Unexpected Thank Yous When Former Students Reach Out | S1E8

Rebecca Johnson’s story shows the bittersweet reality so many educators face. The same week she was honored as Teacher of the Year, she also received a reduction-in-force notice. After years of tutoring struggling students before and after school, she left education altogether—only to later receive a call that changed everything. A mother shared that her once-struggling son had become his class valedictorian, a reminder to Rebecca that her efforts had left a lasting mark even when she doubted their impact.

Her years in Indianapolis Public Schools were full of both sacrifice and small triumphs. With frozen salaries, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of supplies, Rebecca often used her own money to make learning meaningful—buying pencils, numbering them individually, even purchasing kites so her first graders could write from real experience. Leaving a profession she dreamed of since childhood was painful, but she emphasizes there’s no single right path. Whether teachers stay decades or step away earlier, their ripple effects are real and lasting—even if they never fully get to see the results.

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//About

Cathy Tooley is the Founder & CEO of Tools for Success and a seasoned educator with over 40 years in K–12 classrooms and school leadership. From high school teacher to principal, Cathy has dedicated her life to supporting educators. In 2014, she launched Tools for Success to provide real, in-person instructional coaching—not just “PD in a box.” She’s the author of The Education System Is Broken, a national speaker, and a fierce advocate for teachers. Through this podcast, she’s spotlighting the ripple effect of great teaching.
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Transcript

Teaching's Hidden Rewards

Cathy Tooley 0:00

So tell me, what are ways that you see where teachers can kind of, as you said, make that impact that would have students reaching?

Rebecca Johnson 0:07

I knew I was going to be a teacher when I was 10 years old. Working in Indianapolis Public Schools, you know, that's one of the most difficult districts, I think, to work in. But also, on top of that, you're fighting the stereotypes of the parents just don't care, and the kids don't care, and that they don't learn. And the teachers don't care. Right, all of that. And I just, I'm just here to say that that is not the case. You Just watching teachers day after day show up, it's getting me teary, do their best for these kids so that they can just make a difference. Knowing that

Cathy Tooley 0:40

they're never going to hear a thank you from

Rebecca Johnson 0:42

it. There were five years in a row I didn't get a raise because our salaries were frozen. I had a master's degree at that point. I was only making $2,000 a year more than the brand new for fresh out of school hires. Definitely not for the money. But just watching people show up and do their best. Well, one of these students, super earnest, but just really seemed to struggle no matter how hard he tried. Just couldn't get caught up. But I decided to offer to his parents that I would come in before school if they wanted to bring him before school and I would help him i reading. Okay. As a third grade student in my classroom, and then I tutored him fourth, fifth, and sixth grade before and after school. Wow. Two years ago, I think it was now, his mom just randomly called me on the phone because I have the same phone number. So I said, of course I remember you. She said, I just want to let you know that Junior, that's what she called him, just wanted to let you know that Junior was the valedictorian.

Cathy Tooley 1:40

No. It's my favorite thing I just read. Her passion for education earned her the teacher of the year.

Rebecca Johnson 1:45

So I got my Teacher of the Year award. In the same week, I got my RIF.

Cathy Tooley 1:50

Nuh-uh.

Rebecca Johnson 1:50

Yeah. And for those of you who don't know, RIF is Reduction in Force. And so, yeah, I lost my job the same week I found out I was Teacher of the Year.

Cathy Tooley 2:03

Hi, everybody. Cathy Tooley. Thanks for rejoining us as we continue our series, The Ripple Effect of a Teacher. I am joined today with Iwan. The only, the Rebecca Johnson. Thank you for joining me today. Of course. Thanks for

Rebecca Johnson 2:18

having

Cathy Tooley 2:18

me. Let me tell you a little about her. 15 years of experience in education. Says she was a dedicated career leadership in coaching and supporting others. A former, woo, you've done it all, teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal. Let me just pray with you right now. Let me just pray with you now. I love this. It's my favorite thing I just read. Her passion for education earned her the teacher of the year. What an honor. honor.

Rebecca Johnson 2:43

Yeah, you want to know a funny story about that? Yes,

Cathy Tooley 2:45

I'd love to.

