Jen Johnson, an educator in District 11 New York City Public Schools (NY), has been named the Open Up Resources EL Education K–8 Language Arts Teacher of the Month for June. Johnson is being recognized for her outstanding work in her classroom and ongoing support of teachers across the country as a member of the Open Up Resources National Professional Learning Community.

Johnson’s work with EL Education K–8 Language Arts makes her one of the most innovative teachers in the country. The EL Education K–8 Language Arts curriculum inspires a new way of teaching language arts by engaging students through compelling, real-world content to build equitable and inclusive learning opportunities.

Rosemary Loughran, a colleague at NYC Department of Education, nominated Johnson for her leadership and support. 

Loughran began Johnson’s nomination in reflection of the challenges brought on by this school year: “I am the self contained teacher for a 4/5 bridge class. This is my first year as part of the 5th grade team. We started the year in the building with all students learning remotely. As the year has progressed we have been in and out of the school as we deal with positive Covid cases. As we all know it has been a very difficult year to be a teacher.”

In her nomination, Loughran described Johnson as a great support and resource at the school. She explained, “Jen is our ELA team leader and she is a great source of strength and knowledge for the entire team. She shares that strength and knowledge willingly. She assists all of the teachers on our team to help us create a stronger team so we can better meet ALL of the needs of our students. I know that when I am presenting a lesson to my students it is important to provide a model. Jen is a model for the EL approach. She is a master of her craft and shares her knowledge and skills freely; she encourages students and teachers alike to find their voice, not just on our grade-wide team, but throughout the entire school; and finally, Jen designs tasks and activities that challenge and celebrate ALL of our students.”

Open Up Resources is a non-profit on a mission to increase equity in education by making excellent, top-rated curricula freely available to districts. You can learn more at www.openupresources.org. Learn more about our National Professional Learning Communities here.