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| A Busy Summer, New Milestones, and What's Coming Next for InterestEd! |
| | It’s been a while since I last checked in, and I’m excited to reconnect with you all! This summer has been a whirlwind of family adventures, personal growth, and, of course, a bit of chaos. From new learning experiences to gardening projects (and some poison ivy mishaps!), It’s been a season of memories and milestones. I’ve been busy with work, school, and family life, but I’m so grateful for everything we’ve experienced together. Here’s a little look at what’s been happening at InterestEd and beyond.
I’d love to hear what you think about these updates and any questions you might have. If you know someone who could benefit from my work, please share this newsletter with them or forward this email! Thank you for your continued support—let’s keep learning and growing together.
~Laura |
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| | I’m thrilled to share that my book is still doing well and is available on Amazon and Etsy, and now you can also find it in person at the Grand Avenue Artifactory! I’ve been so grateful for the amazing feedback and support - it’s been awesome to see how it’s helping families and educators. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, be sure to check it out, and thank you for continuing to support my work. |
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| | Master’s of Educational Psychology |
| I’ve officially started my Master’s in Educational Psychology! I just wrapped up my first semester, which focused on Inclusive Practices and Educational Research. It’s been such a rewarding experience, and I’m already thinking about how I can use what I’ve learned to better serve students and families. I’m excited to continue this journey of growth and learning - and to bring these insights into my work with InterestEd moving forward. |
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| Gifted and Talented Certification |
| | One highlight of my summer has been receiving my Gifted and Talented certification from the DPI! This represents one year of work and dedication, and I’m excited to continue my commitment to improving best practices for gifted learners. I’m eager to bring even more expertise and value to my work with gifted learners. |
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| WATG Conference Announcement |
| I’m excited to share that I’ll be speaking at the 2025 WATG Conference! You can see a teaser below of what I’ll be talking about. My session will focus on the power of flexibility in education, especially how we can take what we’ve learned from homeschooling gifted kids and apply it to schools. It’s a topic I’m passionate about, and I’m eager to share my insights with other educators. It’s going to be such an exciting experience, and I can’t wait to see you there! |
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| | Personal and Family Updates |
| This summer has been a whirlwind, packed with both personal growth and family fun! My daughters have had such a variety of experiences, each of them diving into different camps - Amita was at the Central Wisconsin School of Ballet Summer Intensive, Ashima had an incredible time in Michigan at both Interlochen Center for the Arts and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and Aryana had a blast at the Wausau Conservatory of Music and the Central Center for Visual Arts. |
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| As for me, I’ve spent a lot of time in the garden (and maybe a little too much time battling poison ivy!). It’s been a rewarding but challenging hobby, and I’ve even signed up for a Master Gardener course this fall, which I’m excited about! It’s been one of the ways I’ve been able to recharge and keep my creativity flowing, especially with everything I’ve been juggling. Between my studies, gardening, and working, we still managed to take a much-needed family trip to Washington, D.C., which was a mix of history, adventure, and laughs. Ridhwi and I are also looking forward to our next family adventure in Yellowstone! I can’t wait for the next chapter of family memories.
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| It’s wild to think that school is just around the corner. We’re already starting to talk about it, and yes, we’ve even checked school supplies off our list. There’s something about the new year that always feels like a fresh start, both for the kids and for me. As I reflect on the summer, I can’t help but feel grateful for all the time we’ve had together, while also looking forward to the next phase of learning, growing, and balancing it all.
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| UDL For Busy Educators: Planning Flexibility from the Start |
| With the school year coming up, I know many teachers are thinking about their lesson plans for this year and how to either create them from the start or update them to reflect best practices. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a great tool for this! UDL encourages planning lessons that are flexible from the beginning, making them more accessible and engaging for all students. By building choice and diversity into your planning, you’ll create a learning environment that supports every learner’s needs without the extra workload.
Why UDL Saves Time:
Instead of reinventing the wheel for different groups, UDL lets you plan one lesson that works for everyone, with built-in flexibility.
Quick Tips to Try Today: Present in Different Ways: Offer content in a mix of formats—video, text, visuals—so students can choose what works best for them.
Try this: Provide the same lesson in both video and text formats to give students a choice.
Engage in Multiple Ways: Give students options for how they interact with the content, like group work, independent study, or hands-on tasks.
Try this: Let students choose how they want to tackle a problem, either solo or in pairs.
Show Learning in Different Ways: Let students demonstrate what they’ve learned through writing, speaking, or projects. Try this: Allow students to choose between writing a report, creating a video, or making a poster to show their understanding.
Resource:
Check out this UDL Planning Guide to help you start designing lessons that work for all learners.
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| | Exciting News: I’ll Be Presenting at the 2025 WATG Conference on Gifted Education
Find out what you can expect from my upcoming WATG session and why flexibility is so important in gifted education. [Read more…]
Differentiation Through Choice: A Classroom Strategy
Learn how giving students more control over their learning can boost engagement and foster creativity. [Read more…]
Now Available: Creative Writing Passport!
My new workbook is officially out! It’s designed to guide gifted students through creative writing exercises, focusing on social-emotional learning and self-expression. [Read more…]
Book Recommendation: A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children
A must-read for parents navigating the unique challenges and joys of raising gifted kids. [Read more…]
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