Korie Johnson
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| Department | Social Sciences and History |
|---|---|
| House | Career & College |
| Contact | kjohnson@tsas.org |
| Joined | 2019-01-01 |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts in History from Mesa State College; Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Wyoming |
| Why I teach |
Learning about things I’ve never even imagined is one of my top top favorite things about life. Learning more about things I already know gives me hope. Sharing stories and hearing stories — making those human connections – reassures my faith. Working with students, especially in a school with talented, inspiring, and hilarious faculty and staff, restores my spirit daily. My students surprise me, teach me, and make me better. Teaching demands that I take risks constantly and that I stay vulnerable. Those are hard but necessary things. When I think about those special teachers that loved me when I was unlovable, pushed me to think past my emotions or uninformed opinions, guided me to discover new ideas, saw something in me that I couldn’t see, showed me a kind of patience that I had not earned from them, and helped me on my way, I wonder if there is really any way to properly thank them. How could I ever show my true appreciation for the sacrifices they made for me? The only thing I’ve come up with is to do for someone else what they did for me. |
| About me | I’m a 5th Generation Oklahoman who moved to Colorado the summer before 8th grade, I consider both to be home. I moved to Tulsa three years ago and love working at TSAS. In middle school, I lived to beat a girl named Danielle (who obvs had it all) for first chair clarinet. I rarely won. Even though I held down 2nd chair, I wasn’t allowed to march with my clarinet crew because I couldn’t keep in step with the rest, but I could be found holding the flag in the front. In 9th grade I rode in the back of a golden El Camino through the desert to find a secret punk rock show. That was all a long time ago, and now I mostly chill with my family–husband and two children, plus our dog. I like to read books/stories, watch TV/movies, read the news, and make things. I can get weirdly competitive when I play board games. I like grape flavor, Central Asian/Middle Eastern food, Tajin, Chamoy, & popcorn. Music is great too. |
Law & Society
This is a deep dive into our legal system. Students will dissect landmark cases, learn how our judicial system works, try their hand at lawyering, and maybe even go observe court. Guest speakers may include area attorneys and professors of law. At the end of the trimester, students will engage in a mock trial.
- Junior and Senior course — sophomores only with teacher permission
The 1990s
The 1990s: grunge, pop-star icons, Oklahoma City Bombing, Boy Bands, the rise of hip-hop to the mainstream, Y2K, the OJ Simpson trial, the impeachment of President Clinton, and so much more. This interdisciplinary course blends elements of Literature, American History, Political Science, and American Studies to explore the decade of the 1990s. We will use film, television, music, theory, literature, advertisements, and more to understand the culture-changing decade. Students will complete reflective in-class writing, whole-class and independent reading, discussions, and an independent research project.
US History
American Studies is a course analyzing the history of the American nation from its origins to the present. At the conclusion of the course students will have a ready command of the details of American history, allowing them both the historical perspective to comment on original documents as well as inform their thinking regarding current issues.
American Culture & Identity
American Culture & Identity will use a range of texts to explore what it means to be “American.” The texts will include literature, television, film, pop-culture, art, poetry, architecture, advertisement, music, food, and fashion. The class will use the texts to examine American culture and answer several essential questions: What stories do we tell about ourselves? How do we determine our own identities? And how are our stories challenged and changed over time? How do we glean meaning from culture? This course is interdisciplinary and includes elements from history, political science, and literature. Students will participate in class discussions, conduct an independent research project on a topic related to the course, compare and analyze texts, and complete several writing assignments.
Creative Writing
In this writing workshop, students have the chance to grow as readers and writers. Students explore the elements of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction in works that span a range of sub-genres. As writers, students create and share their own creative writing in a supportive environment. As readers, students respond to the work of their peers intelligently and constructively. Students learn strategies for publishing their work and organize and offer a reading of their work.
Film as Literature
Students use the methods of literary interpretation to study and analyze the art of film. Students will read works of fiction and non-fiction, write both analytically and creatively, and participate in discussion.
Mythology
A survey (and historiography of sorts) of Mythologies throughout time and around the world.
Self-Identity & Culture
Humans are constantly working to understand themselves and figure out how they fit. This course explores the human search for meaning and belonging. In order to further understand, students study the history and cultural cachet of many tools western culture offers to aid in self-discovery. Students use a critical lens to investigate these tools (technology, culture, and belief systems) offered as sources of answers and meaning. The course is American Studies-esque as it works within multi-disciplines. It is built on in-depth reading, writing, original student research and presentations, and student and teacher-led discussions.
Capstones
