'The epitome of what a teacher should be'

“I will do everything I can to help them be as successful as they can be.” 

This is what Kimberly Johnson, eighth grade study skills teacher at Auburn Junior High School, says has been her motto for the 23 years she has been teaching. 

Johnson was named one of four finalists for the Alabama Teacher of the Year award on Wednesday.

Johnson received her teaching certification in 2004 after getting her bachelors degree in journalism and public relations from the University of Alabama. She also received her master’s degree in English language arts education from Alabama A&M University and her educational specialist degree from Auburn University. 

“I am an English teacher by certification,” Johnson said. “My bachelor’s degree was in journalism and public relations. And then I went back to graduate school and got my master’s degree in English education.” 

Johnson started her teaching career in Decatur, Alabama, teaching eighth grade English. She then moved to Auburn with her husband and was set to start teaching eleventh grade English at Auburn High School. Two weeks before her start date, there was an opening for eighth grade language arts, and she was offered that position instead, she said. 

“I already had everything I needed [for that role],” Johnson said. “I was familiar with that, and I taught eighth grade language arts for 18 years.” 

During her time at Auburn Junior High, she moved into her current position as study skills teacher for at-risk students, she said. 

“I was doing some creative writing classes, and I really made sure [at-risk students] were caught up and on track,” Johnson said. “That was in 2016, and I’ve kind of fallen into the position where that’s all I do now.” 

One of the biggest challenges she has had to face as a teacher was the transition to remote learning due to the pandemic, she said. It was scary, specifically with the demographic of students that she teaches, she said. 

“My kids struggle,” Johnson said. “They struggle academically, they struggle with their home life situation, they struggle with accessibility to the internet and devices, and just with support that a lot of students would typically get from home — they didn’t have it.” 

As the “school mom,” as her students and colleagues call her, Johnson took it upon herself to reach out to her students beyond regular school hours, not only to make sure they were learning the material but to make sure they were safe, she said. For students that did not have access to the internet, she would physically mail printed assignments to the students so they could work from home. 

“I don’t know what our bill was for postage in May of last year,” said Ross Reed, principal of Auburn Junior High School. “But it was a lot.”

The application process for Alabama Teacher of the Year began last October. Johnson has reached all qualifications to be entered into the previous rounds, starting with the school-designated teacher of the year to, now, a finalist for the award. Out of the four finalists, one will be chosen as Alabama Teacher of the Year. 

“The kids, they need an advocate,” Johnson said. “And I guess that’s my whole platform for teacher of the year, just about advocacy for kids who may not have a voice and may not have empathy in some places. They need to know that their education is just as important as the next kids’, and it doesn’t matter what their resources are.” 

Reed said if there's a better teacher than Kim Johnson out there, he'd like to see them.  

“She is the epitome of what a teacher should be,” Reed said. “She is here to help make a difference for all students, and everybody knows it. People see the work she does not only for her grade but for the entire school, and I think that’s what sets her apart.” 

The Alabama Teacher of the Year Award winner will be announced in August.