About the Episode:

What does a truly rich math classroom look like and sound like?

Dr. Theodore Sagoon—professor, researcher, and teachereducator at UCLA—joins us to dismantle the “natural math genius” myth and paint a picture of culturally responsive math instruction where students’ identities, languages, and thinking are at the center.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to spot a healthy, challenging math classroom: daily check-ins, multiple ways to participate, and tasks that value reasoning over rote speed.
• The real harm of timed tests and tracking - and how they shape fixed beliefs about "being smart".
• culturally responsive teaching in math: swapping textbook contexts for ones that reflect students' lives, languages, and communities.
• Productive struggle as a life skill: how to help kids grapple, reflect, and collaborate instead of rushing to the answer.
• Parent toolkits: questions to ask at home and at school to encourage discourse and understand what's happening in class.
• Teacher-Family Partnerships: building trust and dialogue without demonizing teachers who are already carrying a heavy load.

Episode Breakdown:

00:12 Guest Introduction: Dr. Theodore Sagun

04:18 Theodore's Upbringing and Early Math Experiences

08:05 Messages About Math Success and Intelligence

12:12 Culturally Responsive Math Instruction

14:15 Challenges with Standardized Testing andCurriculum

22:01 The Model Minority Myth

25:41 Defining a Culturally Responsive Math Classroom

29:35 Rethinking Math Instruction: Humanizing theClassroom

30:16 Engaging Students in Diverse Learning Experiences

32:03 The Role of Teachers in a Responsive MathClassroom

36:53 The Concept of Productive Struggle in Math

40:59 Encouraging Productive Struggle at Home

47:47 Building Relationships with Teachers for BetterMath Learning

56:12 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Projects

About Dr. Sagun:

 Dr. Theodore Sagun is a professor, researcher, and teacher educator at UCLA where he has worked with countless pre-service teachers in the teacher education program.

He is the co-author of Equity Moves to Support MultilingualLearners in Mathematics and Science, Grades K-8. He is a former high school mathematics teacher and Associate Director of the UCLA Mathematics Project and has trained countless in-service and pre-service teachers to center student thinking in math and culturally relevant practices.

At the California state level, Theodore has twice been appointed to California's Mathematics Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee, helping to shape the direction of math education for millions of students across the state of California.

How to connect with Dr. Sagun:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodore-sagun-55b97518/

Connect with Courage Class on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube:

@courageclasspod

@drlindsaykwockhu

⁠⁠www.drlindsaykwockhu.com/podcast⁠⁠

Sign up for Courage Class Notes, a weekly newsletter:

⁠⁠https://dr-lindsay-kwock-hu.kit.com/980fac101a⁠⁠

Music Credit:

DayNigthMorning from Pixabay

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Episode Summary

What if menopause isn’t an ending—but a second beginning?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Tamsin Lee guides us through the foundational principles of East Asian Medicine, showing how concepts like yin and yang can transform the way we experience midlife, aging, and womanhood.

We talk about how Western medicine tries to ‘fix’ menopause, while East Asian Medicine sees it as a natural evolution—an opportunity for recalibration, reflection, and growth. From decolonizing our beliefs about aging to practical daily rituals that align with the seasons, this episode is both grounding and deeply liberating.

Tamsin also reminds us that rest and rejuvenation are not the same—and that true healing starts when we listen to our own body’s messages instead of chasing external prescriptions.

Whether you’re entering perimenopause, post-menopause, or simply navigating midlife transformation, this conversation will leave you with language, tools, and hope.

Episode Outline

02:00

Yin and yang explained as dynamic, interdependent forces

08:00

From paralysis to acupuncture to rediscovering her calling

16:00

How menopause is pathologized in the West and honored in the East

24:00

Seeing aging, race, class, and capitalism as interconnected

32:00

Menopause as renewal, transformation, and creative power

40:00

Feeling sadness as a sacred step toward compassion

48:00

Learning to read your body’s signals; advocating for yourself

55:00

Breathing meditation, sensory awakening, and daily awareness

1:03:00

Aligning life rhythms with autumn and winter energies

1:11:00

What actually restores you vs. what simply stops you

1:18:00

Facing fear and rediscovering power in community

1:25:00

Practicing kindness to self; remembering the blood holds memory

1:32:00

Self-trust, cultural connection, and choosing curiosity over fear

About Dr. Tamsin Lee

Dr. Tamsin Lee is a Daoist metaphysical expert with over a decade of experience as an East Asian medicine doctor, public health researcher, and teaching artist. As the founder of Elemental Archetypes, she helps people reclaim ancestral wisdom through East Asian metaphysics, Daoist healing, and embodied ritual. On a weekly basis, she delivers hope and wisdom to her over 16,000 social media followers on how to lean into perimenopause and menopause with grace, power, and kindness.

Connect with Dr. Tamsin Lee

IG and Tiktok: @drtamsinlee

Connect with Courage Class on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube:

@courageclasspod

@drlindsaykwockhu

⁠⁠www.drlindsaykwockhu.com/podcast⁠⁠

Sign up for Courage Class Notes, a weekly newsletter:

⁠⁠https://dr-lindsay-kwock-hu.kit.com/980fac101a⁠⁠

Music Credit:

DayNigthMorning from Pixabay

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Disclaimer:

Courage Class with Dr. Lindsay Kwock Hu and content posted by Dr. Lindsay Kwock Hu is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

About the Episode:

In this deeply personal episode, Lindsay sits down with her husband Mike to talk about something that’s often overlooked in ambitious careers: rest.

Mike shares his journey from UCLA to management consulting, to London Business School, and eventually to a leadership role in real estate private equity—before making the courageous decision to step away for a six-month sabbatical.

Together, they explore how cultural expectations, family responsibilities, and relentless work habits shaped his views on success—and why choosing to pause became one ofthe bravest decisions of his life.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

· Why high achievers struggle with the idea of rest—and why it’s not a lack of ambition.

· How the regret minimization framework (from Jeff Bezos) helped Mike decide to take a sabbatical.

· The cultural influences (Asian, Western, corporate) that make rest feel like weakness—and how to reframe it.

· What surprised Mike most about stepping away from work for the first time in decades.

· Why redefining success means balancing ambition with family, health, and joy.

Episode Breakdown

01:26 Introducing Mike's Sabbatical

02:32 Mike's Career Journey

06:11 Balancing Work and Family

08:26 The Decision to Take a Sabbatical

11:21 Cultural Expectations and Work Ethic

17:08 Reflections on the Sabbatical

39:47 Advice for Young Parents

43:15 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

Connect with Mike Hu

IG: @mikehu_bruin

Connect with Courage Class on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube:

@courageclasspod

@drlindsaykwockhu

⁠⁠www.drlindsaykwockhu.com/podcast⁠⁠

Sign up for Courage Class Notes, a weekly newsletter:

⁠⁠https://dr-lindsay-kwock-hu.kit.com/980fac101a⁠⁠

Music Credit:

DayNigthMorning from Pixabay

invitation-no-copyright-music-388387

Disclaimer:

Courage Class with Dr. Lindsay Kwock Hu and content posted by Dr. Lindsay Kwock Hu is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website isat the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of aphysician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.