When John was 10 years old, he walked down the hallways of Stuarts Draft Middle School to find his locker and classes on what he believed was a normal "back-to-school" night. However, the moment he walked through the door frame of Room 30, he met his sixth-grade science teacher, Ms. Cross. From that moment on, he knew he wanted to be a teacher - not just any teacher, but a teacher as influential as Ms. Cross. That moment in Room 30 where he met Ms. Cross still fuels his drive as a teacher. Yet, his single greatest accomplishment, if asked, is his family. If you have ever worked with John via Zoom, WebEx, Google Meets, or Teams, you have almost certainly met each member of his immediate family through their impromptu cameo appearances. John lives in Waynesboro, Virginia with his wife Danielle, a fellow educator, their two children, Tessa and Jackson, and Labrador retrievers, Bella and Dukes. Oh, and Tessa and Jackson affectionately call Ms. Cross, Grandma Sally. 

Outside of being a husband and father, John is a bestselling author and has worked with schools, classrooms, and teachers all over the world on the translation and application of the science of learning to the classroom, school, and home environments, and what works best in teaching and learning. He has worked with teachers and leaders in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Dubai, Egypt, England, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Korea, Thailand and all across the United States.

John is a Professor of Education in the College of Education at James Madison University. In 2015, John was awarded the inaugural Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professorship. In 2021, John was honored with an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia. Most recently, he was named a Madison Scholar in the College of Education.  At James Madison University, he continues to work with pre‑service teachers and graduate students, as well as actively pursue his research interests including the science of learning, the design and measurement of classroom environments that promote student engagement and learning. 

The work of John and his colleagues has been presented to the United States Congress, Virginia Senate, at the United States Department of Education as well as the Office of Science and Technology Policy at The White House.