Hello, my name is John Tonan. I am honored to serve as a fifth grade teacher at Golden Elementary. What makes our Golden community truly special is the people. That includes you, families, and especially your child. Each year, I aim to help children become the best versions of themselves. Every child is bright and full of potential. My classroom is a place purposefully designed to foster engagement, curiosity and diligence.

I earned my Bachelors and Teaching Credential from Cal State San Bernardino. Currently, I'm completing my Masters in Teaching and Learning. Golden is my home away from home. I seek to mentor, guide and build connections with every student. My father has taught at the elementary level for over thirty years. I owe much of who I am as a teacher and person to him. He helped me understand the meaning of integrity, empathy and respect. These values are the foundations of my classroom.

When I'm not at Golden, I spend quality time with my best friend (who also happens to be my wife). Some days, we play music (acoustic guitar, piano, box drum) and sing together. Other days, we relax with a board game or explore a new hiking trail. I firmly believe that life outside of school impacts life within school. The same is true in reverse. The lessons we learn inside the four walls of a classroom should translate beyond to our world. To quote the great educational philosopher John Dewey, "Education is not [simply] preparation for life; education is life itself." This year, our classroom will be a place of life and growth.