Rebecca Johnson 2:46

So I was in Indianapolis Public Schools. And as you know, there's lots of movement. So I got my Teacher of the Year award in the same week I got my RIF notice.

Cathy Tooley 2:57

Nuh-uh. Yeah.

Rebecca Johnson 2:58

Yep. And for those of you who don't know, RIF is Reduction in Force. And so, yeah, I lost my job the same week I found out I was Teacher of the Year.

Cathy Tooley 3:08

And there could be a podcast all in an episode, couldn't it? Yes. And then you're also married. Yes. And congratulations. 20 years.

Rebecca Johnson 3:18

Thank you. We were talking a little bit off camera. Best decision I've ever made. Aw. Yep.

Cathy Tooley 3:23

Make sure that you tell your husband, tag this one so he knows it. There's my kudo for the day. So one of the things that, as I said when I've done this series, I sent out emails and asked them to kind of look at, pray over, consider what topic and Rebecca picked unexpected thank yous. Yeah. I can't wait to hear this when former students reach out. So tell me.

The Valedictorian Who Struggled

Cathy Tooley 3:49

You had to immediately when you picked that one thought. I did. I

Rebecca Johnson 3:53

did. So I have to give you a little back story. Love it. So one of my schools I was a title one teacher and so that was when I decided that I loved working with small groups of students and as a part of that I was a tutor because as you know, us teachers, we have to have more than one job in the queue a lot of the time. And so I worked for a tutoring company. On the side. On the side. Right. Yes. But it was students that were at my school already. Oh, nice. And so I decided to start working with these third graders to help them with their reading and their math and things like that. Well, one of these students, super earnest, one of the nicest young men, so polite, so kind, kind But just really seemed to struggle. No matter how hard he tried, just couldn't get caught up. And so I was specifically supposed to be tutoring in math. So I would tutor math after school for this other company. But I decided to offer to his parents that I would come in before school if they wanted to bring him before school and I would help him in reading. So we did this for- You were already tutoring in math. I was already tutoring with math. So I had him as a third grade student in my classroom. And then I tutored him fourth, fifth, and sixth grade before and after school. And two years ago, I think it was now, his mom just randomly called me on the phone because I have the same phone number. She called me and she said, I don't know if you remember me. And I said, oh, I remember you. She said, I just want to- Being at your house twice

Cathy Tooley 5:28

a day. I remember

Rebecca Johnson 5:29

you. Well, it was at school. But still, I'm with you twice a day. Yes, yes. So I said, of course I remember you. She said, I just want to let you know that Junior, that's what she called him, Just wanted to let you know that Junior was the valedictorian

Cathy Tooley 5:42

of this class this year. No.

Rebecca Johnson 5:43

And I cried. Yes.

Unknown 5:48

Yeah.

Cathy Tooley 5:50

I don't think that people listening to this podcast, teachers know, but I don't think people realize what those do to us, what those stories do to us. I've said on a couple podcasts earlier, we certainly don't do it for the money.

Rebecca Johnson 6:04

No.

Cathy Tooley 6:05

We don't do it for the money. We knew the money when we went into

Rebecca Johnson 6:08

it. I

Cathy Tooley 6:08

mean, I think teachers should be paid more, but that's not what this podcast is about. But it's that. So why does that keep you going?

Rebecca Johnson 6:18

Well, so to be completely honest, When that phone call happened, I was out of education. And I had left education, and I was just feeling lost. I just kind of felt like I didn't know who I was without being an educator. And I wasn't sure if I even made a difference. Because as an elementary teacher, you don't often get people that reach out. Especially in a district where kids don't even most of the time stay in your class. In that district. In your school, even. Yeah. In one year. Really? Oh, yes. In Indianapolis Public Schools, the first year that I taught, I kept track. I never had more than 22 students in my class, but I had 67 kids walk through my classroom that year in one year. So the likelihood of me being able to keep track of anyone that I impacted, I was just kind of thinking, I'm just not really sure that I made a difference to anyone. And so that just helped reaffirm that all of those years that I spent in education weren't for nothing, that I was able to make a difference even in one life. And that's what I always prayed. I always just wanted to be helpful and be able to make a difference in just even one life. And so that was just God's little kiss on the cheek to say, you made a difference.

