LAURA GROSS SMITH

454 South Undermountain Road

Sheffield, MA 01257

lauraagross@yahoo.com
www.laurasmithteacher.weebly.com

P.O. Box 392

413.358.3586

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Master of Arts in Teaching, English, Mount Holyoke College, S. Hadley MA, 2013
Bachelor of Arts, English, Minor in Medieval Studies, Mount Holyoke College, S. Hadley, MA, 2011
American and European Literature, Creative Writing: Poetry, the Short Story and the Novel, Analytical
and Essay Writing, Journalism, TEI
A.A., Business Careers, Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA
Massachusetts Educators License, English 8-12

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Teacher British Literature
Lee Middle and High School
Teach 2 sections of British Literature
Teach elective courses: Film Studies and Creative Writing
Provide support for students with IEP modifications and ESL students
Responsible for all aspects of classroom management
Maintain classroom culture
Create lesson plans and summative and formative assessments
Participate in professional development sessions

2015 Present
Lee, MA

Teacher (one year position)

2014 - 2015
Springfield Renaissance School
Springfield, MA
Taught four sections of tenth grade English and one section of Senior Crew through January
Taught four sections of eleventh grade English and one section of Freshman Crew
Teacher
OLLI, Berkshire Community College
2012 - Present
Designed four original courses for adult learners: How to Avoid the Plague and Have Fun Doing It: Boccaccios
Decameron, The Canterbury Tales: A Fourteenth Century Road Trip, A Literary Medieval Tapas, and To Hell
and Back: Dantes Inferno
Presented weekly classes using multimedia and primary resources in English and Italian
Long Term Substitute Teacher / Substitute Teacher
Monument Mountain Regional High School

September 2011 June 2014

Great Barrington, MA

Designed and taught two semester-long courses in English: Fantasy Folklore and Mythology, and Advanced
English Projects (student teaching 2013)
Designed and presented all lessons for grade 10 Biology classes (Spring 2012)
Maintained classroom procedures and protocols
Co-taught one class of Science and Technology
Provided modifications and accommodations for students with IEPs
Participated in all school programs and activities (including Spartan Launch)
Cotaught summer transitional program for at risk incoming freshmen
Tutored tenth grade students for MCAS ELA exam
Aided librarian during prep periods, helping students with research projects and maintenance of library

Coordinator, Teen Leadership Training Program

Berkshire South Regional Community Center

Summer 2013, 2014 and 2015

Great Barrington, MA

Designed and executed nine-week summer curriculum for students entering grades 8 10
Facilitated team building exercises, including ropes course
Aided students in acquiring employmentrelated skills, including resume building and interviewing

PUBLISHED WORKS
Wu Xing, Lyrics for Composition commissioned by Crescendo Chorus, 2013
Springs Third Day, A Book of Poems, Planet Media Publishing, 2009
The Job Thats Not on My Resume, article, Spirituality & Health Magazine, 2011
Feature stories for The Berkshire Eagle, 2008 - 2011
Short stories for the Blackstick Review (South Hadley, MA) and Pathways Journal (Pittsfield, MA)
Columnist for the Mount Holyoke News (South Hadley, MA)

AFFILIATIONS AND RELATED EXPERIENCES

Owner and Manager
Employment Trainer
Gallery Assistant
Avid long distance runner
Member

The Painted Ladybug, Lenox, MA

BCARC, Pittsfield, MA
Image Gallery, Stockbridge, MA
Hartford Marathon 2010; Half Marathons
Dante Society of America

REFERENCES FOR LAURA GROSS SMITH

Gregg Trimmer
Mentor Teacher
Springfield Renaissance School
gtrimmer@sps.springfield.ma.us
Marianne R. Young
Principal
Monument Mountain Regional High School
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413.528.3346
marianne.young@bhrsd.org
Beverly Bell
Professor of Education
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA 01075
413.538.3470
bbell@mtholyoke.edu