My name is Christy Laws. I am a middle school teacher in Watauga County. I just finished the year with students and taught sixth and seventh graders language arts and math this year. I am certified to teach language arts, math, science, and social studies. Over the 14 years I have taught all of these areas. My favorites are language arts and math. I also have my National Board certification. My family thinks that I just enjoy having homework (which is not entirely false).
I am almost finished with my Masters in Reading. I am taking 12 hours this summer and will be finished in July!!! This has been a wonderful experience, and I have learned a great deal! However, I am not sure I fully understood the magnitude of what I was getting myself into, or how it would impact family. :)
The reason that I began this journey had a lot to do with my students at the time that I started. As an undergraduate in the middle school program, I was prepared for how to teach language arts including comprehension and discussion strategies. However, I was taught little to nothing about how students actually learn to read. The number of students coming into my classroom every year significantly below grade level was increasing all the time. I had to do something! So here I am. It is amazing how little I knew. :) This process has been interesting to me, because I don't remember my own process of learning to read. Although people dispute it (my mom confirms it), I don't ever remember a time when I couldn't read. I was reading by preschool/daycare (3 years old). This made it difficult for me to understand what it what like for a child to struggle with the process. I understand SOOO much more now!!!
I have been married for fourteen years to my husband, Christopher (Chris). We have six girls. Yes, you read that correctly! They are: 11, 10, 9, 7, and 2 (twins). Life at my house is almost always crazy, but I LOVE it!!!! It does make things interesting when completing homework. They are all excited that they will get to watch me graduate (if I walk), but they are even more excited that I might be able to "play" more. We also have four Yorkies (7, 2, 10 months, and 4 months). After the third time that one of them has jumped up on my laptop tonight, I just might give you one! :)
Reading is a great escape! It is something that I have always enjoyed doing. There were a lot of things in my childhood that felt very out of control. Reading was one way that I could control my life. It allowed me to escape. Thankfully, my girls have caught on to this as well. My oldest reads all the time. My other three "older" girls enjoy reading. It has been fun to watch them grow as readers with all that I know now!