Though the most challenging students are often placed in her classroom, third-grade teacher Laura Lyman helps all of her students progress beyond expectations at Ishikawa Elementary School in Mesa. A master of differentiated instruction, Ms. Lyman expertly adapts to the individual needs of each student and uses visuals, costumes, voices and drawings to engage and actively involve her students. Their test scores are consistently high, with nearly all mastering the state's math and reading standards. Ms. Lyman became a certified reading specialist to provide her students with the most effective reading instruction possible. She leads the school's third-grade team and is the primary lead teacher for the reading design team, a group of in-school experts on reading acquisition. As a culminating activity for a reading lesson on the International Summer Olympics, Ms. Lyman's students hold an outdoor event called the Third-Grade Olympics. Just one more way that this outstanding educator is helping turn children into champions.
