Ryan James is a 7th and 8th grade Social Studies teacher at Lucille Brown Middle School in Richmond, Virginia.
He earned his undergraduate degree in History from James Madison University in May of 2011 and began teaching with Richmond Public Schools that following fall. Mr. James is known for building positive relationships and creating genuine connections with both his students and colleagues. He uses innovative teaching methods that incorporate sports, pop culture, social media trends, celebrity impersonations, and music to keep his students engaged. Mr. James believes in building the entire child and actively encourages his students to not see their challenges as deterrents but view them as opportunities to improve.
Mr. James is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated and is active of his school and local community. Throughout his time as an educator, he has taken several groups of students on field trips to college campuses in the effort to motivate them to pursue higher education. Since 2014 – 2015 school year, he has served as a coach for the boys’ basketball and flag football team. In addition, he has spent time as a grade level team lead and the Social Studies Department chair. Mr. James was named teacher of the year at Lucille Brown in 2016; and in November 2017, he was awarded the prestigious Milken Educators Award.
Q&A with Mr. James:
Why did you get into teaching?
My mother first introduced the idea of me getting into teaching when I was 14 years old. She has been with Richmond Public Schools as an administrative assistant for over 20 years and helped me get my first job as a summer school tutor with the district.
What inspires you?
My students inspire me because they are creative, talented and resilient. They have high goals and aspirations for themselves and feel that they can accomplish anything. Others face challenges that I couldn’t even imagine and still show up every day and give it their all.
What would you say is special about teaching in Virginia?
I think teaching in Virginia is special because of the deep and rich history of the state. As a Social Studies teacher I feel it is important to know the highs and lows of our history in order to build a brighter and more fruitful future.