Fun and Easy Ideas from the desk of Mrs. Jennifer Johnson

I am very blessed to be surrounded by some of the most creative and inspiring group of teachers at Sardis High School. Our faculty defies the"all-business, no fun" secondary education mold that is common among most high school teachers. Most people assume that high school is a boring place where we herd students around like cattle while trying to make them into functioning members of society. In reality, high school students are just like elementary students, they are just a lot taller and smell a little different! My students love that my classroom is decorated and they love having their work displayed in the hallway. They love participating in art projects and take pride in their finished product. High School students are just a little rough around the edges from time to time, but with a little love and creativity, they can be engaged in any classroom setting.

At Sardis, one of the most creative teachers on our faculty is Mrs. Jennifer Johnson. Mrs. Johnson teaches AP Calculus, AP Statistics, Geometry, and Algebra 1. Her schedule makes my head hurt just typing it! Jennifer is also married to a coach/teacher, Jeff Johnson, together they have three beautiful little girls. Mrs. Johnson is an amazing cook, too! I will feature some of her recipes in the very near future. She could give Martha Stewart a run for her money!

From the Desk of Mrs. Johnson:

Much like most teachers, Jennifer is always looking for a way to "spice up" her classroom. Last year, she was on her way home from school and noticed that her neighbors had an old desk sitting next to their garbage can. She asked them if she could take it off their hands and ta-da she had a new, but slightly used desk. She spray painted it and set it up in her classroom. Yesterday, she was trying to figure out how she could fix the chipping paint on the top of the desk when the most amazing idea popped in her head: duck tape! She bought some duck tape sheets and gave her desk a fabulous makeover in just a few minutes. 

One of my most favorite corners of Mrs. Johnson's room is the famous "Wall of A's." When students make an A on a test, she gives them a an A cut from construction paper, lets them put their name and the date on it, and tapes it to her wall. The students love having their A on display. She keeps them posted until they fall off on their own. She has many A's from many years past.

In high school, students love to go visit the bathroom, the school nurse, the office, or pretty much anywhere besides the classroom. Just like elementary kids, our high schoolers tend to wander around the school instead of actually going to the bathroom. In an effort to keep up with the whereabouts of her students, Mrs. Johnson has created a system that I am going to use in my own classroom. She has created passes for the students to use (a requirement from our administrators) and a section of her board for the students to write where they going once they get the pass.









This week has been quite busy as I prepare my own classroom for my students on Monday. I hope to reveal my classroom on the blog by tomorrow. I had better get busy! Have a great Friday!