I want to make the [music] world a better place and I can do that by influencing kids. And when I go home at night and I lay my head on the pillow, that's the question I ask myself is, did I [music] make the world a better place today? And hopefully if I carry that with me, my daughter sees that same [music] kind of service mentality and
and understands that. And if you approach your life with that as your goal, you you have [music] a good goal, a valuable goal that's worthy of your best effort. like probably without realizing it. I've [music] se I've literally like seen with my own two eyes the impact that my dad has and I wanted
a fulfilling life and a fulfilling career that made me feel the same. [music] Imagine you're a high school history teacher and your classroom [music] is right down the hallway from your daughter, also a high school history [music] teacher. or flip that around.
Imagine you're starting your career as a teacher, following very closely in your father's footsteps. [music] That's the reality at Thunder Ridge High School. And in this episode of DCSD [music] Notebook, Mr. Johnson and Miss Johnson are going to tell us about their unique
fatheraughter professional colleague [music] relationship and how much education, mentoring, and making the world a [music] better place means to their family. I'm your host, Jason Hackett, communication director for Douglas County School District, [music] which by
the way, just before the release of this episode, found out its graduation [music] rate last year was 93.6%, the highest in the Denver [music] metro area. There's a number of reasons for that rate of success, but at the core,
it's about dedicated, excellent [music] teachers. This week, it's my honor to share a unique and amazing story about a multi-generational commitment to education and what makes Thunder Ridge such a great learning community.
[music] All right, we are here at Thunder Ridge High School with a father and daughter teaching pair. I'm going to let [music] them introduce themselves and tell us what they teach. So, go ahead. >> My name is Brad Johnson. I uh have been
in the district for 31 years and uh I teach American history at Thunderidge. I've had a long coaching career and I just I absolutely love my job. I've been at Thunder Ridge High School for the most part since it opened up. I was a teacher at Ranch View when it was the
first level of the school and then Ranch moved to its new building and I stayed here at Thunder Ridge and I've been here pretty much ever since. >> And my name is Anna Beth Johnson. I am also a American history teacher here at Thunderidge. I have been here for 1.5
years, so my stats aren't exactly as impressive, but I love my job. I love working here. And I get to work with my dad every day, so that's cool. >> And you're coaching. >> Oh, yes. And I coach um girls flag football, which is a very new. It like
just became a chassis sport two or three years ago. So that's been awesome for me to like connect with kids outside of school like that. >> We just saw something come through. There's a couple of flag football girls from our district that are getting to go to the Pro Bowl. >> Yeah. >> Is that any of your kids?
>> It's none of our kids, but yeah, it's blowing up like all across the country. Girls can get scholarships for it. Like I think it's at it's only has gone up to the D2 level now, but more and more D1 schools are like looking to start programs and recruiting girls. So, it's
such a cool thing and yeah, the girls absolutely love it that play. So, >> it is amazing to watch. I I've gotten to see a couple of games and it is so cool. >> It's so fun. >> And the dedication that they've got. >> Yes. >> And in my role, I've interviewed some of those players and and they're like,
"It's so cool because I never thought I would get to play football." >> Exactly. >> You know, and they grew up around it and now they get to. >> Yeah. >> It's really really cool. It's awesome now because we're starting to see girls who are kind of selective about what they're what sports they're participating. And we're seeing girls
choose to play flag football. And so as the sport grows, we're going to see more and more young girls that are actually flag football players and not girls that play another sport and flag football, right? >> Which is a unique situation for AnnaBth because when she was in high school, there was no flag football. So being one
of the first girls flag football coaches as CHASSA starts, it's a pretty new experience. Pretty cool to be on kind of the forefront of that. >> It's really cool. >> It's really cool. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And what do you coach, Brad? >> I actually have quite a lengthy coaching
resume. Uh when I started out, I coached flag football for the middle school. I also coached basketball here at Thunder Ridge for uh about 11 years. and I coached baseball here for 29 years and I did six as the head coach and I was an assistant under a great coach uh Joe
White who started the program. So he and I started the baseball program here uh a long long time ago at Thunder Ridge and so I actually just I've had one season two seasons of not uh being a head coach. So I've kind of taken a step back and kind of I'm enjoying it. I miss the
kids, but I don't miss some of the struggles you face as a head baseball coach, especially when you know it's going to snow all spring, >> right? Right. Exactly. Yeah. Your blood pressure is probably lower at this point. >> Much lower. Yes. It's great. >> Sure. So, you coached flag football. Did you go to your father for a little bit
of help on that side of things, too, or >> I haven't actually. So much of flag football has been me figuring out football. Um, which I I watch football. I like the NFL, stuff like that, but to like figure out how to translate that into girl, like two girls that have
never played the sport before has been like a pretty big learning curve of like like I think we were like halfway through last season and one of our girls was like, "What's a sack?" And I was like, "Oh, like I've realized we never actually told you what that like." So that was a huge learning curve just like
girls that have never interacted with this sport, much less played it. So for sure >> that's been a learning curve. I you coach like you coached boys flag football, didn't you? Yeah. So >> and at this point that was so long ago at this point I'd have to come to you to ask how to >> Yeah.
>> That's been a really cool thing for me as a dad watching watching Annabbeth really get involved in our school and truly understand what it means to be, you know, part of a high school culture and jump into coaching and jump into our teaching. And the lesson we've always
valued is your goal is to be an excellent teacher and an excellent coach, but you're you're an excellent teacher first. Coaching means just so much outside of the classroom as far as the relationships that you can build and just you know it adds a a level of value
to your teaching career that you know I've been a part of four state championship teams. We have two I've won two in baseball and two as an assistant in basketball. And those were some of the most incredible memories of my teaching career and the things that coaching exposed me to. I'm really
hopeful that Annabette's gonna get to go do some of those things and go to some football camps and learn from some great coaches and hopefully have some positive mentor coaches that'll enrich her career. So, it was it's been great for me and it's one of the things I've really valued about being here.
