The Book Lady. ~ My students and I ran a school-wide student-led used book store from our classroom. ~ Supporting struggling readers is my passion. ~ Western Washington is my home. CONTACT ME @ readingbyheart@gmail.com