Sandy Johnson has always revelled in his students’ “aha” moments — those moments where a concept finally makes sense or where a new interest is sparked. Over the years, he has found the same joy in helping teachers experience their own moments of discovery. That joy led him down a path focused on the significance of professional development (PD) in the teaching profession.
Now an assistant principal, Johnson taught senior high math for 16 years. He realized early on that classrooms and students are dynamic, and that every class is different. Finding new and interesting ways to engage students was essential. As he began experimenting and figuring out what was landing (or not) in his classroom, he also leaned into PD for himself and his colleagues.
“In my role as mathematics teacher and department chair, it was important for me to be developing the best I could for my students and my department, for me to try new things and experiment,” he says. “I found I love using board games to teach math, so I wanted to show other teachers some of those as options to try.”
Johnson presented at teachers’ convention to share his learnings on what worked for his students. His interest in ongoing PD soon turned academic, and Johnson earned a master’s degree in educational leadership, his capstone project focusing on the connection between PD and the professional identity of teachers.
“It’s always been the field where I’ve found the most joy in the profession, that PD piece and connecting with colleagues, exploring new ways of doing things and collaborating.”
There’s something very cathartic and rewarding about connecting with other colleagues that are going through the same experiences.”
Along the way, Johnson also became more engaged with his professional association, including working with his teachers’ convention association and serving as a school representative.
“Volunteering as a school rep gets your feet wet,” Johnson says, “You start to meet people and find your way and see what area within your local you can take on that’s meaningful to you.”
In 2024, Johnson became his ATA local’s PD chair, a natural fit for him.
Over the past year-and-a-half, Johnson has helped provide his colleagues with resources, webinars and PD opportunities that help them grow as professionals and build connections with teachers beyond their school walls.
“There’s something very cathartic and rewarding about connecting with other colleagues that are going through the same experiences,” Johnson says. “We’re all in this together. We’re all going to grow together and learn from each other.”
So far, Johnson is enjoying his work as PD chair. The commitment is manageable — he gets to pick when and where the PD events happen — and he loves helping spark someone else’s journey within their profession.
“Being PD chair, it’s a chance to support teachers in being their best selves,” he says. “To me that’s meaningful work.”
While it was his passion for learning that drove Johnson to take on a role in his ATA local, collegial connections are what will keep him there.
“Getting involved in the local, volunteering your time gives you a better sense of the work that the ATA does,” he says. “It allows you to be part of a professional community beyond your school … and it lets you take ownership of yourself as a professional.”
