A man playing a letter game with a student in a classroom

Child Care Champion Spotlight: Damon Johnson

Michele Darland recently sat down with Damon Johnson at Skip-A-Long Center in Davenport, where he’s been shaping young minds as an ages 3 and 4 teacher in the Lightning Bug classroom. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Damon has dedicated his career to fostering creativity, curiosity, and confidence in his students.

Learn what drives his passion for teaching and the rewarding experiences he’s had during his teaching journey.

What initially inspired you to become an early childhood educator, and how has that motivation evolved over the years?

Actually, I kind of fell into it. I got a bachelor of science in genetics at Iowa State, and then my teaching certification from the University of Iowa. By that point, I had already decided to go into teaching. While I was waiting to hear back from several junior high schools, I applied at Skip-A-Long. I found that I had an innate ability to interact and connect with the kids in this age group. I became less and less interested in looking for teaching jobs in the junior high because this fit so well.

Over the course of your career, what changes in early childhood education have had the most significant impact on how you approach your teaching?

The biggest change is the over reliance on technology. Kids spend a lot of time with technology at home. They’ve been so focused on that type of play, that when they come to the classroom, they have a hard time interacting with each other. We need to focus on how kids develop relationships. By the time they go to kindergarten if they haven’t formed the fundamental relationship skills it can really hinder them.

How do you maintain your passion and enthusiasm for teaching after two decades in the field?

The kids are always going to be different from year to year. There’s always going to be change to deal with, each year the dynamics of my classroom changes. There are activities that I implement year after year, but I’m constantly improving upon them and adding something new if a certain way didn’t work.

I’m also a routine oriented person which translates well in the classroom; the kids want structure and to understand the expectations of the day. I do not need big changes to keep me motivated in my career, I keep working on making small, subtle changes which I love.

What do you believe are the most important qualities that young children need to develop in their early years, and how do you foster those in your classroom?

Self-regulation. It’s the hardest thing to grasp as a three-year-old, and the most important. They have to learn how to regulate their emotions. My kids will know when I’m angry and they’ll know when I’m sad. You lead by example and acknowledge your emotions and why you’re feeling that way.

As adults we innately don’t like to express or show negative emotions but that doesn’t help the little ones. We have to show, as role models, ways to regulate emotions. If a child doesn’t learn to understands their feelings it leads to problems later in school.

Can you share a particularly memorable moment or story from your teaching career that had a lasting impact on you or a child?

About my third year here, I had a little girl who was completely intimidated by me. It was the first time, outside of her family that she had a male teacher. For the first three months she wanted nothing to do with me. And then around the fourth month, she started to hang around me and by the time the year ended, I was her favorite teacher. I was her best friend in the classroom. It’s building that connection over time that really meant so much to me.

What challenges have you faced as a male educator in an early learning center, and how have you navigated them?

Breaking down the stereotypes that people associate with a male teacher in a young classroom. There are only two things I can control in this world and it’s my actions and my words. I broke down those stereotypes and preconceived notions by showing who I am and being true to myself, every day.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in early childhood education today?

Focus on the kids. As far as my priority list, kids always come first. Sometimes we focus too much on making the parents happy; there’s no chance I can match the expectations of every parent when I have sixteen kids in my class. If you focus on the children and how you’re helping them grow, everyone wins.

What are the goals you want to accomplish with the three-year olds to make them ready for pre-k?

I have a few benchmarks that I want all of my kids to accomplish. By the time they move to the four-year-old class, I want them to know half their letters. I know in kindergarten they’re expected to know all of their letters, so if you know half now by the end of age four, you’ll know all.

My other goal is to have the kids learn to write their names. About a third of my kids make this goal. I want them to be comfortable with the process of writing. And, the ability to describe what they’re feeling. Empathy comes later.

What’s something as a society that we don’t know that you think is important for parents and care givers to know?

I don’t think people understand how truly adaptable kids are at this age. We tend to lump them in with what we see on TV. They can do so much more than we actually give them credit for. They’re far more capable of learning. We tend to do things for them because it’s quicker and easier, but it’s far more beneficial to let them figure out their skills and abilities. It gives a child confidence and stability. At the end of the day, what we want from our children is to be able to handle things for themselves.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career, and what keeps you motivated in your work?

Like I said, it’s the small, subtle improvements that motivate me. The small things are the most rewarding. The moment I walk into the classroom and the kids are happy to see me and run up to me and give me a hug. The hug in the morning and the wave goodbye at the end of the day. Those two things are my biggest reward.

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