She substitute taught in K–12 for many years before having the privilege of teaching in a self-contained gifted program. Those early years helped prepare her for 15+ years with gifted elementary students that required flexibility and quick thinking. She still relishes the opportunity to meet and communicate with former students from those classroom years. These students have specifically remembered their study guides as a powerful force in their education. During those years in gifted, Candy and Janice collaborated on the literature-based study guides for the foundation of a solid language arts curriculum.