>> Yeah, absolutely. Well, and to also like you mentioned building the relationship with students when you're a brand new teacher last year. Like that's a big part of it I'm imagining. Right. >> 100%. That's why I mean I grew up watching my dad coach. So like I knew the value of it and I always played
sports and stuff in high school so I knew I was going to want to do that when I started teaching. I didn't think I was going to do it year one and put all that on my plate. But like you said, like building relationships with kids, not only the kids I had in class, but I got to know so many other students that I
would have otherwise never known. And like that's so cool to me. And it's so cool like your relationship with a coach is similar to your relationship with a teacher, but it's a lot different, right? like I'm teaching you the skills of playing a sport and that translate
more into like teamwork and accepting when you don't know how to do something and asking for help and stuff like that. So getting to interact with kids and get to know them that way was so valuable my first year and like has really benefited me this year too because now I have some
of those kids in class and like or I have their friends and they're like oh you coach my friend and stuff like that. So yeah, building relationships is such an important part of teaching and I think and I guess what he instilled in me that can only be done so much in the classroom, right? I have 90 minutes with
these kids a day. You can only get so far. So that was a huge reason why I decided to do it my first year. >> Is it almost you kind of get instant credibility as a teacher, you know, like, oh, new teacher here, but oh, she's a coach. >> 100%. Yeah. Yeah. That's another thing.
Yeah. I didn't have Miss Johnson, but she's my flag football coach. I loved her as a coach and stuff like that. So, and like just kids seeing your face, like seeing your face in and outside of school, it builds a positive image, I guess, and relationship to students
without even like directly doing anything, I guess. So, yeah, credibility wise, I guess the way to build it. >> It's so important, too, because the the relationships you build are lasting relationships. You know, I'm still talking to players that graduated. Shoot. We had uh one of my players in
our first class, his son is now, you know, playing baseball in Southern California. And we got graduation invitations to his son's graduation, which was wild because he's kind of the carbon copy of his dad as Mike Watson from our first graduating class. But to
build those relationships as a coach, they're lifelong relationships. And you know, you have that in the classroom, but the way you get to know the kids that you coach with is it's just on such a deeper level. You see, it's good to see kids struggle and overcome that struggle. It's good to support kids when
you know they have success, celebrate that. It's just a it's just a way to get to know kids on a deeper level that you really don't get to experience in the classroom as much. >> For sure. And the idea that you get to help them figure out and kind of equip
them with those tools for life. Yes. for those setbacks and things like that. And >> yeah, so it's been a really it's it's been it's been so cool for me to watch her as a young teacher and to see the confidence in my daughter as a coach and to see her lead kids and and guide kids
and, you know, strategize how to coach football and and learn herself, you know, as a lifelong learner. to see her continue to grow and uh not get sedentary and and watch her evolve and to see her really kind of value how important those relationships are means
a lot to me because I know she's going to be a great teacher because she values the right things. >> So speaking of valuing the right things, let's go all the way back to how how we got here that we have a father and daughter both teaching American history
in the same high school. Like how did that come about? >> Yes. >> Like just inspiration of I mean >> I'm being held here against my will. I had no choice. No, I I knew like super
early on that I wanted to be a teacher. My mom is a teacher, too. She teaches elementary school in the district, actually, but I knew that I did not want to teach elementary school. I like little kids. They're great. I couldn't do that all day. And I've always had an interest in history. Again, who knows if
that was a conscious or subconscious decision that I made just growing up to do >> but I've always known that I love that. So, when it came time to decide like when I was graduating high school, going to college and stuff, I didn't even
consider anything else. And then by the time I was a senior in college, student teaching rolled around and didn't get paid to student teach. So, I did wind up having to move back home. And just growing up around Thunderidge, like I
know this community so well. I've been going to basketball and baseball games my entire life. I know so much of the staff here. But being a younger teacher, I wanted to try middle school first because they say if you can conquer middle school, you can conquer the
world. Um, so I student taught at Ranch View Middle School with one of his former students, actually, Becky Carson, and amazing teacher. >> A fantastic teacher. Yeah. >> Um, so I student taught with her. It was amazing. But then when it came time to
apply, I just was thinking about it and I was like, I don't know. Should I do high school? I liked middle school, but I don't know. And I wound up just kind of applying for the job here, like on a whim. He didn't say anything about it. like we didn't really talk about it much. I just applied here and I did my
interview and I loved the people I interviewed with so much and I was like I hope I get it but like I understand they're in a weird position like I don't want them to think they have to hire me or do anything or stuff like that. So I mean I put my all into that interview cuz I wanted it to be me. Like I wanted
them to hire me because of me not my I didn't want to nepotism it. >> [laughter] >> And I this is one of the things that I completely stayed out of any conversations with anybody who was had anything to do with the hiring process or anything like that. And one of the
things I was really proud of Annabeth and I am I mean I told you this multiple times, but the day you interviewed here at Thunder Ridge, you had five interviews that day, four interviews that day. >> Yeah. It was like it was like two years ago right before we had that snowstorm
