Teaching

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Duke University

Theory and Society (Fall 2022, Fall 2024)

Religion and Public Health (Spring 2024)

"What is Hope? Bridging the Gap Between Lived Experience and Research"

Year-Long Research Tutorial (Fall 2024-Spring 2025)

"Politics and Polarization in Mainline Protestant Congregations" 

Year-Long Research Tutorial (Fall 2022-Spring 2023)

Course Director, Field Semester Program, Verto Education

Introduction to Sociology (Spring 2021)

Sociology of Identity (Spring 2020)

Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Spring 2020)

Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Stanford University (CA)

Sociology of Emotions (Winter 2019)

Lecturer, Thinking Matters/Introductory Studies, Stanford University (CA)

Empathy (Fall 2016, Fall 2017)

Belief (Winter 2017)

Reading the Body: How Medicine and Culture Define the Self (Spring 2017, 2018)

Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Princeton University (NJ)

Self and Society (Fall 2015)

Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2015)

Travelers, Tourists, and Pilgrims (Spring 2016)

Advisor, Junior Theses (17 students)

Visiting Faculty, Division of Social Sciences, Bennington College (VT)

Self and Society (Fall 2014)

Transformations of the Self (Fall 2014)

Instructor, Department of Sociology, Kean University (NJ)

Personal and Social Interaction (Spring 2012)

Preceptor (TA), Department of Sociology, Princeton University (NJ)

Sociology of the E-Street: Bruce Springsteen's America (Spring 2015)

Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2013)

Attitudes, Identities and Social Interaction, with David Gibson (Spring 2013)

Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2011)

Sociological Theory, with Professor Charles Camic (Spring 2011)

Sociology of the E-Street: Bruce Springsteen's America (Fall 2009)

Teaching Awards

Marvin Bressler Graduate Student Teaching Award, 2015

Princeton University, Sociology Department

Teaching-Related Activities

Guest Lecturer, Qualitative Analysis for Global Health, Duke University

I serve as a regular guest lecturer for this course. Past lectures have included: "Developing Themes and Codes" and "Analytic Memo-ing."

Pre-Major Advisor, Stanford University, 2017-2019

I served as pre-major advisor for 4 undergraduate students at Stanford. I met with my advisees quarterly to discuss their academic progress and plans, and to check in on their broader experiences on campus. I worked with these students until they declared a major. 

Organizer and Facilitator, "Mind Maps: Uses and Best Practices." Fellows Pedagogy Training. Thinking Matters Program, Stanford University, Fall 2017

I organized and facilitated this workshop on the use of mind maps as a pedagogical tool for active learning, meta-cognition, and integration. The workshop was delivered to instructors in the Thinking Matters program at Stanford University. 

Student Advising, Junior Theses, Department of Sociology, Princeton University, 2015-2016

I was the main advisor for 17 students writing junior theses (~30 page papers based on independent research, completed over the course of one academic year). 

Invited Participant, Teagle Foundation Seminar on Teaching in the Research University, McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, Princeton University, 2012-2013

I was selected to take part in a multi-disciplinary, year long seminar of Princeton graduate students and faculty. The seminar was a forum in which we read and discussed current research on a range of pedagogical issues in higher education. In addition to the participating in monthly discussions, I created a syllabus and planned assignments and assessments for a future course.

Participant, Teaching Transcript Program, McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, Princeton University [requirements completed June 2013]

I completed supplementary training in pedagogy through the McGraw Center at Princeton. In addition to serving as a preceptor (TA), the program requirements include: completing a classroom observation and feedback session with a consultant from the McGraw Center, participating in 5 pedagogy programs, and drafting both a teaching philosophy and original course syllabus.

Coordinator, Community-Based Learning Initiative (CBLI) Course Project in Bruce Springsteen’s America: Sociology of the E-Street, Princeton University

Working with local community organizations, I helped design and implement a community-based learning project for this "social problems" course (with Prof Mitch Duneier). Students in my sections conducted in-depth interviews with clients at either a reproductive health center or a veterans services center. Using these transcripts, students created two final products. Individually, students wrote a final paper in the style of a life history account, drawing out connections between the individual's experiences and broader social and cultural forces discussed in the class. Collectively, each section worked together, using the data from their interviews to produce a new pamphlet (with first-hand accounts) that could be used by the organization to explain and market their services.

STUDENT COMMENTS

Duke University - Theory and Society

"Professor Johnston is AWESOME! She is so impartial and does a great job teaching without inflicting her personal thoughts. She comes up with really engaging and constructive classroom activities!"

"This course seems dense at first glance, but Dr. Johnston's efforts to incorporate practical application make it a joy!"

