Peter Johnston is one of my teaching mentors, a Bright Spot whose words and ideas reach beyond the classroom into the way I see the world, my kids, my friends.
Dr. Johnston is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Albany in New York. His long career of teaching, researching, and noticing has led to countless publications, awards, and conversations around building intellectually healthy classrooms, which, he believes, won’t be achieved without socially and emotionally healthy students.
His newest book, co-authored with six remarkable classroom teachers is called Engaging Literate Minds, K-3: Literacy Teaching That Grows Children’s Social, Emotional, and Intellectual Lives.
Peter and I talk about the importance of imagination, noticing, equity, and community. We talk about teachers and learners who pursue justice in the world because, perhaps, they learned to care about each other in the classroom.
