Notes from our Certified Teacher: Amy Laufer

Amy Laufer is an award-winning educator who lives in Los Angeles, California. She comes from a family of card players and has childhood memories of falling asleep to the sounds of shuffling cards from her parents’ weekly Pinochle and Gin Rummy games.

A retired elementary school teacher, Amy now has a second career as an instructional coach, working with teachers all across the country to help improve student outcomes. Amy rediscovered her love for Canasta, a game she played as a teen growing up in Brooklyn, New York, when several years ago, she and her Hadassah friends got together to learn the game. In her quest to deepen their understanding of the game, Amy discovered the Canasta League of America.

Amy now combines her passion for teaching with her love for Canasta. As an Accredited Senior Instructor for CLA, she enjoys teaching beginners and watching them grow into seasoned players, and especially enjoys teaching strategy and enhancing the knowledge of those looking to strengthen their skills. Amy teaches individual and group lessons, both in person and virtually. She strives to meet the individual needs and learning styles of each of her students, while making the learning lots of fun.

She tells us that Canasta Junction was an amazing find during the pandemic. She and her Canasta friends were able to maintain their weekly games, switching from in person play to online, and managed to enhance and strengthen their relationships by video chatting on their phones as they played on the Canasta Junction app on their iPads or computers.

Besides enjoying her weekly Canasta games, Amy co-facilitates monthly book and movie groups, enjoys being outdoors in Southern California and traveling to places near and far with her husband and family.

Amy teaches Canasta lessons in-person in the Los Angeles area, including the San Fernando Valley, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Ventura County.