Laura Johnston
Educational Therapist

Laura Johnston earned her degree in Early Childhood Education at The University of Memphis and began her teaching career in the Shelby County public school system in Memphis, Tennessee. Laura taught in the classroom for six years, gaining experience with multiple elementary grade levels, and spent two years teaching in a classroom focused on specialized education for diverse learners. A move to Atlanta with her husband allowed Laura dedicate her time to furthering her own education by attending the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education and completing the Orton-Gillingham training program. Laura’s innate ability to teach made the transition to the private setting easy and she instantly became an integral part of the Academics Plus team. Her in-depth understanding of current levels of academic performance and her extensive classroom experience granted the opportunity to incorporate key curriculum standards and benchmarks into our Day Learning Program for homeschool students. Laura's seasoned knowledge, continuously positive attitude and desire for life-long learning pave the way for students' success.

"I always knew I was going to be a teacher. I come from a family of educators and there was no question in my mind that it was what I was going to do. Achieving that dream was all that I expected, but as a teacher in a public school it was amazing to me how much the education system was changing. With all of the pressure and rigorous testing, I began to feel like I wasn’t able to provide the students with what they truly needed. I considered leaving teaching. When I found Katie and Academics Plus, it was like a breath of fresh air. The individualized attention that is provided is so important. The biggest difference that I notice is that our students feel like they have someone on their team. We know that children are capable. It’s not “if“ they are going to meet their goals, but “when,” and developing plans to get them there. There is no giving up. I hope our students always know how much we truly care about them!"