Image of crossed swords

Read the Witcher

Teacher By Teacher

The People Who Change Our Lives

Coming Soon
Teacher By Teacher Open the full-size image

Contributors

By John B. King Jr.

Formats and Prices

Price

$29.00

Price

$39.00 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Hardcover $29.00 $39.00 CAD
  2. ebook $14.99 $19.99 CAD
  3. Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $24.99

Also available from:

In the tradition of Lessons Learned and Cherished, a heartfelt and inspirational narrative by the U.S. Secretary of Education under the Obama administration about the teachers he learned from worked with who influenced his own groundbreaking career as an educator.

Teacher By Teacher reflects the transformative power of public education. Both of Secretary King’s parents were career public school educators. His dad was a teacher and administrator, and his mother was a teacher and school counselor. King’s mother passed away suddenly when he was in the fourth grade, and his dad—suffering from undiagnosed Alzheimer’s—passed by the time he was 12. Home was unstable and uncertain, but public school teachers never gave up on him. They made school a safe, supportive and engaging place where King could just be a kid—away from the challenges at home. While many could have seen a young Black and Puerto Rican kid whose life was in crisis and written him off, public school teachers, mentors, and a school counselor gave him a second chance.

Crises can be catalysts for change. This book is about overcoming challenges, and the mentors who help us make it through them. Teacher By Teacher is a deeply personal love letter to all the teachers in our lives. But more than that, this book is about the power of mentorship, especially for those who are underserved by public institutions and social systems in America. 

Genre:

  • "Teacher By Teacher is more than John King’s story. It’s an invitation to redesign schools to provide all young people—especially those most marginalized—with the inspiration, love, and support they need to thrive."
    James Forman Jr., Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Locking Up Our Own
  • "Teacher by Teacher is a captivating story of survival and hope. John King offers a window into what is possible when classrooms inspire kids—no matter their circumstances—with hope, equip them with the skills necessary to succeed, and nurture them with love."
    Arne Duncan, 9th U.S. Secretary of Education
  • "The best antidote to poverty, violence, and despair is hope—and that is what you can find in the pages of John King’s Teacher by Teacher. Every educator—and more than that, everyone who cares about education equity—should have Teacher by Teacher on their bookshelf."
    Geoffrey Canada, President & Founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone and author of Fist Stick Knife Gun
  • "Whether you are a college student considering a career in education, a first-year teacher just beginning your professional journey, or a seasoned veteran educator, you will find inspiration, insights, and hope in the pages of Teacher by Teacher."
    Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All & Founder of Teach For America
  • "Teachers are so often students’ first and last line of defense when they are at their most vulnerable. John King’s riveting account of how his teachers helped him find his way amidst unspeakable hardships and how he went on to lead a life of service as a teacher, school leader, and policymaker reminds us that teachers inspire hope in the darkest of times and light the way to brighter futures."
    Anthony Abraham Jack, author of The Privileged Poor and Class Dismissed
  • "In Teacher By Teacher, John King powerfully describes not only the ways education saved and shaped his life, but how supporting our teachers can unlock a brighter future for every child everywhere and strengthen democracy itself. This is a must-read book for educators, policymakers, parents and citizens committed to building a better future."
    Deval Patrick, former Governor of Massachusetts
  • "I am grateful to John King for sharing his inspirational story and highlighting the true heroes for so many of us."
    Loretta E. Lynch, 83rd Attorney General of the United States
  • "Teachers changed my life. Thankfully, they changed John King’s as well. Teacher by Teacher is proof of the power of an educator—filled with twists, turns, and some of the best that our schools have to offer. Compelling, inspiring, and full of hope."
    Brad Meltzer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod
  • "We are from different parties and have different political perspectives, but John King and I share the unshakeable conviction that education is the path to greater opportunity and prosperity. Teacher By Teacher offers important insights into John King’s inspiring personal journey, how schools can be structured to successfully close achievement gaps, and what states and the federal government can do to ensure that all children—regardless of race or family income—are prepared to succeed."
    Margaret Spellings, 8th U.S. Secretary of Education and President & CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center
  • "Teacher by Teacher is an important book, not just for educators, but for anyone who has an interest in exploring nuanced, innovative, and passionate leadership at all levels—from the classroom to the federal government."
    Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst; Former Chairman and CEO, American Express

On Sale
Apr 29, 2025
Page Count
240 pages
Publisher
Legacy Lit
ISBN-13
9781538757772

You May Also Like

Strings Attached
Strings Attached $16.00 $18.00 CAD
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind
Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind $22.99 $27.99 CAD
Educating Esmé
Educating Esmé $15.99 $21.99 CAD
Work Hard. Be Nice.
Work Hard. Be Nice. $15.95 $21.95 CAD
Privilege
Privilege $21.99 $28.99 CAD

John B. King Jr.

About the Author

John B. King Jr. served in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education. Over the course of his extensive and influential career in public education, he has been a high school social studies teacher, a middle school principal, the first African American and Puerto Rican to serve as New York State Education Commissioner, a college professor, and the president and CEO of the Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization. King is currently the chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Both of King’s parents were career New York City public school educators. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, an education researcher and former teacher, and his two daughters.

Learn more about this author