Meet Middle School Math & History Teacher Joshua Johansen
Sioux Falls Lutheran School is pleased to welcome Mr. Joshua Johansen to the SFLS family! He will join our middle school team as our math and history teacher during the 2023-24 school year.
Mr. Johansen is a South Dakota State University graduate who holds a degree in history and a teaching certificate with endorsements in middle school math, social science, and secondary advanced history. After student teaching in the Brandon Valley School District, he gained additional hands-on experience in the classroom as a career and technical education assistant at Patrick Henry Middle School and long term substitute in the Sioux Falls School District.
Check out the Q&A below to learn more about Mr. Johansen and his passion for education.
Tell me a bit about yourself and your family.
I've been married to my wife, Jen, since December 1, 2012. We have four children, all of whom attend Sioux Falls Lutheran, and we are members at Memorial Lutheran Church.
My father is a Lutheran pastor, and we moved a few times during my childhood. I began school in Parshall, ND, a town of 1,000. I attended middle school in San Gabriel, CA. My high school years were spent in Williston, ND, a town of 13,000 at the time, though it is much larger now as a result of the oil boom.
I spent a lot of time hunting and fishing as a child, and I still get out fishing multiple times a year. Other than fishing, my family enjoys playing board games, card games, watching movies, and spending time outdoors (including camping and disc golf).
How did you decide to pursue a career in education?
While in college, I began reflecting on my own life and felt that I could use my experiences and personality to become an impactful teacher.
Tell me a bit about your teaching style.
As a teacher, I bring energy and enthusiasm to the classroom. I like to have fun and involve the students with engaging activities.
What do you enjoy most about working with middle school students?
I enjoy working with middle school students because they are just entering a time in their life where brain development is capable of deeper thinking. Middle school is a very impressionable age, and students need positive guidance during those years.
How do you envision integrating faith into your classroom daily?
Much of our society promotes atheism and accepting sin as normal or okay behavior. As a teacher in a Christian school, I can consistently relate back to God's Word and use apologetics to help students strengthen their faith in God’s Truth. Our sinful society is good at twisting and confusing reality, so our kids need to be prepared for the world we live in.
Favorite Bible verse:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” –James 1:2-3
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.