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Listen "26: Interview with John B. King, Jr."
Episode Synopsis
In this special episode of There’s Power in Teaching, PDK Emerging Leader Fellow Dr. Ryan Tauriainen, executive director of Teach For America (Washington, D.C. and Virginia), and Haylie Johnson, national vice president of engagement for Educators Rising, sit down with Dr. John B. King Jr. — former U.S. Secretary of Education and current Chancellor of the State University of New York.
Together, they explore King’s deeply personal new book, Teacher by Teacher (Legacy Lit, 2024), a tribute to the educators who shaped his life and a reminder of the transformative power of great teaching.
King shares moving stories of resilience and gratitude — from the teachers who helped him survive the loss of both parents as a child, to rediscovering his late father’s legacy as the first Black principal of Brooklyn’s PS 70. He reflects on lessons from his own classroom, including the student teaching moment that “completely failed,” and how it led him to understand the difference between teaching and learning.
The conversation also touches on King’s proudest accomplishments as Secretary of Education, including launching the Second Chance Pell program to restore college opportunities for incarcerated students, and his urgent call today to refocus national attention on student learning after the pandemic:
“We should have our hair on fire about where student performance is, particularly for low-income students and students of color. We should be throwing everything at that.”
King’s reflections are both intimate and instructive, reminding educators of their enduring influence:
“Teachers are often the difference between hope and despair in people’s lives.”
Guest Biography
Dr. John B. King Jr. served as the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama and is now the 15th Chancellor of the State University of New York, the nation’s largest public higher education system. A lifelong educator, he has been a teacher, principal, professor, state commissioner, and civil rights leader. He holds degrees from Harvard, Yale, and Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Teacher by Teacher is available now from Legacy Lit. Learn more at johnbkingjr.com.
About the Series
The PDK Emerging Leader Fellows program pairs early-career educators with members of Educators Rising to produce collaborative podcast episodes exploring critical issues in education today.
To learn more about the Fellows program, visit pdkintl.org/el-de.
Together, they explore King’s deeply personal new book, Teacher by Teacher (Legacy Lit, 2024), a tribute to the educators who shaped his life and a reminder of the transformative power of great teaching.
King shares moving stories of resilience and gratitude — from the teachers who helped him survive the loss of both parents as a child, to rediscovering his late father’s legacy as the first Black principal of Brooklyn’s PS 70. He reflects on lessons from his own classroom, including the student teaching moment that “completely failed,” and how it led him to understand the difference between teaching and learning.
The conversation also touches on King’s proudest accomplishments as Secretary of Education, including launching the Second Chance Pell program to restore college opportunities for incarcerated students, and his urgent call today to refocus national attention on student learning after the pandemic:
“We should have our hair on fire about where student performance is, particularly for low-income students and students of color. We should be throwing everything at that.”
King’s reflections are both intimate and instructive, reminding educators of their enduring influence:
“Teachers are often the difference between hope and despair in people’s lives.”
Guest Biography
Dr. John B. King Jr. served as the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama and is now the 15th Chancellor of the State University of New York, the nation’s largest public higher education system. A lifelong educator, he has been a teacher, principal, professor, state commissioner, and civil rights leader. He holds degrees from Harvard, Yale, and Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Teacher by Teacher is available now from Legacy Lit. Learn more at johnbkingjr.com.
About the Series
The PDK Emerging Leader Fellows program pairs early-career educators with members of Educators Rising to produce collaborative podcast episodes exploring critical issues in education today.
To learn more about the Fellows program, visit pdkintl.org/el-de.
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