A New Voice Elevating the Educator Experience: The Teacher’s Lounge by Dr. John B. Gordon III

Expert Voices

Jan 21

At CLP Consulting, we are grateful for opportunities to learn from and collaborate with education leaders who bring lived experience, reflection, and purpose to their work. Following his recent appearance at Innovate Upstate, we are pleased to highlight an important contribution to the field from Dr. John B. Gordon III: his book, The Teacher’s Lounge: The Real Role of Educators in Your Schools, available now on Amazon.

A Story Rooted in Experience and Reflection

The Teacher’s Lounge invites readers into Dr. Gordon’s personal and professional journey, beginning with his upbringing in the 1970s and 1980s as an African-American male in Richmond, Virginia, raised in a household where both parents were educators. Through reflections shaped by a love of science fiction, athletics, and academic achievement, Dr. Gordon explores how early experiences and pivotal decisions influenced who he would become later in life.

The book traces his navigation of predominantly white suburbia while offering thoughtful flashbacks and stories that illuminate how educators shape not just classrooms, but lives. These moments collectively reflect decisions and experiences that influenced hundreds of individuals across the education field.

Designed to Engage, Challenge, and Grow

More than a memoir, The Teacher’s Lounge is intentionally interactive. Each chapter concludes with exercises designed to help readers reflect, grow, and apply lessons from the narrative to their own lives and leadership journeys. This structure brings the story to life and encourages personal development alongside professional insight.

The book speaks directly to educators, leaders, and anyone interested in understanding the deeper, often unseen roles educators play within school systems and communities.

Leadership Grounded in Service and Impact

Dr. Gordon currently serves as the division superintendent of Suffolk Public Schools in Virginia. A lifetime educator, his leadership experience spans Chesterfield, Fredericksburg, and Richmond, and is grounded in a belief that education should be customized to meet the needs of all students while expanding opportunities for their futures.

Before district leadership, Dr. Gordon was a successful high school basketball coach, winning numerous championships over a ten-year career, an experience that continues to inform his expertise in team building and strategic planning. He was also the first African-American principal at James Monroe High School and the first African-American chairman of the Virginia High School League.

In addition to his district leadership, Dr. Gordon serves as an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and is president of Schools That Inspire, LLC, where he develops transformational strategies for students, teachers, and instructional leaders. Learn more about this work at schoolsthatinspire.com.

Recognition and Continued Influence

Dr. Gordon’s impact has been widely recognized. He was named a Distinguished Alumni by Virginia Tech and a “2022 Superintendent to Watch” by the National School Public Relations Association. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Virginia Alliance of Black School Educators and Chair for Region II.

A Reflection of Shared Values

The themes explored in The Teacher’s Lounge (identity, leadership, reflection, and the real influence educators have) align closely with the values we support at CLP Consulting. Dr. Gordon’s work reinforces the importance of authentic leadership and intentional growth in education systems.

We appreciate the opportunity to share his story and this meaningful resource with our network.