Teaching Strategies Employee Spotlight: Laura, Business Development Manager

From the start of her career, Laura was drawn to education, building a strong foundation in the field as an elementary teacher and later expanding her impact as a literacy coach and instructor in higher education. Over time, her path evolved to include roles in educational publishing and sales, where she continued to support educators while growing her expertise across different areas of the field.

After many years working in the K–12 space, Laura was ready for a change. An opportunity introduced by a recruiter led her to explore Teaching Strategies, where she was immediately struck by the depth and intention behind the organization’s early childhood offerings. Learning more about the curriculum, particularly the support provided to families and the focus on the earliest stages of development, shifted her perspective on education in a meaningful way.

The experience opened her eyes to a new side of the field and reinforced her passion for supporting both educators and learners. It also allowed her to bring together her background in teaching, literacy, and sales in a way that felt both new and aligned with her values.

Recently, we asked Laura to share more about her journey and her experience at Teaching Strategies.

Tell us about your role at Teaching Strategies. What does your day-to-day look like?

Every day is very different, but the focus is always on my customers and the educators I work with. Some days, I’m in front of my computer responding to emails, attending customer meetings over Zoom and internal meetings. My favorite days are the days when I can meet customers in person. I have the privilege to travel often to different location to solve problems with customers, drop off items, plan for the upcoming year, and present our curriculum. Zoom is great, but there is nothing better than meeting customers face to face and building a relationship from that interaction. I always like to think my customers are my friends, and I always show up with a gift.

Tell us about a time you have really been able to see your impact in your work or with our customers.

A teacher in a pilot program was testing The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. She was apprehensive at first, but once she dove into the Balls study, she only had wonderful things to say. She said in all her years of teaching, this was the first time her students felt connected to the rest of the school. The PE teacher, custodian, principal, and upper classroom all participated in the Balls study and interacted with the preschool students. She was impressed with not only what the students learned but how one study brought the school together.

What is your favorite part about working with Teaching Strategies customers?

I’m very fortunate to have a territory that covers several western states. My customers bring so much joy and positivity to early education, and I learn something new from them all the time. I love visiting classrooms where educators are using The Creative Curriculum. It’s amazing to see the curriculum come alive in so many different ways, and it’s unique to each classroom I visit.

What do you feel sets our product apart from our competitors’?

We are constantly evolving, and a lot of the feedback inspiring our updates comes from educators. We really focus on the play aspect of early childhood, and our programs are developmentally appropriate. We aren’t providing worksheets: children learn through play and interaction. Our digital option, The Creative Curriculum Cloud, makes planning easier, improves communication with families, and allows educators to differentiate teaching on the spot.