Although it is early in her career, Ms. Shurley has already amassed an impressive record of achievement. She was awarded the Silver Universal Literacy Award for 2009 while at Meadowbrook Elementary School. She was also invited to present at the Angelo State University’s 6th Annual Fall Literary Conference.

Katheryn Shurley is a graduate of DeVry University in Irving, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and a 3.0 overall grade point average. In 2008, she graduated from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, with a Generalist EC-4 certification and an EC-12 Special Education certification. During her time at Angelo State University, Ms. Shurley was recognized on the Dean’s List for five semesters and earned a grade point average of 3.5.

After completing her education, Katheryn Shurley served as a student teacher at Austin Elementary School in San Angelo, Texas. She worked in a second-grade classroom, where she used technology and diverse learning strategies to develop and teach lessons in reading, language arts, math, and science. She also gained experience working with special education students in a fifth-grade classroom, where she led small-group reading activities, tutored students in math, and designed activities to support Herman method lessons.

In 2008, Ms. Shurley was hired as a Kindergarten Inclusion Teacher at Meadowbrook Elementary School in Waco, Texas. There, she provided 3-tier and scaffold instruction and supplemental center activities for math and language arts learning objectives.

Ms. Shurley’s conference presentation, “Meet Diane deGroat and Gilbert,” arose from her experience of preparing lesson plans in concert with a school visit from Diane deGroat, the famed children’s book author. The innovative lessons and activity ideas so impressed Ms. deGroat that they are posted on the author’s website as a model for other educators to follow.

Katheryn Shurley’s work can be found under the “Classroom Connections” section of Diane deGroat’s website, at www.dianedegroat.com/Diane_deGroat_3.html.