My days are a blend of guiding our curious three to five-year-olds through their daily discoveries and mentoring fellow teachers. Each morning, I collaborate with my little learners to set up our space, ensuring it's filled with activities that spark their current interests. Our days are structured around key moments like circle time and creative play, but I always keep an eye on their evolving curiosities and needs, making every day a unique adventure in learning and growth.

Teacher

Samantha Johnson Highlight

Day In The Life Of A Preschool Teacher

Education's Future: Teachers + Families

See teachers, parents, and communities collaborate

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Education's Future: Teachers + Families logo

Explore how educators are doing community-based work to engage families in learning, fight against inequities head on, and create a more optimistic vision for a future uniting families, educators, and communities.

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Poster for Education's Future: Teachers + Families

Photo of the roadtrippers high fiving an interview subject

Photo of the green RV and roadtrippers in a picturesque gorge

Photo of the roadtrippers walking into the Fort Washakie School accompanied by staff

Photo of the roadtrippers by an outdoor modern art installation

Photo of the roadtrippers posing with a statue of Yogi Bear on a bench

Photo of the roadtrippers striking a silly pose for the camera

Photo of the roadtrippers striking a silly pose outside the green RV

Photo of the roadtrippers talking with Parent Teacher Home Visits co-founder Yesenia Ramirez

Photo of the roadtrippers posing by the beach

Photo of the roadtrippers posing with Val Teichert and Elva Pulido from the Family Support Center

Photo of the roadtrippers interviewing Travis Allred of Envision Utah

Photo of roadtripper Brandon posing by a fancy fireplace

Photo of the roadtrippers walking through a natural environment

Wide shot photo of roadtripper Brandon on a skate board

I'm going on a road trip in a big green RV with two other teachers. &gt;&gt; From Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, basically all states on the exact opposite side of the country I've been on my entire life. &gt;&gt; The theme of our road trip is family and community engagement. &gt;&gt; We're gonna be interviewing teachers, parents, people that work in schools or with schools. &gt;&gt; Those that can really give us at least a different perspective on how we can connect families, communities, and the classroom we're trying to have students learn in. &gt;&gt; Lots of different things I can learn on this trip, like how I can get community members more involved. &gt;&gt; What are some recommendations on establishing these fantastic relationships with parents? &gt;&gt; What does the future of education look like for you with the parent family engagement? &gt;&gt; Such a great question. &gt;&gt; Education starts at home. Teachers talk about certain things in the classroom, but parents, sometimes they don't know what to say or how to follow up and reinforce these things at home. So what are schools and teachers doing to kinda fill them in? &gt;&gt; It's not just up to a teacher when they get to kindergarten is when you start learning. It's like no, no, no. It's from the first day, mom, dad, you guys are brain builders, and I need your help. &gt;&gt; Hearing these positive stories and all the inspiration from the leaders, I think it's definitely filling that part of me that wants the feedback and wants to teach and wants to put a smile on these children's face. &gt;&gt; I feel like we're getting back to that community and family. We're just making a better world for our kids and giving them the future they deserve. &gt;&gt; I want to do more, not just in my class one year I have them. I wanna be that for a vast majority of students in my county, in my state, in my area, my community. &gt;&gt; This experience has been transformative for me. I've been able to gear toward finding my identity outside of being a mother. I haven't really been able to take a step back, reflect, ask myself questions about me and my identity, so this trip has definitely given me that opportunity. &gt;&gt; Find some way to reach out to your families and to your students. Get to know them as human beings. See them in their full humanity and let them see you in your full humanity. &gt;&gt; What are you doing in the community? And how is that gonna impact the community? And strong families bring strong communities, so it sounds like you guys are doing great work. &gt;&gt; Families need to be involved, to help raise and build these strong characters that we need in the world. [MUSIC] 

Follow young educators as they explore how to better engage with students, their families and caregivers, and the communities they come from.

Education's Future: Teachers + Families Trailer

Meet the roadtrippers and follow them as they interview superintendents, teachers of the year, and more.

Episode 1: The Classroom Is Changing

Explore how parents, teachers, and community leaders are doing their part to help students flourish in the classroom and out of it.

Samantha Johnson

Teacher

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Samantha Johnson

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My work combines:

My work combines:

Education

Non-Profit Organizations

Teaching / Mentoring

Day to Day

Interviewed By

Education's Future: Teachers + Families

Samantha Johnson

Teacher

Videos

Samantha Johnson

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Education

Non-Profit Organizations

Teaching / Mentoring

Day to Day

Interviewed By

Education's Future: Teachers + Families

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