A native of Richmond, Virginia, J.K. Lynch spent 20 years as a Social Studies teacher,
shaping minds in Henrico and Chesterfield Counties. Known for his passion and
storytelling, he’s finally put pen to paper to share the highs (mostly) and lows of teaching
in his debut book, You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: Stories of a Tired Former Teacher, set
for release Soon.
About J.K. Lynch
My Journey
A proud graduate of Richmond Public Schools, I left high school with a bit of a dilemma.
I loved working with kids, but I didn’t see a lucrative future working with them. Instead, I
started college at the University of Maryland, College Park, studying Computer Science.
I had a moment of honesty pretty early on- computers weren’t my niche; working with
kids was. I transferred to Old Dominion University in 2000, moved back to the Richmond
area in 2004 after graduating and began teaching Social Studies in Henrico and
Chesterfield Counties.
Over the next two decades, I taught hundreds of students and made a larger impact in
both of the buildings I worked in, serving in numerous capacities such as department
leader, safety chair, PR representative, building liaison for district initiatives, and
concluding my career as International Baccalaureate Coordinator. I was honored to sit
on a pilot committee for teaching African-American History across the Commonwealth of
Virginia and contributed to the “Movement” textbook series.
In 2024, I stepped away from the classroom to explore new paths, armed with the skills
from 20 years of teaching and a love for storytelling. As an old friend once told me,
“You’re just getting started.”
Beyond the Classroom
“
When I’m not writing or reminiscing about teaching, I’m traveling, diving into suspense films, or geeking out at cultural festivals and museums across the U.S. and abroad. Family and friends keep me grounded, and a good book or nerdy adventure keeps me inspired.
Jelani Lynch