Cathy Tooley 7:43

And that's one that said something. We did a podcast earlier that talked about that's for every one you heard, there's hundreds that Right. So tell me, what are ways that you see where teachers can kind of, as you said, make that impact that would have students reaching out?

Rebecca Johnson 7:59

Oh my gosh, I had so many teachers and so many opportunities that I saw. I mean, working in Indianapolis public

Above and Beyond: Teachers' Sacrifices

Rebecca Johnson 8:06

schools, you know, that's one of the most difficult districts, I think, to work in. I absolutely agree. the stereotypes of the parents just don't care and the kids don't care and that they don't learn and the teachers don't care and all of that. And I just, I'm just here to say that that is not the case. I saw teachers dipping into their own pockets to make sure that kids had things to eat. They had things to wear. They had the materials that they needed. You know, just watching teachers day after day show up, it's getting me teary, show up, do their best for these kids so that they can just make a difference. Knowing that they're never going to hear a thank you from it or an improvement from it or a raise for it. Right. And no wonder people burn out, right? I mean, there were five years in a row I didn't get a raise because our salaries were frozen. So it got to the point where as a 10th year teacher making, I had a master's degree at that point, I was only making $2,000 a year more than the brand new fresh out of school hires because our salaries were frozen and they kept raising the salaries for people to attract teachers to come in. So, you know, definitely not for the money. But, you know, just watching people show up and do their best and find ways where there's just not ways, find resources where there just aren't resources, dipping into their own pockets, staying after, coming in early, I mean, you just, it's no wonder they burn out.

Cathy Tooley 9:54

Yeah, as we think about that, when you think about the impact that former students have, It's hard because, like both of us, I've been around in a classroom for a very, very long time. I've never thought of it from an elementary's perspective because I was a secondary. So I was kind of their last step out the door. So I do get more of those kudos. A, they're older and they have the ability. And B, I am their exit ramp. For you...

Rebecca Johnson 10:26

We're their foundation. Right. Yeah. So I will say in that same group of kids that I tutored, they didn't reach out to me. But I had the gift of being able to this really troubled girl. I mean, just really troubled. She was wild. Her home life was a mess. She had no stability whatsoever. She hated being in tutoring. So she would fight with me every single day that she was in tutoring. But I was able to see her. She graduated in the same. class as my niece. And so I was able to see, I don't even know that she remembered me. I don't know if she, she took a picture with me. I think she was just being nice. But I remembered her. And it was like, again, that little affirmation that these kids, I was able to help provide a foundation so some of these kids could make it and get out of that cycle and just live a life that was better than what they lived.

Cathy Tooley 11:26

You mentioned it, and I think people think they know. But you said something that I want you to give an example of.

Rebecca Johnson 11:34

Okay, sure. You

Cathy Tooley 11:35

said, teachers are going above and beyond, dipping into their own pockets, giving of their own selves.

Rebecca Johnson 11:41

Yeah.

Cathy Tooley 11:42

That I don't know that everyone watching this podcast knows what that means. I do.

Rebecca Johnson 11:47

Yeah.

Cathy Tooley 11:48

Tell me what it

Rebecca Johnson 11:49

means. So I'll give you two examples. One, I know that... as like back when we were doing standardized testing before it was on the iPad, we had to have like number two pencils. Let's just give an example. Oh, I remember those days. Yes. Well, you can't call home and ask the parents to provide their pencils. And so teachers would go. If you got

Cathy Tooley 12:12

anyone that would have been answering the phone when you called

Rebecca Johnson 12:14

home. Right. So in one particular year, I taught a second grade classroom and I had a kid who, for whatever reason, ate pencils, literally. Chewing, eating pencils. Or he would steal them or whatever. And I was going through, I mean, an inordinate amount of pencils. And so I decided that I was going to set up a system so that every one of my kids got two new pencils every week. So I bought a gross of pencils, like 144 pencils and a nice pencil sharpener. And I went through and I numbered, I gave each kid a number and I went through and I used a Sharpie and I wrote their numbers on the And their pencils. Every week. Every week. And so the kids, if they turned their pencils into the cup at the end of the day, I would sharpen them and I would give them back. And if they kept their pencils from week to week, they would still get two new pencils, but then they would have more. And if they lost their pencils, then they had those little golf pencils that you can't sharpen. But I bought the pencil sharpener, which was $90 at that time. This was back in 2012, so you know that it's probably a lot more now. For sure. the gross of pencils, and then the golf pencils, and the time I went to number every single pencil for every week. And I would sharpen every pencil at the end of the school day. Or every day. Because if they put their pencils in the cup, then I would sharpen the pencils so they could start the day with two sharp pencils. So really quickly, I said I would give you two examples. So that's kind of a serious one. There's a fun one that I did. So when I was in first grade, this was back when we had to do write prompts every week. .

