J.K. Lynch shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning J.K., it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Hear me out on this. This is going to sound arrogant. YES! I would hire me! Something I want every HR rep and leader in a company to know is that teachers are an asset to your company, agency or organization, especially teachers with a background of working in hard-to-staff schools. They (I) know 1) not only how to work within the confines of a high pressure environment with little to no help or resources, 2) how to get positive results by working with leaders and students who can be massively ‘difficult’ or deficient, 3) complaining does nothing when there are constant states of flux within the organization, 4) how to juggling an overflowing plate, and 5) how to become baby SMEs when applicable (ex. learning math or a world language to aid a student in trouble).
Having been out of teaching for almost two years, I have witnessed people within the organizations I have worked with who never entered a classroom as a teacher and failed the litmus test of those previously mentioned qualifications. The line of work I am in now- I didn’t know anything about it 24 months ago, but I am growing each day in how this line of work works and how valuable it is for all involved.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am J.K. Lynch. After a moment of epiphany during my freshmen year of college, I decided Computer Science was not my path. Instead, I transferred from a nationally known school (University of Maryland at College Park) to a lesser known school (Old Dominion University) in my home state of Virginia, where I majored in History, focusing on Secondary Education. From there, I went on to teach Social Studies in Central Virginia for twenty years, and during that time, at various points in my career, I doubled as a department chair, safety chair, PR liaison, building liaison, and finished my career running the International Baccalaureate program at one of the high need high schools in the Central Virginia area. I was blessed to be an award winning teacher, earning Teacher of the Year for my school for the 2020-21 school year and earning the Servant Leader Award for Social Studies educators during the 2021-22 school year.
After years of telling people the stories of my classroom, I finally decided to take their advice and write a book. “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: Stories of a Tired Former Teacher” is told from a reflective and humorous lens. If you have a teacher in your life, or you are a teacher- trust me- you will relate.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
My parents! My mother worked in childcare for over two decades and I saw my mother take my grandmother’s philosophy to heart through the centers she worked in. That philosophy was “leave it better than you found it”. I would see how she educated, provided, and imparted. She put in $1 million worth of work to receive a humbling infinitesimal amount as pay. I knew that entering public education meant that I wouldn’t live like the Vanderbilt’s, but I worked and imparted like I was them.
My father worked for the city of Richmond for over two decades as an urban planner and from him I learned the value of relationships. A kind word, a relatable comment, or even empathy can yield benefits when trying to accomplish a larger project down the road. It was through my father that I saw my paternal grandmother’s philosophy lived out- do the best you can.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Be fearless. Fearing rejection means that you will not ‘shoot your shot’ when it counts (and that is in every arena of life). Fearing loss means that your hand is so tight that you never get to enjoy something new because you are holding onto the old. Fearing suffering means that your growth will be stifled, no matter how great you look on the outside. And lastly, dreaming without action is poisonous. If you are not careful, you will see the years fly by with nothing to show for it and you may even inadvertently kill the dreams of your family, friends and coworkers by the stalemate spirit you have accepted for yourself.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. A lot of people do not take the time to get to know me. They fill in blanks and make assumptions. As a result, I often hear people say “I didn’t know ‘x’ about you or ‘y’ about you”! The public version of my integrity is the same whether I am in front of 1000 or 1. Those things that make me laugh, ponder, enjoy, or even give me pause- you have to stop and listen for that. A great friend once said “[J.K.] may not say much, but when he does, you better listen”. Not because I am a demagogue, but because if I do open my mouth and share, I have enough trust to say and share what needs to be said.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What false labels are you still carrying?
Depending on the circle I’m in or the table I’m at, it varies. The most common false labels are I am too old for this, too serious for that, too learned for this, but not enough education for that. All of these false labels are chuckle-worthy as I get older. It used to be infuriating, but now all I can do is laugh. So many people do not believe that I do not have a sense of humor, but those who are around me long enough know that I have a sense of humor (read my book and you’ll see that). I find with age, a great friend once said that “I am just getting started”. Age is a limitation if I allow it to be. In some arenas, I am overlooked because I am not given the opportunity to show that I am adaptable to the environment that I am in (teachers after often put into a box because they are just [a teacher, a coach, etc.]). I am a lifelong learner who strives for relatability when working with people because the results are greater when this happens. Not enough education is hilarious to me because when given the opportunity, where I lacked in experience, I made up for my deficit with a teachable spirit and a growth mindset.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ycmtsu-jklynch.com
- Instagram: @ycmt.su
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelani-k-lynch/
Image Credits
William Matlock, III
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