"The course was very helpful in stimulating thought and intriguing conversation, we were encouraged to share our personal ideas on many matters, leading to more open and free discussions that provoked critical thinking."

"It was a great learning environment in which allowed me to perform at my best capacity. It was very engaging and our professor did a great job keeping us on track and getting students involved in the discussions."

"I would say definitely take this course! I had never taken a sociology course and this class completely changed my way of thinking. I look at many things with a new perspective and see the ways in which I can apply theory in my own life."

Stanford University - Sociology of Emotions

"I'm a senior, and this is one of the classes that most changed the way I think about the world! I was impressed by how organized Erin was and how much the classes were structured for our understanding. She asked for lots of feedback and was actually receptive to it. I enjoyed the readings and the topics she chose for the class."

"Seminar had a perfect blend of lecture and discussion. We were given time and the space to discuss lecture topics with classmates throughout the quarter. Dr. Johnston always made sure we understood the material before moving on."

"TAKE IT! Erin is a wonderful, hard working instructor. The class is so interesting and will totally change the way you see the world. Any work you do is meaningful and you will get so much out of this class."

"Me and my friend were talking on the walk back from class and we both agreed that Professor Johnston is one of the sweetest, most caring professors we've ever had. She is understanding, responsive, and extremely organized. She legitimately cared about the class and I could tell she spent hours reading our memos and giving us real feedback. I appreciated her a lot as a professor and would love to take another class with her in the sociology department."

Stanford University - Thinking Matters Program: 

"Dr. Johnston is by far the best professor I had this quarter (it's my first quarter). I consistently found the section discussions to be open, inviting spaces to have honest conversations. When we found course material challenging or confusing, she encouraged us to share that and discuss it. When we agreed or disagreed with assigned readings, she pushed us both to strengthen our arguments by talking through our opinions and to question these opinions, seeing the benefits and shortcomings of the readings that we weren't seeing. I leave section every single time feeling I have a deeper understanding of what empathy is and what its role is in this world, and I attribute that entirely to her balance of open-minded encouragement and her expectation that we write, argue, and defend ourselves with solid arguments." 

"Erin is always supportive of all of our opinions and creates a welcoming environment where I feel comfortable sharing my opinions to my classmates. Additionally, I really appreciated the thorough feedback and suggestions that [she] gave for my writing assignments. I've never had any teacher in the past who gave such concise, helpful, and supportive comments for my paper, so I was very grateful for her because she invested so much time in helping me improve my writing."

"I really enjoy how Erin gives us the freedom to conduct deep and complex conversations among ourselves, yet is able to coherently wrap up our ideas and how they apply to the bigger picture in a great way."

"She's good at facilitating conversations and making everyone feel comfortable to share in the classroom environment. She understands the material really well, and the way she explains and connects concepts to each other has helped me learn a lot."

Princeton University:

"Erin was great. She is very chill, relaxed and patient. She breaks down concepts and makes them sound worthwhile to talk about. Conversation never really got dull, and she made a very comfortable environment for anybody to talk. Sometimes I would say something probably not so smart, but she made me feel as if I was actually adding something to the conversation, making me feel good about myself, and more likely to participate in the future."

"Erin is the main reason I did well in this course. She clarified all of the material such that it was easy to grasp and remember. She always responded to my questions very promptly and made herself available outside of the classroom. Certainly one of the best preceptors I've had at Princeton!"

"Erin did a fantastic job. Her charts and review sheets were so helpful. She was great at engaging the precept and provided interesting discussions and hypothetical questions that made us think about the theorists in new and different ways. She was great in answering all of my questions and really clarified this course for me."

Bennington College:

"I think Erin is really successful at observing students in the class. She never labels students and she makes great efforts to understand each person individually."  

"It's clear that Erin put a lot of effort into designing/conducting and altering the course as needed. She was very open to meeting our own needs and was invaluable in encouraging us in developing our own research. Her kindness created a comfortable and enjoyable classroom environment."

Kean University:

"She's so intelligent. She puts so much work into teaching & she is very helpful. She goes above and beyond to make sure we understand the material. I definitely recommend taking her class. You learn so much, just show up, listen & read the book & assigned readings. Assignments are great, too. She answers emails ASAP and they are thorough. Love her!!!"

"She is extremely helpful and is great at explaining different topics. Her lectures are interesting and if you take her class you will definitely learn a lot! She always has a smile on her face and is overall a great professor!"

Courses I Would Love to Teach

Introduction to Sociology

Theory (Classical and Contemporary)

Research Methods (General)

Qualitative Methods 

Ethnography

Cultural Sociology

Culture and Cognition

Self and Society

Identity

Sociology of Emotions

Sociology of Religion

Lived Religion in America

New Religious Movements

Pilgrimage 

Sociology of the Body and Embodiment