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 graduated from the University of Washington, attended Marylhurst College in Oregon, and studied writing at The Evergreen State College.
CONTACT ME Laura Hurley @ readingbyheart@gmail.com 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.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, Homeschool
English Language Arts, Balanced Literacy, Creative Writing, Reading, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, Specialty, Special Education, ELA Test Prep, Literature, Reading Strategies, Writing-Essays, Holidays/Seasonal, Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa, Poetry, Halloween, Summer, Informational Text, Phonics, Close Reading