What is your name? Where do you teach? My name is Sherry Johnson. I teach at Riverside Elementary School.

What subject(s) do you teach? I teach all subjects in 5th grade.

What is your favorite thing about the subject(s) you teach? I love teaching Social Studies. My students are so interested in history. They love learning about the past.

Sherry Johnson

How long have you been a teacher? I have been a teacher for 16 years.

How has the profession of teaching changed since you started? There is so much more technology since I started teaching. It has been a challenge for me to learn how to implement all the new gadgets.

Why did you become a teacher? As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. I used to “play school” all the time. My two aunts were teachers. I believe I was influenced by them.

What is your favorite thing about teaching? I love the moment when a child finally understands something.

Do you do anything special in the classroom to get through to your students? I treat students with respect. I have high expectations. I encourage them to do their best. They seem motivated because someone believes in them.

What is the hardest part of your job? The hardest part of my job is watching my class move on to the next grade. I get so attached to them. I really miss them.

Are you involved in any extra curricular activities at the school? I am the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers building representative. I am also serving on the Positive Behavior Committee.

Do you utilize any special technology in the classroom? My school just received Promethean boards. I’m just beginning to learn all about that. It is a great learning tool for the students!

Have you received any grants to aid you in the classroom? No.

What do you do during your summer vacations? My husband and I go on a cruise every year at the end of school. Then, I try to relax the rest of the summer.

Do you aspire to become a principal one day? No, I love being in the classroom too much. I think that I would miss teaching the children on a daily basis.

What’s the craziest thing that has ever happened while you were teaching? At my previous school, my classroom was located across from the bathrooms.

Our school had major on-going plumbing problems. One day, the sewer system backed up and greenish-black sludge came pouring in under my classroom door. Needless to say, the children were sent home early that day.