Scott Johnson

After thirty-seven years as an English teacher at Pleasantville Middle and High School in New York's Westchester County, I retired this past spring. I have always loved the opportunities to combine creativity with learning, and have crafted lessons that inspire and challenge students. Among the courses I have created, implemented, and taught:  English 7,8, 10,11, and 12 (Regents and Honors Levels)  Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition  Creative Writing I and II  Writing Workshop  Science Fiction  Film Study  Mystery and Crime: Fiction and Film. I hope my lesson ideas work for you and your students!

I have always tried to vary my approaches to learning about writing, literature and informational texts, speaking, and listening. Depending on the lesson material and the composition of the class, I combine group discussion, group work, modeling for writing assignments, peer review sessions, multimedia/technology resources, activities drawn from current events--anything that engages the kids!

Publications: • Safe at Second (Philomel, 1999) (Listed, American Library Assoc. Best Books for Young Adults 2000, Best Books for Reluctant Readers 2000) • Overnight Sensation (Atheneum, 1994) • One of the Boys (Atheneum, 1992) (Listed, American Library Assoc. Best Books for Young Adults 1993) • “Britain’s Educational Drama.” English Journal, September 1987 • “Teaching the Biography from the Inside Out,” English Journal, October 1989 • “Migration’s End,” Ploughshares, Fall 1980 • “The Heart of His Act,” TriQuarterly, Winter 1980 • “Rapture,” Intro, Spring 1978 Awards, Workshops, Presentations: • Teacher of the Year, Pleasantville Union Free School District, April, 2013 • “Tapestries and Blue Notes” (w/ Dr. Mary Ann Cappiello), National Conference for Teachers of English Annual Conference, New York City, Nov. 2007 • New York State English Council Keynote Speaker, Albany, NY: “Keepers of the Spark,” “Science Fiction in the Classroom,” Oct., 1992  “Jugglers of Change,” Oct., 1994 • Speaker, Folger Shakespeare Library Summer Study Institute, Washington, D.C., July 1993 • Creative and Expository Writing Workshops and Author Talks, Harrison, NY; Rochester, NY; Farmingdale, NY; Pelham Manor, NY; Briarcliff Manor, NY; Mahopac, NY, 1993 – present • New York State English Council Teacher of the Year, 1991 • “Britain’s Educational Drama,” National Conference for Teachers of English Annual Conference, St. Louis, Nov. 1988 • “The Biography: Teach it from the Inside Out,” National Conference for Teachers of English Annual Conference, Los Angeles, Nov. 1987 • “Teaching the Biography,” New York State Reading Association Annual Conference, Kiamesha Lake, NY Nov. 1986 • Keynote Speaker and Workshop Facilitator, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES Young Authors Conference, 1986 – present • National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for Independent Study, “Science Fiction and the Future,” summer, 1985 • Fulbright Teacher Exchange (London, England), September 1983 – July 1984

• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 M.F.A. in English/Creative Writing, May 1978 • Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47401 B.A. in English with Honors, May, 1974

Yet to be added