right before spring break. And so we were about to have two days off and so every school is like come in please come in. And I was like okay. So >> snow day looming. So they all lined you up and you just were exhausted after that day. But >> it was crazy. >> One of the things I was I was really
really proud of you for is she had five interviews that day >> and I think you got four job offers. >> I did. >> Which was >> Yeah. which made me really proud of just kind of how you approach this, the professionalism, the hard work, the dedication, and how much you care and
and are knowledgeable about teaching as such a young person, >> but to get four of those job offers, I was really proud of you. And uh it left you with some options where you could make some choices about where you wanted to be. And I have I have loved
Thunderidge High School. I've spent my entire adult life here. I love our community. I love our kids. I have great friendships here. Like it it is my entire adult life and it's been a really good life and I was really glad that you did well in your interview and that you
made the choice to come here because I think it's brought me a lot of happiness in my life and I wanted to see that for my kid. Who doesn't want to see that for their kid as a father? But you had so many choices to pick from and the idea >> I think that's why I chose here is because I've seen like I've seen the ins
and outs and the exhaustion of teaching. But I've also seen my dad stay here for so like it must be an amazing place if someone has stayed here for their entire career. So I think that was part why I chose it. Like I said like I know the community so well. I had already like built relationships from student
teaching over there. Um I didn't go to Thunderidge when I was in high school. I graduated from Chatfield and I also saw like that was a part of it too. I saw my experience there versus some of the people I knew that did go here and they were two very different maybe one was a
little more enjoyable than the other high school experiences. So that was part of it too. And yeah, I'm so thankful every day that I chose this as my job. >> Wow. >> Yeah. [laughter] how there's there's so many pieces of this that are just fascinating to me that how cool of a
story is this from a parent standpoint to just be like on one hand it's it's sort of kind of cool to feel like between your wife and you being teachers >> to know that you inspired one of your kids to also be a teacher that says a lot about their respect for what you do
first of all how cool is that >> I hope so I mean yeah and when I first started teaching my you know my thought people are why do you want why do you want to teach why do you want to do this and my philosophy is I you know I want to make the world a better place and I can do that by influencing kids and when
I go home at night and I lay my head on the pillow that's the question I ask myself is did I make the world a better place today and hopefully if I carry that with me my daughter sees that same kind of service mentality and and understands that and if you approach your life with that as your goal you're
you have a good goal a valuable goal that's worthy of your best effort. And I think you can go home after work and feel like you did some good for the world that day. And hopefully that's how Annabeth feels about it. And hopefully that's what drives her for 30 years
because you can't go wrong if that's your philosophy. >> We always joke because any restaurant, any mall, anywhere we go in the South Metro Denver area, Mr. Johnson, is that Mr. And it's kids from like 5 10 years
ago. It's kids from now. And like we're standing in Target for an extra 15 minutes just talking to this kid. I don't know. But I think that like probably without realizing it, I've se I've literally like seen with my own two eyes the impact that my dad has. And I wanted a fulfilling life and a
fulfilling career that made me feel the same. I I mean I'm not asking every kid to come up to me and say I ain't a target. Like that's not why I'm in this. But to see like that has been really cool and I wanted that for myself. So >> that's really cool. >> Yeah.
>> And so did you know from like a super early age then? >> Yes, I did. I like teetered with other ideas. I think I wanted to be like a dental hygienist for a second and then I was like wait I'm cleaning people's teeth was great but I don't I wouldn't
be changing anyone's lives or like my dad said I don't know if I could lay my head on a pillow every night and think like I made an impact today on someone somewhere. So I knew pretty early on. Yeah. And that's something that, you know, I've had conversations with my wife. She's a she's an elementary school teacher. I was telling Anna Beth this on
the way up here and and she knew from a super early age, like she had no question about it. I want to be a teacher and she has devoted her life to it. And I I don't want to say that anybody that comes in late in life and changes their mind and decides to be a teacher or something like that is any
different, right? But there's something pretty cool about just knowing and and having that sense of like this is my purpose cuz >> there's a lot of other people myself as many different jobs as I've had there's still times I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. >> Yeah, totally. And I'm, you know, I'm
nearing the end of of this career. And I I I know I'll look back at my life and feel like I I hope I did some good and and I have no no regrets about not going out and making a million dollars and and doing things like that. I I feel like
I've made an impact and that's what's important to me. My career's taken some interesting turns though. I was an assistant principal in this building for three years, which was an entirely different relationship that you have have with kids. And then I was an assistant principal in a middle school.
I was a finalist for a few principal ships. And I realized when I was doing the administration side of things that I was missing what was filling me up. I was missing kids and the path, you know, following administration. I admire the
people that that continue to do that. But the reasons I became a teacher were becoming less and less factors in in my daily life as an administrator. So an opportunity to come back to the classroom happened and I jumped at it. And I've not regretted a single moment of making that decision to come back.
