I am Laura Tugby, the Owner and Founder of Motivating Minds in Upper Elementary. As a busy classroom teacher, I assist other Upper Elementary teachers in planning and simplifying their workloads.

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   I have been teaching at the elementary level for more than 15 years, primarily in grades 4, 5 and 6. I was always dedicated to my students, often being the last to leave, with my nights and weekends filled with schoolwork.

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   My passion for creating lessons that promote critical thinking led me to leadership roles within my school and professional development sessions, where I helped teachers map their instruction, plan engaging lessons and implement purposeful use of technology. Despite my love for this work, I eventually became overwhelmed and realized I needed a change.

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   However, I didn't want the change to be just for myself. I aimed to create solutions that would lighten the load for overwhelmed teachers everywhere and provide quality, research-based teaching materials.

Thus, I transformed my passion into a business that empowers others.