Ms. Johnson has the following preferences:

Schools: Anne has experience working with all age groups. If she had a preference, it would be elementary students.

Days: Anne works part-time for Sitka Native Education Program (SNEP). She works Monday—Thursday in the afternoons. She is willing to make weekly visits to a classroom.

Times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (mornings); Wednesday (anytime before 2 p.m.), Fridays (all day). 

Areas of Activity

Anne prefers to enter into classrooms to help out in the following areas:

Panel Discussion: Anne is most comfortable when going into the classroom as part of a team. Her and Vida Davis, another SNEP instructor, have paired up in prior classroom visits. Anne would focus on the language component while Vida would tell Tlingit legends.

Resource: Through the SNEP program, Anne has access to a number of resources. She is willing to bring those with her as she enters the classroom (ex: Animated videos that tell a story about Raven).

Presentations: Anne has materials that are appropriate for various age groups. Anne is most comfortable teaching the Tlingit language.

Role in the Classroom

Cultural Instructor: Anne is very comfortable teaching students about the Tlingit culture. She has seen generations of students pass through her classroom at SNEP. She is very comfortable teaching language units to the kids in her program.

Prior Experience: Anne’s work experience has prepared her to work with all age groups.  For a short time, the SNEP classes were actually held at each school. Anne has also volunteered to go into her grandchildren’s classroom on several occasions. And at the request of teachers, the SNEP instructors visited classroom to give presentations on culture and language.

Cultural Expertise

Tlingit Language: As an instructor for SNEP, Anne has taught language for 32 years. Some of the language units she has taught include: weather, months, Tlingit introduction, commands, school supplies, Tlingit alphabet, basic conversation (Ex: How are you? Response: I’m tired).

Historian: Anne has lived around Southeast Alaska her entire life. She attended a boarding school in Wrangell and then finally MEHS. She also can testify to the history of Sheldon Jackson and Sitka Native Education Program.

Tlingit Song/Dance: As an instructor, SNEP teaches students seven different Tlingit interpretations of dance (Canoe, Haida, Athabaskan, Aleut, Tlingit, Copper River, and Dleigu [children’s nursery rhymes]).

Education and Life Experience

Education:

Anne attended school all around Southeast. She started her educational career in Wrangell, moved to Haines, attended Sheldon Jackson and then completed her GED through the University of Alaska Southeast. Later she went back to Sheldon Jackson, enrolling in an Associates of Arts program, before obtaining her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with a minor in culture.

Work Experience:

Anne has worked as a cultural instructor for over 32 years. She keeps threatening to retire, but returns each year. She was there at the start and to the program’s benefit is still there to teach as well as train new

A Brief Biography

Anne was born here in Sitka. Her mother is originally from Klukwan; therefore Anne originates from the Killer whale (Dakl’aweidi) clan house of Klukwan. Just this year she became the Clan Mother. This is a prestigious title. One which Anne was humbled to receive; those who know Anne support the decision and know she will do a great job. Anne has a strong sense of pride in her culture; the reason she chose to teach at SNEP. Anne is also an active member of the STA Kayaani Commission.

Anne has five children. Three of them reside here in Sitka while the other two moved to Juneau. She has many grandchildren who went through SNEP.

In her free time she loves to read and do puzzles to the point that she buys books on a weekly basis. She also walks all over town. She enjoys long walks in the morning before she goes to work.