Meet Laura - Down River Resources | Your Elementary Math Guide

Meet Laura

You are a hardworking teacher.

But, if your job is time-consuming.

Whether you just are looking for something new to engage all of your students, especially your diverse learners, or you are depressed by the overwhelming time you spend searching for materials that meet your objectives—you’re in the right place.

Since you’re here right now, something tells me that you’re full of passion and commitment and have a strong sense of getting things done.

Perhaps you…

  • Have no idea how to teach the tricky teen numbers
  • Need help engaging your diverse students in the content
  • Want to ditch paper pre-assessment but don't know how
  • Feel isolated? You wish more people at work or home could relate to what you’re trying to do. (Your friends and family are supportive, but just don’t quite “get it.”)

No matter where you are in your teaching journey, you want to have a bigger impact on your students.


You want to use the resources you have, or can obtain, to their fullest. You’re READY to learn one more strategy, one more trick, to push you or your students over the next mountain.

But you just don’t know how to make that a reality. You feel stuck.

Oh, trust me, friend. I’ve totally been there.


Howdy, friends! My name is Laura Williams and I am PASSIONATE about keeping teachers, just like you, afloat by creating diverse, rigorous resources for the K-5 elementary math classroom.

How did this become my life?

After I earned a B.S. in Elementary Education, I began teaching in my small New Mexico hometown. I concurrently obtained a M.A. degree and wrote a 220-page thesis paper. (I have NO idea I did this looking back on my life. I am so glad I did though.) I met and married a dreamy Texan and moved to Texas to join him. Thankfully, I obtained a position with a dynamic school district and began teaching along the U.S.-Mexico border.

I found myself drowning with all of the new information. I was teaching in a new state, with different, rigorous standards, and a completely different grade level in which I was hired to teach (I was hired and taught first grade for 11 days before being promoted to fifth grade...I hadn’t taught any grades higher than second grade EVER!) I was COMPLETELY lost.

I stayed up late at night reading through the standards and cross-referenced all of the “buzz words” that I found along the way. I read about and implemented best practices. When all was said and done, my fifth graders mastered the content as measured by the state assessment.  (Did I mention this was the first time these students were completely immersed in an English classroom? Yes, when I say state assessment, I mean the infamous STAAR.)

It was through this experience that my passion for helping other teachers, especially new teachers and those new to different grade level, grew...and the reason that Down River Resources was created.

I learned the hard way how to navigate the standards and lead my students down the path to content mastery.

I taught in public education as a classroom teacher and instructional coach for over 15 years. I took my vocation on the road as a traveling instructional specialist. I earned an additional M.A. degree in Curriculum and Instruction, specializing in math education!

I am now serving the homeschool community with my gifts and talents teaching small groups of students weekly and my own three children!

My hope is to keep you afloat as you navigate the standards too with print + digital resources that I create specifically for this purpose!


Now, with my experiences in mind, I have a few beliefs:

  • I believe you have the power to use what you know and what you have to build a classroom community that brings you joy and changes your diverse students’ lives.
  • I believe you deserve quality, rigorous resources that match your level of excellence in the classroom.
  • If I’m being real with you, I believe that three cups of Texas pecan flavored coffee can cure almost any bad day.

The gist is this: you’ve got an important job to do…and I’m here to help you do that like the AMAZING teacher that you are!

Before you go, I would love to know you better! Would you be interested in FREE tips + resources to help you keep afloat in the classroom? If so, I would be thrilled for you to join me as a valued partner. I will send you a FREE guide to help you understand the basics of number sense that includes bonus printables for you to use NOW!

Thanks for being here and entrusting me to help you. I sincerely appreciate it…and you.

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