But I also felt like I needed to test the waters and see if I would feel as much fulfillment in that role as I do as a teacher. And I definitely did not for me personally. I know there are people who who definitely get that out of that job, but I just missed the relationships
I had with kids in the classroom. And so I think Annabth seeing my life as an administrator versus my life um >> as a teacher has kind of shined the light on which one fits me better. And hopefully, you know, she'll make decisions throughout her career that
will guide her. And I don't regret testing the waters because it taught me something that I needed to know about myself. and I found out everything I need to know and I'm back here doing what I love. So, um, and she may go through that same path in her career and we'll see. So, we've had that kind of
conversation in my house, too. >> And and my wife is like, I can't imagine leaving the classroom. Just I can't. And so, there are some teachers that are just born to do it and and you can see it in the classroom when you watch them with kids and you just know it, you know, and it's it's such a cool thing to
see. Well, that's how I feel when I get to go down and see her classroom. And it makes me really proud to watch her teach. >> And you know, my my background as administrator, I can be pretty harsh on her, too, and giving her some evaluative feedback. But fortunately, when I go in
there and I put on an evaluator lens, I see nothing but great things, and she's doing an awesome job. So, I'm really proud of her. >> Thanks, Dad. >> As a dad and a coworker. >> There you go. So, that was going to be kind of my next set of questions here. How does that work then as co-workers
and and how do you draw the line and separate things and and I have a hard time picturing how I would do that with my daughters? >> Yeah, it's so funny because so many kid cuz our last name is Johnson which is so common. So many kids are like wait are you? And like like so many kids don't
put it together because we don't like I'm not like oh I got to go ask my dad for you know like stuff like that. I would say I mean sometimes we eat lunch together but we don't really interact much like daytoday. >> No, I mean I I joke about this with with
people my colleagues. I'm like I haven't told Annabbeth what to do since she was 12 years old. >> No. Yeah. >> He he learned that pretty quick about me >> pretty much at at a young age. You know I she was on her own making her own decisions and develop her own
personality. And in some ways, I feel bad for her because I think that there are times where she has to work twice as hard to prove something to other people, which she's resilient and she's tough and she's determined. So, she usually is pretty successful at doing that. But our
relationship, we, you know, she's home living with us right now, too. You know, saving. >> I live and work with my dad. >> It's awesome. >> It's awesome. >> It's so awesome. >> Yeah. So, we get plenty of fatherdaughter time at home, right? >> But, but she's a colleague of mine when
we're here at school and and I respect her and, you know, we actually have some planning time together where we're teaching a course that's the same. So, I love kind of mentoring her as far as the planning process. I love seeing her ideas. She's got great ideas and and as
an older teacher, I like to see a fresh pair of eyes. And who better to give me that than somebody I admire and respect and and trust and I I know where she comes from. Like she gives me some great ideas and it's it's awesome to have a younger person mentoring me sometimes.
>> Yeah, >> that was actually something I was going to ask. It's like the almost a generational difference and approach and understanding maybe how younger kids >> think and learn and things like that. Yeah, that's I mean definitely just like
even outside of being here with my dad, I see that as such a huge advantage of being a younger teacher is like I mean I was just in it. I was just where they were. So I kind of see their perspective a little bit more or maybe a little bit better. And sometimes even just the way
I talk like I can communicate it to them in a way that they like maybe understand a little bit better or relate better to. Um so that's what I like being a younger teacher. I mean, I know you guys can't see me on this, but I don't look like I look like I'm in high school. Um, but
being a younger teacher, I think has so many advantages for whereas my dad has the advantage of like experience and knowledge. And so, I love to take like that from him and like get his perspective on stuff like I made this activity, I made this lesson, like
I think kids will really like it. Like realistically, is this a good lesson? Stuff like that. So that's been really cool. >> Our teaching style is very similar though if you can imagine. But it's pretty cool to like put my own twist on stuff that he's done for, you know, 25
years. >> And honestly, I love having the opportunity to see my daughter every day. Like I as I get closer to the end of my career, I value it so much that I can hopefully be here and mentor her and, you know, kind of give her the
tools that have allowed me to have a long career. You know, teaching is a hard job and you're going to have bad days. You're going to have great days, but you're going to have some some bad days. And, you know, one of the the things hopefully I'm able to do is help her weather those bad days and have some
some way to approach problems that maybe she hasn't thought of and just to kind of guide her to come to her own conclusions so she has the tools to do that in her career for the rest of her life. It is nice like you know when you start a new job and there's like really stupid little questions that you have
that you're like I can't ask that I have my dad like it's been that has been like as silly as it sounds like so nice starting as a teacher cuz it's like where do I go during a fire drill like nobody told me like stuff like that that
I I probably wouldn't ask anyone otherwise but like you can ask the stupid little questions >> and mine are how do I upload this to canvas or how do I how do I move my sandbox courses over so all the new tech issues I have to go rely on Annabth to
help me and you know I can teach her how to run the overhead projector. [laughter] No, it's it's it's been awesome having her as a resource, too, because one of the cool things is I've never been out of touch with kids because my kids grew
up, so I I've always known the the hit songs or, you know, like I'll joke I'll joke with some of our students like, "Hey, I didn't see you at that concert last night." The kids are like, "You were at that concert?" Like, I I wasn't at the concert, but I knew about it because my daughter knows about it. So,
it's been it's allowed me to kind of still be kind of cool. You I was gonna say you get to ride the coattails of her being cool. It's because she's that young. >> Well, I think I'm cool. >> Yeah. >> But I don't think she thinks I >> men of our age, we get to that point where we're like, "Oh, yeah. [laughter]
>> I guess I'm not cool anymore." >> Yeah. >> Wouldn't that happen? >> I'm starting to feel it. I'm starting to feel it. But now I've been replaced by the younger, cooler version of me. So >> exactly. >> So I can handle that. I think she's up to the task. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Oh, that's gorge. So, deciding to become
a history teacher. Yeah. >> Was that also kind of part of being inspired by your dad's work that >> I think so. I mean, I think so. Like I said, I think I've always just had an interest in it. Like I was I was always my favorite class in school and stuff
like that. And I just really love how like the human aspect of history, I guess. Like I saw it when I was in school. how much I could connect to it and like understand it through like a relationship to it, I guess, if that makes sense. Like whatever happened in
history has led us here. Like I I think just my personal interest in it is what made me want to teach it. But I also have seen like that same thing in students. Like so many of my students that maybe struggle in other classes have a lot of success in my class
because either they have a personal interest in it or just like the nature of what we're learning like they can connect to in some way somehow like when we learn about the Wild West I'm like you guys like that's why we're sitting here right now and so a lot of them like can feel more of a relationship to it I
guess which is why I love teaching it. So yeah I always kind of knew I knew I also knew elementary was never going to happen. Yeah. >> And yeah, like I said, I I can't I can't. >> So, do you get to kind of hold that above your wife's head a little bit? Oh, she me.