Cathy Tooley 13:57

Yep, I remember those.

Rebecca Johnson 13:58

And even in first grade, they had these writing prompts standardized that we had to do. And so for my first grade students, they had to write a story about flying a kite. Do you know that none of my kids had ever seen a kite, let alone flown a kite? And so how are they supposed to write a story about flying a kite when they've never done it before? So I went and I bought some kites at the store. And we went out on their recess time or whatever during a writing time. as part of the research and we flew kites. And so then they were able to write about flying a kite.

Cathy Tooley 14:32

Wow. Okay.

The Decision to Leave Education

Cathy Tooley 14:34

Wow. Okay, all right. Sometimes in this podcast, I have struggled because it's so beautiful for me that I get to sit across from other people that I too taught in a not very privileged school. Not an IPS, but a not very privileged school. And my students were older, so their struggles were simply different. They're caring for those siblings of yours, so they're not coming to school because they couldn't get on the bus until yours got on the bus. and they couldn't stay after school because they had to get home before yours. And when those former students reach back out, that they want education now different for their own children.

Rebecca Johnson 15:15

Yeah.

Cathy Tooley 15:16

I think as I watch in the political state where we are now, I will never allow this podcast to go political. I don't have time, and I don't think it does any good. If you want to watch politics, turn on the news and listen to people argue. But I think I would be negligent in not saying that the political landscape impacts our classrooms. It does. So I didn't plan to ask you this question, but so you said you left education.

Rebecca Johnson 15:46

I did.

Cathy Tooley 15:47

Why? What was the straw for you?

Rebecca Johnson 15:50

So when I first started being a teacher, I thought I never want to leave the classroom. But I got burned out because it was hard. I was dealing with so much, not just teaching, that I was tired. And so I had a principal that put me in a title school or title position where I got to work with the small groups of students. And then I realized I really liked working with both the students and the adults. Yeah. So I started working with the kids and the adults and the parents. So that was really exciting. And it was that time that someone said, you should be an administrator. And I said, I'm not sure. So then I became a coach and I started so many things that I saw that needed to change, ways that kids could be supported better, ways that teachers could be supported better. And so I thought, well, maybe if I'm an assistant principal, I can make a difference. That'll make a

Cathy Tooley 16:46

difference, yeah. Isn't it so interesting? I remember feeling that same way, too. If I just go to the next level, I can affect the change. That's the problem, is I can affect it. And if I just get there... Right.

Rebecca Johnson 16:56

So as an assistant principal, I still felt like I wasn't able to make the changes. So I thought, well, if I become a principal... And by the time I got done with my second year as a principal, I realized that there were just things that I was not going to be able to control and affect. And I just didn't think I could be in education anymore, seeing how I felt like I was just almost useless. I know that I'm not now that I have perspective. But then I just felt like I'm not making a difference.

Cathy Tooley 17:31

Tell me the moment you knew.

Rebecca Johnson 17:34

I think it was during COVID where I wasn't able to protect my students and my teachers the way that I wanted to because of things that were being handed down to me that were even above central office.

Cathy Tooley 17:50

Agreed. Our government, I'm not sure, knew what was going on. Let's face it, we've not been through a pandemic. It was a little first for most of us walking alive now.

Rebecca Johnson 18:00

I just kind of felt helpless. I did feel helpless. I felt like... I knew things needed to be different, and I did not see a way that I could make a change, and I was just tired of trying.

Cathy Tooley 18:12

And so for you, you had a moment where you thought, I can't make a difference. I'm not making a difference.

Rebecca Johnson 18:20

Yeah.

