Meet Laura Johnson, New Math Teacher

The Garfield PTSA reached out to our new teachers with a few questions – e.g. tell us about yourself and why you went into teaching, do you have any pets, what activities do you enjoy and what advice would you share?  Until we can meet in person, it’s nice to get to know our teachers in some way that we can. 

Hello! I’m Laura Johnson (she/her) and I’m excited to be a bulldog this year! I’m originally from South Louisiana and moved to Seattle about 5 years ago. Becoming a math teacher was a long time coming for me. I’ve always been interested in math which led me to joining many math clubs in my K-12 education and then pursuing both an Undergraduate (LSU, geaux tigers) and Masters (UGA) degree in mathematics. During grad school, my interests shifted from research to teaching, and I pivoted my career to becoming a high school teacher. I just completed my Masters in Teaching degree from Seattle University, during which I did my student teaching here at Garfield under Mr. Sample! I think of teaching as a way to connect and give back to my community by equipping our young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be successful citizens of Seattle and of the world.

I’m currently the advisor of the Garfield Math Club – if you’re reading this, get involved! It’s a fun club where there are no mathematical requirements. Follow @GarfieldMathClub on Instagram for more information.

When I’m not at work, I like playing Dungeons and Dragons, sewing and quilting, cooking for my friends, and ballroom dancing. My current sports obsession is hockey – I keep up with the NHL and WHL, I’m the statistician for the UW Hockey Club, and my Southern-self has even learned to skate a bit. My favorite pets are boa constrictors – don’t worry though, I won’t have a classroom pet snake!

I’m looking forward to this year and all the challenges and growth it will bring. Go Bulldogs!

Welcome to Garfield, Ms Johnson!  -Garfield PTSA