In my experience, most teachers — hell, most people — don’t want to admit they hate anyone. “Hate,” they say, “is a strong word.”

As if there’s a problem with strong words. (Like “love,” for example.)

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

But people do hate. And when they hate irresponsibly, when they refuse to process that feeling and assume it has more to do with the object of their hatred than with themselves, they can do grave damage.

In this episode, Joe and I talk with a wonderfully open, self-aware teacher, storyteller, and entrepreneur who also happens to be a good friend of mine, Hari Kumar. It’s a great story about hate, teaching, self-correction, and hope.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We discuss

Teacher Sarcasm: Why it might be a red flag for teacher burnout

Teaching Philosophy: Hari’s four pillars of teaching, a pedagogical framework

Cat Shit vs. Bullshit: Which one does a teacher want?

Embracing “Almostness”: What to do with not knowing and how it can transform your student relationships

Teaching Community: Thinking about the support systems teachers need

Connect & Share

Got a story to share? What do you hate? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode!

Support the Show: If this conversation resonated, please consider leaving a rating or review on your podcast app. Your feedback helps others find us.

Get full access to the community: www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe

External links

bell hooks Teaching to Transgress

bell hooks Teaching Community

Those Who Can’t Teach Anymore

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This one’s for the leaders.

In this episode, I talk with a most amazing psychotherapist and “Leadership Whisperer,” Jerry Fromm. Jerry does organizational consulting, which means he helps people figure out (as I put it) what the hell is happening psychodynamically within their walls — or within their societies! or countries! since he works with individuals and groups domestically and internationally as well. He does quite remarkable work and tells lots of fascinating stories in today’s conversation, stories that will make teachers and school leaders think differently about themselves and the school cultures they’re a part of.

Many schools are rethinking their cultures. But I promise you: Jerry’s perspective will make you think in a way you could never have imagined.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

We discuss

* The Clinical Is Missing: A simple and amazing definition of “clinical” makes Jerry’s (and TTE’s) psychodynamic work relevant to schools.

* The Sentient Level of Organizations: How, in the psychological dynamics of systems, contagious unprocessed feelings define the school culture.

* Playing Roles: Managing the “invitations flying around” all organizations to fit with others in familiar ways.

* Different Types of Organizations: What are narcissistic organizations? What are dependent organizations?

* The Power of Pictures: What drawing a picture of your organization with you in it can reveal.

External Links

For information on Group Relations Conferences and Leading from Experience, go to The Center for the Study of Groups and Social Systems.

To get in touch with Jerry, email him at gerard.fromm@austenriggs.net.

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

On the face of it, having a Teaching Assistant or any adult in the classroom is a boon, right? The more adults, the more expert help students can get, the better.

In theory, yes.

In practice, having a TA or an adult helper can feel like having too many chefs in the kitchen. Because it’s another person to manage — and that person is more likely to have ideas of their own about how to teach and manage students. Ideas that might not dovetail completely with the lead teacher’s. Which means more work for the lead teacher to either orient that adult every day or clean up after them. Or both.

In this episode, Joe and I talk with Sarah, a university Spanish teacher whose school has gifted her with a TA every semester for the past 10 years — and she’s still figuring out how to make the best use of the resource.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

We discuss

* Mentoring TAs: Figuring out how to teach a teacher while simultaneously teaching students

* Sharing Expertise: Co-teaching as a unique source of information and wisdom

* Bridging Cultural Gaps: Managing a TA’s discomfort with your teaching style or philosophy

* Overcoming Student Anxiety: Planning ways to encourage students to make use of a TA effectively

It’s a really fun conversation! With a surprising axiom at the end that everyone should heed.

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I don’t think I have ever thought about the role of the ego in teaching. Until now! Thanks to an old student who wanted to talk with me about her ego, Joe and I dig into the tension between having self-regard (and being a little self-righteous) and maintaining amicable professional relationships.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Joe and I discuss

* Redefining Ego: Why the ego’s “bad rap” might be holding you back

* Managing Self-Righteousness: Practical tips for keeping professional relationships right — when you’re right, goddammit.

