STEPHENVILLE (February 23, 2018) — Tarleton State University’s Dr. Vicky Johnson has been inducted into The Texas A&M University System 2018 Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators. The academy recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to teacher education.
Established in 2011, the Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators honors individuals from A&M System universities who make significant contributions to the field of teacher education and highlights the System’s role in producing K-12 teachers for Texas.
“On behalf of The Texas A&M System and the Chancellor’s Century Council, congratulations to all of the honorees and thank you for your service to this state and nation,” said Chancellor John Sharp. “I have no doubt that the future will be brighter for it.”
Each year, university faculty, staff and students are invited to nominate any full-time faculty member who has had a significant impact on the preparation of teachers. Inductees are then selected by past academy members.
Honorees receive a $1,000 stipend, provided by the Chancellor’s Century Council, a commemorative medallion and a certificate honoring their commitment and dedication to those who are teaching the next generation.
An associate professor of music within the university’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts, Johnson joined the Tarleton faculty as an instructor in August 1999. She has a doctorate of musical arts from Boston University, a master of arts from Sam Houston State University and a bachelor’s in music education from Tarleton.
Known for her tremendous commitment to educating students at Tarleton and her solid musical knowledge and skills, strong work ethic and high quality of work, Johnson is an invaluable asset to the Department of Fine Arts, the university, music alumni and current students, said Dr. Kelly Lemmons, interim head of the department.
“Dr. Johnson works tirelessly to ensure that Tarleton music majors are equipped with the experience and knowledge necessary to become top-quality teachers themselves,” Lemmons said. “Clearly, she conveys an earnest commitment to the mission of the department to her colleagues and students. In addition, she tries to instill passion for teaching by creating lessons for music education majors that focus on clarity of purpose.
“As a teacher, she is aware that effective role modeling is an integral component of education. She is committed to the growth of her students, interested in learners as people and is never impatient or impulsive. Not surprisingly, students seek Dr. Johnson to mentor them in major projects and competitions, such as Tarleton’s Student Research Symposium.”
During her tenure at the university, Johnson has taught 22 different courses—six of which she developed for the music curriculum. She is said to excel in the area of course and program development, and became the first faculty member in the department to convert two face-to-face general education courses to online versions, and was the driving force in the creation of a totally online graduate degree in music education at Tarleton.
In addition to teaching, Johnson is actively involved with field-based training and led the way in securing a $33,600 grant from The Dana Foundation to provide area music educators with training in Orff-Schulwerk teaching methodology. With the funding, Johnson created an Orff seminar for regional teachers during the summer of 2008. She also organized and facilitated the Rural North Central Texas Music Teacher Professional Development project.
Johnson has twice been recipient of The Texas A&M System Teaching Excellence Award.
“Dr. Johnson is a valued member of the Department of Fine Arts faculty and very deserving of this award. Her work with students in their teacher preparation courses is vital to the production of sound music education teachers,” said Kelli C. Styron, J.D., dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. “We are very proud of Vicky with this award and I expect great accomplishments from the teachers graduating from our excellent program as does Dr. Johnson.”
Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven educational experience, marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. Offering degree programs in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian and online to more than 13,000 students, Tarleton engages with communities through real-world learning experiences to address societal needs while maintaining its core values of integrity, leadership, tradition, civility, excellence and service.
About The Texas A&M System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.55 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the Texas A&M System educates more than 148,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $972 million in FY 2016 and helped drive the state’s economy.
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