>> It was It was It's pretty fascinating. Anna Beth and I went and visited my wife at her school on her birthday. >> And uh Oh my >> I was tired after like 30 minutes of doing it. She teaches second grade. >> Elementary school teachers deserve a medal. They
>> they I There is no way I would survive in that environment. They're they're like >> they're so energetic. And you know, my my wife, >> she she's passionate about what she does. She loves it. She teaches at Gold Rush Elementary. It's a great school.
She's super happy there. But man, going in there and seeing those second graders, we come home and complain about very different >> very different problems. You know, I go home and hey, a kid threw up in my shoe today. Like, well, that didn't happen in my classroom. [laughter] >> Yeah. that there's very different set of
problems in the in the high school. >> Oh, sure. >> But, you know, talking to my wife, she's like, I how do you guys hang out with those high school kids all day? And she sees them as an animal she doesn't want to try to tame. And I see the second graders as an animal I don't want to try
to tame either as far as just the energy level they Yeah. >> Yeah. >> She's And my wife's an incredible teacher. She >> Yeah. >> Um, we've been very fortunate. My wife was an Apple Award nominee in the district and I was an Apple award nominee and I can't wait to celebrate
when Anna Beth is an Apple Award finalist in the district. And um >> we've already got a little bit of competition though going on between us. Thunder Ridge does a uh door decorating contest around the holidays. >> Yeah, you're looking at the champion, not him.
>> Congratulations. >> Yeah, I'm a little I'm a little sad. >> Yeah. >> Uh but last year, who was the champion last year? Who who won that last? >> Okay. Last year I got third and this year you got honorable mention. So >> but last year who was the champ who
>> Yeah. So I won door decorate which is awesome because you know it's the whole school. So I was really lucky. I I got I won it last year. My seminar kids did a phenomenal job and now Annabeth won it this year. So she's gonna talk a lot of trash about
>> taking over the legacy. >> There you So, we have a pretty healthy rivalry at school, too, which is pretty fun to kind of play out at home and I'll never hear the end of it. >> No, ever. >> It's so funny, too, to hear kids who had him last year, me last year, whatever, just be like, you're so much like Mr.
Johnson, and I'm like, I wonder why. >> Right. Yeah. >> I had a kid I had on the first day of school, there's always a few kids that are confused by the two Johnson's and where am I going? So, did >> I go to the right? >> Yeah. Every kid I'm always like, "Make sure it says Miss Johnson." And then kids like, "It's Mr. Johnson." I'm like,
"Do I look like Mr. Johnson?" The kid was like, "Well, kind of." I was [laughter] like, >> it was so funny. I was like, >> that one backfired in my face. >> Okay. I'm really sorry. >> I was like, you got me there. >> Yeah, exactly. >> It was really funny. >> Genetics.
>> Yeah. But definitely it's funny to hear kids who have had both of us like compare us two. >> Yeah, that is pretty interesting. >> Yeah. And do they buy into the whole rivalry thing for >> Yeah, they totally do. Oh, yeah. Our seminars. That's good. >> Yeah. Our kids, they uh they they talk some junk to each other. It's pretty
funny. >> It's funny. >> Oh, that's got to be so much fun. And just it is >> an extra level of rewarding all the way around, [laughter] you know. >> For me, it's like it it really is like the cherry on top of, you know, my career is the the fact that I get to come to school with her every day and,
you know, go down and see her and hey, how you doing today? And is there anything you need? is there anything I can do for you and get to have lunch together and share ideas with colleagues and stuff is really it's really really cool and I feel I'm so proud of her just
you know I I really wanted to have the opportunity to mentor her in her first couple years and she's done such a great job I I I feel like I haven't had to you know mentor her in as many ways as I
thought I would and that makes me really proud of her as a dad to see that, you know, she's holding her own and she's just crushing it and I'm proud of her. And so, >> thanks. >> She's going to do well. >> Thank you. >> There's there's no better feeling as a dad to be like, >> "No,
>> you've you've done all you could to set them off on their path." And then she's back and you get to watch it. How cool is that? >> Yeah. >> It's going to be awesome. Eventually, one day I'll be subbing for her when she's saved. >> I've got a sub. >> I'll go in and react to this. >> This is horrible. What are we doing in
here? What are you teaching these kids? No, I uh I it'll be pretty cool when we get to go in there. We also have I have a son and an best brother who's [clears throat] year and a half apart from her and uh he is not in education and he's got a great job. I'm really
proud of him. He's he's working hard. But sometimes I think him being in a house with three >> back at home too >> is uh >> poor kid. Yeah. He was the one I was telling you this before we started. He was like heck no. Like I was like, "Heck yes." And he was like, "No way." But
he's living at home, too. So we li we do limit our school talk at home for for his sake because again, like I was saying, like totally different problems than we have. >> Sure. >> Like he's trying to balance an account. And >> it is pretty interesting. He's he's I'm
so proud of him. He's a great great young man. He's doing awesome things, but he has to put up with all three of us, which is exhausting for him, I'm sure. >> Sure. So in college then and and knowing that did you know in college you wanted to be a history teacher. Did that also
kind of give you a leg up kind of having all this background and everything? >> It was nice. Yeah. I cuz I majored in history. I I graduated from Colorado State so I majored in history and then I like minored in education like social studies education pretty much. So that
helped one that I was really interested in all my classes. Um, but two, yeah, like having some background knowledge and when I didn't know what the heck was going on in a class, I could just call my dad and be like, explain this to me like I'm five because I don't know what
I just read. So, that was really nice. And I loved my time at CSU. Great history department there. And like I got to do all my practicums were up in Pter School District. So, I got to see like a bunch of different teaching styles and
different kinds of schools before I like figured out where I wanted to be at. So, that was really really cool. But yeah, definitely I would say I maybe had an advantage. But so, it's so funny cuz so many people in my program were like, "My dad's a history teacher. My dad's a like it's such a generational thing. I feel