Cathy Tooley 18:21

And therefore, you walked away from the very thing that you...

Rebecca Johnson 18:24

Yeah, that I thought since I was 10 years old that I was going to do. I knew I was going to be a teacher when I was 10 years old.

Cathy Tooley 18:30

So that one student reaching out did what for you when you've already made the decisions to leave?

Rebecca Johnson 18:36

It just reaffirmed that I didn't waste those years. I wasn't sure. I was grieving. I was grieving what I thought my life was going to look like. I was grieving my identity and who I thought I was. And I was grieving that, did I just put all of that time and effort and love and tears and time away from my family and stress and, and, and, and? Did I just waste it? And so it was

Finding Purpose After Teaching

Rebecca Johnson 19:06

just an affirmation that God used me in that time.

Cathy Tooley 19:11

So there's someone listening to this podcast right now who's sitting right where you are. Yeah. And they're trying to decide if it's their moment. You're talking to two diametrically different women on the stage. Yeah. I stayed.

Rebecca Johnson 19:23

Right.

Cathy Tooley 19:24

I stayed. I stuck it out until I was literally fired on November 14th of 2014. You left. See, I really believe, Rebecca, that there isn't a writer are wrong. There isn't. But what would you say?

Rebecca Johnson 19:39

Well, to be completely transparent and vulnerable, I don't think I would have chosen to leave had I not been booted.

Cathy Tooley 19:48

Me neither. Agreed. Me neither.

Rebecca Johnson 19:50

But I think the reason that I am being, you know, I chose to stay out. I chose to stay out instead of go back in. And I think for someone who's on that You have to just decide. Where do you think you can make the most difference? That's

Cathy Tooley 20:10

it.

Rebecca Johnson 20:11

And what is best for you personally, for your mental health, your spiritual health, your energy, your family? Are you sacrificing more than what your family can give? Are you sacrificing more than what you personally can give? I look at pictures. Because if you're

Cathy Tooley 20:29

looking for grass greener somewhere else,

Rebecca Johnson 20:31

you're not finding it. But I look at pictures of those two years, those last two years in education, and I could see in my eyes that I wasn't happy. And then I look at pictures that summer when I was still grieving and I see a lightness that I had in myself. And so it was the right decision for me to not be back in education. And I'm still being used as an educator. It just looks different.

Cathy Tooley 20:59

You're sitting on this podcast.

Rebecca Johnson 21:01

Yeah.

Cathy Tooley 21:01

So clearly the Lord wants to use you. Yeah. You're sitting on this podcast. Absolutely. And we didn't know each other. No. We didn't know each other except Right, right. younger you sitting in college. She's going to school. She knows she was going to be a teacher since she was 10 years old. What would you tell her?

Rebecca Johnson 21:45

I would just encourage her that even though she cried every day, she was going to cry every day for the first two years as a teacher. For sure. Lots of tissues. Right? Lots of tissues. And that even though things were hard, and even if things were stressful, that she was going to make a difference, that God was going to use her. And it wasn't going to look how she thought it was going to look when she was 10. There it is. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't something that was

Cathy Tooley 22:13

being

Rebecca Johnson 22:14

used.

Cathy Tooley 22:16

Beautiful. Thank you. Yes. Thank you for being here. Thank you for having me. Thank you for being a part of this. I hope that those of you watching, because I know that we're living in a world right now that education is becoming a revolving door. Yeah, you're right. It's becoming a it's right that I stayed or wrong that you left or right that you left and wrong that I stayed. It was a good choice for me as it was a good choice for you. And I think that, I said this a couple of podcasts ago, that God said the greatest gift of all is love. And we just love each other through our decisions. And I know that however long you were there, I've only spent a little bit of time with you. I know you made an impact.

Rebecca Johnson 23:04

Thank you.

Advice to Future Educators

Cathy Tooley 23:05

I'm sure you made an impact. And so for those kids who because you have the little ones who are probably not as vocal to tell you how great you were. I want to thank you for that. And thank you for speaking into the, what it was like to leave. We've not had a guest yet that we've had the opportunity to speak with that. And I appreciate for doing that. So thank you all for joining us and we'll look forward to seeing you on our next one. Have a fantastic day.