* Validating Expertise: How to handle the frustration of colleagues’ not appreciating the value of what you know.

* Teacher Objectification: Unpacking the emotional toll of being treated like a punching bag for all of society’s woes.

Needless to say, everybody has an ego, so this episode is relevant to everybody. Teachers and non-teachers alike!

Speaking of ego, I love this quote about TTE from Frank Racioppi of Ear Worthy:

“I love that show. It’s one of the shows that does good in this world.”

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

External Link

The Emperor’s Blades

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

In a departure from the typical TTE conversation, I talk in this episode with Felicia Keller Boyle about her two podcasts, The Bad Therapist Show and What Your Therapist Thinks (if you’re already looking up the latter podcast, you are joining thousands of others who listen religiously). So we’re talking podcasting but, actually, we're talking about emotions. We’re therapists, after all.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

We discuss:

* Money Guilt: Why women in helping professions struggle with “the emotion of earning” and how to move through it.

* Holding Space for Success: How Felicia managed the emotional weight of What Your Therapist Thinks hitting the top of the charts.

* Fear as a Teacher: Strategies for taking action when your nervous system is telling you to stay small.

* Visibility and Vulnerability: Managing the pressure of being the one therapist who speaks out.

Listen all the way to the end of this episode to hear Felicia’s challenge. She and I would love to hear your results! Leave a comment if you’re comfortable sharing.

For my non-teachers out there: Check out What Your Therapist Thinks! Relevant to absolutely everybody!

And PLEASE please please please: Fill out the TTE survey! I truly need to hear from you what you like, don’t like, want more of, want less of. Include your email address so you can be eligible for the drawing on Valentine’s Day that will get you a free TTE Tee or mug. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes of your time. Thank you so much in advance!!!

External links

The Bad Therapist Show

What Your Therapist Thinks

The Bad Therapist coaching page

Jeremy Enns

Guanyin

Connect & Share

Got a story to share? Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode!

Support the Show: If this conversation resonated, please consider leaving a rating or review on your podcast app. Your feedback helps others find us.

Get full access to the community: [www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe]

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

In this episode, Joe and I unpack the story of a teacher who was so fed up with a student who was a huge “pain in the ass” that she wanted to quit. Right then and there. And I’ll be damned if she didn’t turn that relationship around in the most dramatic way.

Joe and I talk about the difficult circumstances surrounding this teacher’s and this student’s situation and the hypotheses she and I came up with that helped her return to school and dig into their relationship. It’s kind of a miraculous story imho.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We discuss:

- Students and Negative Attention: Understanding the "cry for help" behind super irritating or provocative actions.

- The "Nefarious Savior": How to support a struggling student without falling into a self-serving hero complex.

- Classroom Aikido: How to use a student’s "negative" energy to redirect toward connection.

- The Fine Line of Caring: Finding the sweet spot between emotional over-investment (burnout) and detachment.

Connect & Share

Got a story to share? What is the "meowing" in your life right now? Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158.

Support the Show: If this conversation resonated, please consider leaving a rating or review on your podcast app. Your feedback helps others find us.

Get full access to the community: [www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe]

And there's more…

I’m so eager to hear from you that my team and I have put together [a survey](https://forms.gle/i8LjC1DDJH4jypLC7!) to get a mid-season formative assessment from my listeners. I really want to hear what you like, don’t like, want to hear or read, etc. Please take a few minutes to give me your honest feedback! I’m a therapist, so I can take the truth.

As incentive, anyone who responds will have their email address put in a nice hat from which I will pull a winner — of a TTE “Stay in Your Effin’ Garden” T-shirt! I myself have one (as you might imagine), and I love it. Soft, perfect fit, extremely useful message. Get to that survey as soon as is humanly possible — we’ll pull the winner on Valentine’s Day. Wow! What a love-ly gift!!

Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout