Creativity, connectivity and following in footsteps: ICS’s Johnson approaches 25 years teaching

Rhonda Johnson, who teaches at Immaculate Conception School in Morris, has been teaching fifth grade students for 25 years, following in the footsteps of some of her favorite teachers.

Johnson is in her 31st year of teaching, starting out at Saratoga Elementary before moving to Immaculate Conception.

“What is different is we can bring our Christian values into every class, whether it’s reading or science,” Johnson. That connection is always there, and my students now ask what the connection is. They’re always able to figure it out."

Johnson said part of the move to Immaculate Conception came when her kids were younger. Her husband taught at Morris High School, but she had three kids at three schools and they were trying to get to events at all three fairly often. Moving to Immaculate Conception to have all three under one roof made sense. She realized it was where she wanted to be.

Johnson enjoys getting to teach every subject and connecting them. The kids tease her about it.

“We’ll take out our reading and I’ll say ‘oh, this is my favorite,’” Johnson said. “Then we get to social studies and I’ll say ‘oh, I love this lesson. It’s my favorite.’ The kids always tell me I say that about everything. I think there’s something about every academic area I love, whether it’s grammar and diagramming or literature, introducing the kids to a new genre.”

At the time Johnson sat down for an interview, her students were working on writing and illustrating their own fairy tales. The project starts with studying the elements of a fairy tale, and the students then go through numerous different tales to pick those elements out.

They then go through the writing process of outlining, drafting and rewriting. That same day, the kids were presenting their projects.

“I love to see their enthusiasm and the way they support one another,” Johnson said. “Fifth grade is the perfect age where they want to be considered big kids, but they still like hugs and they’re still sweet and goodhearted. They still support each other.”

Johnson said she focuses a lot on project-based learning, getting the students to work with each other and in groups. For her, it’s the method that’s worked best in the classroom.

It also helps build a family atmosphere. Johnson said it gets the kids connected and helps each other the best they can.