2019 Kansas Master Teacher Laura A. Gaughan

“Life itself will provide enough challenge in a child’s lifetime that I don’t ever want reading and writing to be one of those struggles,” states Laura A. Gaughan, an elementary reading specialist for O’Loughlin Elementary School in USD 489 Hays.

“Success can be so small at times yet so significant,” Gaughan said. In her daily one-on-one work with struggling readers, Gaughan delights in every bit of progress made. “If [the student] feels confident in knowing what to do when [they] read and now enjoys reading, then we are both successful!”

Gaughan earned an associate’s degree in 1987 from Barton County Community College and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Kansas State University in 1989. After teaching upper grades, then primary, for five years, she participated in Reading Recovery® training which “changed my professional career,” and motivated her to complete a master’s in elementary education with an emphasis in reading in 2001 from Fort Hays State University.

This did not just impact her career but the direction of her school district. The district decided to train additional Reading Recovery® teachers and now, training that was once just for Title I teachers is now being offered to classroom, special education, and ELL teachers.

Concerned about summer reading loss, Gaughan co-wrote a $50,000 grant recently to fund summer school for 120 kindergarten through second-grade who were struggling the most in her district. Reading, singing songs, dancing, sharing stories, library visits, and meeting with a local author all helped the students’ reading levels stay the same or increase over the summer.

Whether she is hitting garage sales to fund her classroom library or giving kids who have never been near a horse a chance to ride one on her farm, Gaughan is all about providing students with opportunities they might not otherwise have.

“I know what the research says about what is and isn’t important in educating kids,” Gaughan said. “I have 27 years of experience, 27 years of students, and 27 years of colleagues I have learned from, and I soak it in and value it all!”