Why the Name, “Elephant Shoes”?
Once upon a time, there was a teacher (Janice) having a conversation with one of her students. The student told her about a game she used to play with one of her friends, for shock value. They used to mouth the words "elephant shoes" across the classroom to each other. Then they'd laugh to themselves when their classmates freaked out a bit, because to them it looked like the students were saying, "I love you," to each other. Janice thought it was cute – and obviously it was memorable. So when it came time to naming her educational tools website, Janice wanted to choose a name that was fun and memorable - Elephant Shoes fit the bill perfectly!
Janice Tonger,
Educator & Creator
The Backstory of Creator, Janice Tonger
Janice Tonger started out as a Communications Major, but fell into teaching early on. English classes have always been easy for her, but she learned from some of her own former teachers what worked and didn't work in a classroom.
Janice tries very hard to not assume students walk into her classroom already knowing what she is there to teach them. She tries to break things down into manageable chunks, like she does for herself when she's learning something difficult.
Janice designs lessons and writes articles and essays by keeping her own weaknesses and vulnerabilities on top of her mind. August 2025, will begin Janice's 29th year in education so it seems like her strategies work!
~Janice Tonger
"I still LOVE when 'the light bulb goes off' and students walk away with greater understanding and ability. That just never gets old!"
During nearly three decades, Janice taught, in some way, all grade levels, K-12, ELA and Reading. She taught ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) to grades 9-12 and adults. Janice also earned her master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. The combination of her bachelor's in Communication, Master's in Education, and her years of experience make Janice uniquely qualified to lead students and their parents through their own education process.