Teacher by Teacher

The People Who Change Our Lives

By: John B. King Jr.

Narrated by: Joshua Quinn, John B. King Jr.

Teacher By Teacher traces the remarkable journey of the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education and is a deeply personal love letter to all the teachers in our lives.

The story of John B. King Jr.’s inspiring path to President Obama’s Cabinet begins the day that his mother died. He insisted on going to school that day, knowing he would find comfort in his classroom. As he navigated living alone with a father dying from undiagnosed Alzheimer’s, it was public school teachers who saved his life. King’s teachers believed in him and saw his potential. They made school a safe, supportive, and engaging place where King could be a kid despite the challenges at home. While some might have dismissed a rebellious young Black and Puerto Rican teen whose life was in crisis, King’s teachers and counselors gave him a second chance.

King went on to earn degrees from Harvard, Columbia, and Yale and committed his career to trying to do for other young people what educators did for him. Teacher By Teacher is an inspiring account of how dedicated educators—both King’s own teachers and the phenomenal teachers who he has encountered throughout his career as a teacher, principal, and education policymaker—can profoundly shape the lives of their students. King’s experiences constantly reinforce the role of schools as places of survival, healing, and hope.

This book is about overcoming challenges and the mentors who help us make it through them. Teacher By Teacher should inspire students, parents, teachers, and everyone who believes in the transformative power of education. But more than that, this book examines the life-changing impact of mentorship, especially for those who are underserved by public institutions and social systems in America.

©2025 John B. King, Jr. (P)2025 Legacy Lit

Critic reviews

"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

An inspiring memoir

Reminding us about the power each one of us holds to impact the lives of our children