like sometimes that Oh, yeah. Plenty of us were like, yeah, it's so funny. All of our dads were history." That was the mom. >> Well, well, it was interesting, too, because I I also like to think I painted a fairly realistic picture of what it takes to be a teacher. You know, I
didn't want her to go into a job like this is pretty demanding and and be naive about what was to be expected of her or what what she would need to do to to be successful in this career. So, I think I painted a pretty realistic picture for her and she still wanted to
to pursue it and so I was supportive of her and and I think she made a great decision and she's going to do a great job and >> yeah, >> it's fun to watch her grow. It's really fun to watch her grow, >> especially being like younger, my friends are starting like their finance jobs or their whatever. And I would say
that like I mean just in comparison to some of the other jobs I see and like starting other jobs, I feel happy with my decision and like I mean especially I feel happy with my decision when it's June 29th and I'm doing nothing and
they're all going to work. U but no, I feel like so much more fulfilled I think than maybe some other younger people in different careers do. It's like you put in your time at another career and that feels fulfilling. But like this is one of the only jobs where you feel it every day right away. So,
>> right. >> That's been really cool and like definitely solidified my decision to do this job and work here especially. So, >> yeah. >> Yeah. >> Well, you're making a difference and helping feed the future too. >> Yeah, totally. >> And you just started your masters. >> I did. Yeah, I am starting my masters.
>> Continue on the path. You'll be able to apply so much of that, >> but It's going to be interesting to watch her manage those demands >> and coach >> and coach >> and teach. >> Yeah, I do have I mean my masters is fully online. So, and I'm a 2020
graduate. So, I have a little bit of a leg up on the uh online school thing. Like what was like make sure you do a discussion post and I shuddered. It's like I haven't seen that phrase since my freshman year of college. But I'm a little more used to it and I guess and
doing it younger is so nice because I am like my brain's still a little bit in school mode. So, but yeah, I'm really excited. I knew I wanted to do my masters too when I got into teaching. So, >> yeah, I I advise both my daughters do it as early as possible because it's so much harder like later in life.
>> Yeah. >> When you've got kids, whatever else. Like both my wife and I did that when our girls were little. >> Yeah. And there's chunks of that time where I'm like, I don't remember going to the zoo or anything, you know, because maybe I didn't go because I was
working on something, you know. >> Well, what's been really fascinating too is, you know, co changed education. It changed everything >> quite a bit. And, you know, Annabeth was the graduating class of 2020. So, she showed up to school one day and never
went back in her senior year. She showed up not knowing that they weren't going back to school. And so I think part of her development was the longing for she never really got to say goodbye to school. She never had a last day of
school because 2020 they just showed up one day and left. And I think that helps her empathize with kids. >> Totally. >> And I also think it helps her >> kind of stress the importance of the relationships you build at school and how quickly that just might you might show up to school one day and not go back. Yeah, exactly.
>> Yeah. >> And uh watching that, watching her be a student as a freshman in college when they were isolated, there were four kids in her class and they were 12 feet apart and they were all wearing masks and it was a difficult difficult transition
into college from high school. And I think, like I said, I think that helps her kind of have some empathy for for what our students get. And I think it also maybe helps her relay the message that kids need to appreciate what they have and and enjoy field day and enjoy
going to basketball games and enjoy going to our football games and enjoy every practice and game that you have because like she went through an experience where she didn't get some of those things like a senior prom. They it was just didn't happen. So I think
that's helped her value some of those things more. >> Yeah. So, I came back so I could do 29 proms [laughter] and 30 field days. >> Well, I will have repayment for what I lost. >> 31 field days. You're forgetting
something. Oh. >> Oh, yeah. >> I I I might have snuck Annabbeth out of Chatfield High School. >> Oh, yeah. I've been to a few I've come to a few fields when I didn't teach here. >> She might have been a guest field day participant,
>> right? It should be up under school. It's such an amazing exper experience here. >> So cool >> that I didn't want her to miss that. And Chatfield didn't do it. And I was like, you got to come see what's going over here. And >> and that's part of like why I I mean, not just field, but that's part of why I
wanted to work here. Like the culture here is so cool. And like I said, different from my own high school experience. Like there's reasons for kids to want to come to this school. and like just even just outside of like academics and stuff, the relationships
and the experience that they can get here is so different from another high school. And I wanted to be able to like be a part of that as a teacher and show kids like the value of, you know, showing up to school every day and like doing the work isn't always the most
exciting, but like look at what you can get out of it, the experiences you could have and stuff like that. So that was also part of why I knew I wanted to work here. Sure. The value of that community. Yeah, totally. And and the things that we're starting to hear about after so
much uh and especially going back to co like isolation and things like that, your generation has knows that that isolation, that loneliness that you know where so many of them just have friends on their phones and don't hang out in person, but here you get to do all that and contribute to that and show them like this
>> it's good to be around real people. >> Yeah. I think it's important for them to hear that from a younger person, too. Because like them hearing that from my dad, she's like, "You gotta know. You gotta talk to people. >> You darn kids need to get off your stinking phones." >> But to hear it from me and be like, "You
guys, like not everything is on your phone. Not everything is what happened to you in high school, you know, stuff like that." Like, I think hearing it from me maybe has some different kind of value for them. I like being on my phone
