VGCC Instructor Publishes 2nd Book As Resource for Teachers of Young

Many people feel they can write a book. A Vance-Granville Community College instructor has proven she has not only one, but several books inside her, and two of them have been published in a six-month period.

Jennifer Johnson, program head and instructor for the Early Childhood Associate program at Vance-Granville Community College, had her second book, Math and Science Activities for Young Children, roll off the presses in March. This follows on the Sept. 1, 2005, publication of her Creative Activities for Young Children.

Thompson Delmar Learning published both of the books after asking Johnson to write them. “I had been reviewing books on early childhood subjects for Delmar, had developed a relationship with the editor, and they asked me to write these books,” she said.

The newest book is a supplement to math and science textbooks for teachers in day care centers and Head Start programs to use as reference. The book contains sample activities in math and science for children, lesson plans, lists web sites that teachers can go to for resource information, and contains developmental checklists for children from birth to 8 years of age.

“Young teachers need specific resources to give them ideas and projects they can use in their classrooms,” Johnson said. “What I’ve done is start the research for teachers and given them resources in which to begin their research.”

Many students in early childhood teacher training at Vance-Granville and other schools will often sell back their textbooks when they complete their classes, Johnson said. “These resource books give them something to keep and to refer to when they get into the workplace,” she said.

Delmar has asked Johnson to write another book dealing with creative activities for special needs students.

Writing teaching texts must be in Johnson’s genes. Her mother, Dr. Mary Kay Abbey, is on the faculty of Montgomery Community College in Maryland, and has written a workbook supplement for math instruction.

Johnson said the books she has written will be used in the creative activities section of her early childhood classes at Vance-Granville, beginning with the math and science book in Spring Semester 2007.

Jennifer Johnson earned a B.S. in elementary education from UNC-Greensboro and a master’s in education from UNC-Charlotte. She taught in public and private elementary schools before joining Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. She has been at Vance-Granville more than seven years, first as an Early Childhood instructor and the past three years as program head. She lives with her husband and family in Henderson.