PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, November 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Lead Three-Year-Old Preschool Teacher at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School and Children’s Book Author Brings More Than Two Decades of Early Childhood Experience to the Classroom and the Page

Phoenix, Arizona – Sherri Johnson has dedicated more than two decades to early childhood education, working as a preschool teacher since 2002 and currently serving as the lead three-year-old teacher at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School. Throughout her career, she has focused on nurturing confidence, respect, and kindness in her youngest students, often serving as their very first teacher and helping lay the foundation for their future academic success. Her specialties span preschool teaching and children’s book authorship, two roles that reinforce one another. She considers it a privilege, never taken for granted, when families bring their children into her classroom, and she approaches each school year knowing that her students will teach her valuable lessons in return.

More than thirty years ago, Sherri’s passion for guiding young learners led her to create Mrs. Tattle, a classroom character designed to help children resolve minor conflicts and speak up for themselves without constantly relying on the teacher. The character has since become central to both her teaching philosophy and her writing. Later in life, Sherri expanded her impact beyond the classroom, completing her college degree at 55 and releasing her first book at 65. She earned an associate degree in General Studies and studied Early Childhood Education and Teaching at Glendale Community College. Her debut title, Mrs. Tattle’s Superpower, is followed by Mrs. Tattle’s Brave Heart, a book with special personal meaning. It is dedicated to children at a local hospital and features three of her grandchildren, portrayed through descriptions rather than photographs, a legacy she is deeply grateful to leave them. Writing under the pen name Mrs. Tattle, she shares her stories and classroom insights through her website, MrsTattle.com.

Sherri believes her success is a gift from above. After many years in the classroom, she feels blessed to help shape young children by instilling trust, kindness, and respect. She also credits the supportive village that inspires her to keep teaching for as long as she can, including mentors such as her sisters Laura and Patti, her husband Kyle, and her current principal, Ryan Watson. She is quick to add that the children she teaches continue to teach her each day, and she firmly believes she is never too old to learn from those around her. She considers the children a blessing and is grateful that she and her students are able to share their gifts.

The advice Sherri holds onto most is to remember that the children in her classroom are only about 36 months old. Keeping that in mind helps her manage expectations, and it requires a great deal of patience and calm. When her students see that she has faith in them, she has found they realize they can succeed. That simple reminder has guided her through more than two decades of teaching.

Sherri tells young women entering early childhood education that classes and credentials alone are not enough. Over the years, she has seen bright young teachers leave the profession because, while they had the intelligence, they lacked the patience and confidence to work with very young children and with parents who are navigating the experience of entrusting their child to someone else. She understands that it is not easy for mothers and fathers to relinquish authority during the school day, even when they know their child will be fine. Unlike many teachers, Sherri genuinely loves parent-teacher conferences, seeing them as a chance to discuss a child’s growth and share positive attributes. Letting parents know she values and appreciates their child, she has found, makes it much easier to address uncomfortable topics, because families understand those conversations come from a place of care.

Teaching today looks very different from when Sherri began. She has watched parenting styles evolve, and children’s behaviors change, and she has navigated significant shifts during COVID. One of the biggest challenges now, she believes, is keeping parents and teachers aligned, especially as approaches such as gentle parenting have changed how children interact and behave in the classroom. She believes strong partnerships between families and teachers matter more than ever as expectations and behaviors continue to shift.

Trust is, without question, the value Sherri holds most important, with kindness and respect right alongside it. Those three values guide both her classroom and her life. She has been married for 44 years, is the proud parent of two successful adult children, and is grandmother to three grandchildren. She gives back through volunteer work with the Salvation Army and the Diabetes Association, and she enjoys gardening and watching hockey. In an article for Influential Women, she reflected on how the courage of her young students continues to strengthen her faith and her belief in the power of community support. She described how her class prays each day for classmates facing serious illness, and how witnessing their bravery reaffirmed her sense of being part of a village of people who care for them.

Preferring to stay out of the spotlight, Sherri continues to focus on quietly making a difference in the lives of the children and educators around her. Her patience and warmth have shaped the early school experiences of many young learners and their families. Through her classroom, her books, and her steady example, Sherri Johnson has shown that the first teacher in a child’s life can leave an impression of trust and kindness that lasts a lifetime.

Learn More about Sherri Johnson:

Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/sherri-johnson

Influential Women

Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.

Editorial Team
Influential Women