too, don't get me wrong, but like I don't do it while I'm up here teaching you guys like, you know, stuff like that. Like, >> and that's been interesting for me as an older teacher because, you know, I'm the old guy sharing the wisdom with them. You know, you guys will look back and regret all the time you spent on your
phone and trust me, life is worth living. You go out and have experiences instead of staring at the screen and it comes across differently differently. But it's a pretty similar message, which is kind of crazy between the two generations. As her dad, I'm like,
>> I didn't like your off. Yeah. >> Get off your phone. >> There's a whole world out there you need to experience. Sure. >> And I think that as she's gotten older, I've been really proud to watch her recognize that and hopefully she's passing that on to her students and and getting them to understand it. But she
also is she's a digital native. like she's she's grown up in this world where she understands the value of these tools and how to use them and how they can benefit her. And for me, that's been awesome because she's been able to share the positive aspects of things that as an older teacher, you're, you know,
you're maybe like, I don't know if that's useful to me. And she'll highlight the things that, yeah, this really is pretty useful to me. It's not that I'm stubborn in my ways or anything like that. It's just it's a it's a hard transition, learning new things. And so it's been cool having her here. And and
I've always had the belief that every and this is really a philosophy, every bad teacher makes every teacher look bad. You know, we're in the public eye all the time. And so bringing teachers in, I've had seven different student
teachers through my career and I've always valued the role of being a mentor. And I want to make sure that my student teachers went into this profession and became great teachers for other kids. The most important people in my life, my daughter, I want to make
sure she's an amazing teacher. And so, if I can have the ability to kind of mentor her through that, I think it's it's really important for me to do that. And I I hope more veteran teachers look at incoming student teachers, but we've gotten to a point where there's a lot of
veteran teachers who don't want to take student teachers. And I wish more of them understood the gravity or the responsibility that you have in shaping younger teachers. And that's what I've really valued about having AnnaBth here is my job as a mentor and you know
getting her feet on her and being able and plus we have a blast. Like she's awesome. She's funny. I get to hang out with her and and cut the tension and the seriousness sometimes. It's a pretty cool jokes and like >> Yeah. So honey,
>> you know, I take that responsibility pretty seriously with strangers. >> I'm obviously going to take it pretty seriously with my daughter. >> So absolutely. Well, that was the piece I was as you were talking through that the what I was going to say was you're both like mentoring kind of in all directions.
>> You know, you're in in different ways mentoring each other for sure. You're mentoring students all the way around. It's >> totally >> like and and that goes back to the original point that you both are doing work. You've dedicated your lives, your
careers to doing something that makes a difference. And >> yeah, >> help that. >> Yeah, totally. >> I hope so. I feel like it. I feel like it. You know, I the the results teaching is a hard thing because you don't get instant results. You know, the results I
get are when a a kid in our first graduating class invites me to his son's graduation or over Christmas break, I had a couple graduates and I went and had co coffee with them. And when I get to see our students grow into truly successful, really good human beings.
That's not something you really can measure in education. >> Yeah. >> And there's no way to to quantify that, but you know it when you see it. >> Yeah. I mean, even just like the like kids I had last year, one kid like last week was like, "Miss Johnson, I purposely walked this way so I could say
hi to you." Like stuff like that that's so like minuscule and you don't like again there's no way to quantify that. Like 10 kids came and said hi to me today. But >> and but it is so gratifying and fulfilling and like I haven't had any kids graduate from Thunderidge yet like
of my students, but I know like the small impact that I've had on them just even in their first few years here. So, it's really cool >> and it's been cool for me to watch you because we all will have discussions at home and is the littlest things like you might not know which kid in your class
is having a hard day. So, try to make every kid feel good about themselves. Try to make every kid feel like they're valued and they're they're important because you don't know which kid in that room needs you the most. And I think I've seen that in you, like the patience that and the the efforts that you've
made to help kids really highlights that you know what you're doing, that you value the right things in this in this job. And so watching that from you has been awesome. >> The fact that you're giving people kind of hope and even reason to come to
school sometimes. Sometimes kids just need that, right? >> Yeah. And you never know which kid it is. You never know which kid you're making a difference in their life that day, >> right? >> Yeah. >> So, I think it's important that you treat every kid like you're making a difference in their life. >> And that's why I'm so proud of you is
because that that's your approach to teaching. >> I know we got to wrap up soon. The impact that you both are making. Thank you for what you're doing. >> Congratulations on the coolest [laughter] >> job relationship anywhere. Like, >> it's pretty awesome.
>> Yeah. To work with your daughter, to work with your dad. How? >> Yeah. Thank you. I mean, thanks for highlighting this. Yeah. So many people are like, "You what?" Like they're like, "You chose to work with your dad?" >> Yeah. I don't know what I was thinking. >> Yeah. Like so many
>> Why that choice? >> Yeah. It's so many people world >> think it's so funny. Or they're like, "I would never work with my dad." So >> yeah, it is pretty funny. People are like, "There's no way I could do that. There's no way I could go see my dad every day at work." And >> yeah, >> I mean, I got myself really lucky. I get
to see her every day. So, >> yes. >> Well, and and the fact that >> that that says something about you as people that that you want to work with your family. >> Yeah. I mean, some people just can't do that. >> Um, the fact that you can, that is another testament.
