SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Tedra Johnson's work is a labor of love. The Sumter County educator is passionate about her lessons because she has lived them.
- Tedra Johnson used to be a correctional officer
- She now teaches at Wildwood Middle High School
- Discover more about A+ Teachers
Johnson is the lead criminal justice instructor at Wildwood Middle High school. She says she has always had a passion for the criminal justice field because that was her former career. She worked in the prison system as a correctional officer at Lowell Correctional Institution, a women's prison, in Marion County before becoming an instructor.
Years ago, Johnson was also a student at Wildwood, enjoying graduation night and the prom. She wants her students to know it is never too early to start thinking about a career, and she is showing them exactly how to do it.
Johnson says, "They can earn four and a half college credits while they're in school. If they graduate from the program they can graduate with a 911 dispatch certification so that means they can graduate and go straight into a job."
Johnson is touched that her own mother actually nominated her as an A+ Teacher.
"What's awesome about that is she sees what goes on behind the scenes. She sees the late nights that I stay up lesson planning," she explained.
Her students see that commitment but say Johnson is also spontaneous and has a way of making learning fun.
"I have learned so much, and it's just crazy how much. Anyone else will tell you. We come in and she's like, 'I don't like what I had scheduled,' and she'll go to something else for the day and it works," said Thomas Filegar, a sophomore.
Even though Johnson has a twin sister, her students say there is no need to do a double take. Her dedication to them and to their future is easily recognizable, and that is what makes her an A+ Teacher.