Laila Y. Sanguras is a former middle school teacher. That means she's an expert in managing parent loops, writing accommodations, field trip planning, and navigating the highs and lows of middle school emotions. Plus, she knows some stuff about language arts. Her interest in grit stemmed from observing her students balk at challenging activities in school, yet excel despite struggling in areas outside of school. She received her doctorate in educational psychology from the University of North Texas. It sounds boring, but really it's exciting. A storyteller at heart, she now deeply understands how she can use numbers and words to narrate our experiences.