>> It is. It is. >> It's so cool, too, because I get to see her personality and she's a wise. Like, she'll she'll definitely let me know when I'm being dad at school, which is pretty funny, right? >> I think it's pretty funny. times, >> dad.
>> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah, there's wind times. >> Yeah. I hope I don't embarrass her too much when we're here at school. >> Most of the time. >> No. It's so funny. I feel like so many of our co-workers think about it more than we do. >> Yeah. >> Like I don't know. >> Yeah. I When you you asked the question
earlier like, "What's it like going to work with your your daughter?" >> We have a great relationship outside of school. >> Yes. >> Inside of school. She's just an amazing person in my life. There's lots of amazing people in my life. I don't treat them any differently than I treat her. In fact,
>> I'm maybe harder on her than other people. Yeah. It's the scars. The scars are going to come out, aren't they? >> Yeah. >> It's Yeah. It's why I'm in therapy. It's okay. I've >> Yeah. >> We'll get you some help. >> I have said to a kid before, I'm like, "Whatever you think is wrong with me is Mr. Johnson's fault."
>> Yeah. Yeah. Pretty much. I've I've taken the blame for a lot of a lot of the warts. >> Yeah. It's It's good times, though. I >> That's awesome. I I I feel like we're really lucky to to be here. >> Absolutely. Last question cuz I I should ask this. So, when you're away from
work, is it Annabth? Is it dad >> is at work? Is it Miss Johnson? >> Yeah. It's weird. Yeah, it is. >> Miss Johnson is your daughter and your Miss Johnson's walking down the hall. People are like, "What is he doing?" >> Yeah. You've told me You told me the first time you heard a kid call me Miss
Johnson, you were like, "That was so weird." It was weird seeing my daughter get called Miss Johnson. >> Yeah, I was called Mr. Johnson. >> But there are times when I'm like, "Hey, run down to my daughter's room and pick this up." And the kids's like, "What?" And I'm like, "Yeah, it's Miss Johnson." Oh, yeah. Oh, okay.
>> Yeah, that's pretty funny. >> My My kids, some of my kids know him as the old man. >> Yeah. Go see the old man. >> Take this to the old man. >> That's right. I'm the old man. They wheel me in here every morning. [laughter] >> They give me a little straw and some pudding and
>> Yeah. I'll do my thing. >> Sometimes you call me Miss Johnson when we're just around our co-workers, though. Like, >> yeah, that's kind of weird. >> That is kind >> It's a different dynamic. >> You really want to make sure everyone knows we're professionals together. >> Yeah. So, now when she's in trouble,
instead of using her full name, Annth Catherine, like now it's Miss Johnson. >> Johnson. >> Yeah. So, the dad voice has become the elder co-orker. >> I like it on record that I don't get in tr I'm 24 years old. I don't get in trouble. >> Like I said, I haven't told you what to
do since you were 12 years old. >> Half your life at this point. >> That's true. Yeah. I feel like that was one of the conditions me working here is like >> you got to be cool, Dad. Like you got to be >> We never had a big discussion though. We like we never sat down with, hey, here's the rules if you're going to work with me. Yeah.
>> Right. We never did that. Like it's just is pretty organic and just >> worked. I could see it. Just just this little bit of time that I've gotten to know the both of you. It totally makes sense. Totally makes sense. Yeah, she's pretty lucky. >> Yeah, >> you both are. >> No, thank you. >> She's Yeah, I guess I'm pretty lucky, too.
>> No, it's it's been awesome. Absolutely. >> And I think I hope in some ways I've made a positive impact on some kids, >> which has maybe helped her transition into this job a little bit too where, you know, hopefully some of my street cred rubs off on her and
>> Yeah, it kids don't hassle her too much and >> give her a hard time. I hope. I don't know. there was cuz there is that extra like layer of respect you have to work for as a younger teacher >> and so I have had kids that have had him before and I can tell they get it a little bit more than maybe kids who are
like who's this young lady trying to tell us what to do you know like I >> she's earning it too she's earning it for who she is which is really cool to see absolutely >> this is this has been fun this has been so like naked and cool >> well Jason thanks for thanks for coming
and talking to us like it's awesome It's it's a weird thing because we know about it and we just live with it every day, but there's not a whole lot of people who really get to see inside what it's like to be teaching together. We work together. >> It's really cool. >> It is really cool. >> Very unique experience for sure.
>> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Congratulations on making it work. >> Thank you for now. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> For now. >> This is not over. >> I only I only have four months until he's out of here and then my plan can really begin to unfold. That's right.
That's right. We'll see. I'll be watching from, you know, a distance. >> I need them as I >> I will be checking those sub plans and be like, "What is this nonsense?" >> The sub plans are going to be a text message. >> Did you AI this? Did you chat GPT write these sub plans for you? What is this?
What's the value? Yeah. So, >> chat GPT. >> Oh, easy Grock. [laughter] >> I'll uh be watching for a far. It's going to be giving her feedback and I'll be able to mentor her whole life. So >> yeah, it is true.
>> I'll get my kid fixed, too. So true. So [laughter] >> awesome. So good. Thank you both so much and congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Enjoy the rest of the year with this with [music] this cool little setup. >> We certainly will. >> This is awesome. >> Thanks for [music] listening to the DCSD
Notebook podcast where we're not done featuring fathers and daughters who teach in the same school. [music] Next episode, we have the Sweenies from Bear Canyon Elementary in Highlands Ranch and a [music] daughter who teaches at Sierra Middle School in Parker. This
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