Faculty and Staff Profiles

John M. Johnston (Ph.D. in Teacher Education, Ohio State University) has been a kindergarten teacher and since 1978 a professor of Early Childhood teacher education.  

He has been actively involved in teacher education assessment and accreditation for most of his career.  He has participated in developing Early Childhood teacher education standards in Tennessee, Early Childhood Generalist standards for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and initial and advanced teacher standards for the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  He has worked with the Educational Testing Service to revise and develop better Early Childhood Praxis II examinations.   

He has served on the Tennessee Board of Examiners for teacher education accreditation, and for 12 years served on the Board of Examiners of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).  He currently serves on the NAEYC Professional Development Panel, the NAEYC NCATE Audit and Advisory Committee, and the NAEYC Associate Degree Program Accreditation Commission. He also serves as a member of the NCATE Specialty Areas Study Board, and the Coalition of Organizations for the Professional Preparation of Educators (COPPE).

He currently serves on the Dean's staff as the Director of Assessment for the University of Memphis College of Education.