Laura is a veteran teacher with over twenty-seven years of experience in education. Laura brings her natural enthusiasm for learning to everything she does, whether it is teaching a child to write or helping them sit with the beauty of a tree. She is thrilled to join the Ravens and share in their exploration of the Hudson River and the world beyond and their connection to it.

Back in 1997, I graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA in Russian Language and Literature. It was because of my major that I ended up in the classroom. My last two years of college I taught Russian once a week to a local elementary class in Middletown, Connecticut. A seed was planted and I fell in love with the profession. I then began my teaching career at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn, teaching first grade and then third. After that, I taught third grade at The Dalton School. I then went on to teach seventh and eighth grade English at Dutchess Day School, while also teaching poetry to first and second graders. Over the course of my career, I received my Masters of Elementary Education from Bank Street College, and then later a Masters in Contemplative Education from Naropa University. I also have a Masters in Library Science from the University of Albany. Education is paramount to me and I love learning and instilling that value in my students. I am grateful to all my teachers and professors for helping me continue this lifelong journey. 

As a teacher, I keep both the long view of an academic year, and what we hope to accomplish, while also facilitating daily routines that ground and connect the students to the classroom and our community and its inherent joy. There is a Hindu proverb, “To know–read, to learn– write, and to master– teach.” I believe in this progression, and delight in it, because ultimately my students become the teachers. Whether embarking on early multiplication or how to write a villanelle, I provide scaffolding and support for them to succeed. In this way, they have the skills necessary to explore and learn about their world, and then share it. 

In addition to teaching, I love the outdoors, jigsaw puzzles, and womens’ soccer. My favorite player, other than Megan Rapinoe, is my fifteen-year-old daughter Rosie. I have lived in Red Hook since 2008, but grew up in Garrison, NY with my five siblings. While I love to travel, the Hudson Valley and the Adirondacks are two of my favorite places in the world.