1589863153
Teaching through Emotions

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Rating
★★★★☆
4.3
from
12 reviews
This podcast has
60 episodes
Language
English
Publisher
Betsy Burris
Explicit
Yes
Date created
2021/10/11
Latest episode
2026/09/17
Average duration
54 min.
Release period
14 days

Description

Teaching through Emotions is a Women Who Podcast award-winning podcast that provides a rare form of relief for educators. Rare because it looks at bad feelings and bad behavior as *meaningful* and *useful*. We share stories of real-life terrible teaching moments, sprinkled with commentary and a ton of empathy, then show you how to transform those moments into happy endings. You also get to hear interviews with remarkable people about their unique takes on education. Created and hosted by Betsy Burris, PhD, teacher educator and psychotherapist. Co-hosted by Joe Johnson, long-time Spanish teacher. Episodes come out every two weeks. Get full access and become a paid subscriber to Teaching through Emotions at [www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe]. Listen to build up your psychodynamic muscles by hearing about other brave teachers’ wins when they thought nothing, NOTHING, would change. www.teachingthroughemotions.com

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Check latest episodes from Teaching through Emotions podcast


Season 4 is here!
2026/09/17
Season 4 of Teaching through Emotions is about to drop (on October 1st)! And it’s different. Really different. In past seasons, I’ve shared teacher stories, many with my wonderful co-host, Joe Johnson. Here’s the most popular one from Season 3, btw: Handling Teacher Guilt: Are you being too judgmental of yourself? All of these teacher stories came from Teacher Support Groups or work I did with individual teachers. All of them were told by me. This season, we’re taking you right to the heart of TTE’s work. We’re cutting me out as the storyteller. Instead, we’re letting actual teachers tell their stories! That is, we’re recording TSGs and bringing teachers’ experiences to you fresh from their TSG meetings. Speaking of which, looking to join a TSG? Contact me. I’ll put together a group of teachers from all over the world (if need be) to meet regularly online to talk about — and change — the realities of teaching. Listen to the trailer and share it with your colleagues! your teacher friends! your other friends! The stuff we talk about is specific to teaching but valuable to anyone who’s in a relationship. Stuff like * Becoming overwhelmed even at the very beginning of the school year * Handling Gen Z device-enhanced rudeness * Dealing with AI * Setting crucial boundaries with students, colleagues, and parents — and surviving “boundary hangover” and so much more. Credits Founder and Host: Betsy Burris Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision Podcast Editor: Jasper Chua of PodVision Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Special Bonus: How I made friends with negative emotions, with Ande Lyons
2026/09/03
Listeners! Ande Lyons, a wonderful, sparkling woman, recently interviewed me on her podcast Don’t Be Caged by Your Age. Ande asked me some great questions about how I got where I am, what advice I have for people over 65 (might be relevant to you even if you aren’t lucky enough to have yet reached 65), and why I care so danged much about my work. It’s a fun interview with lots of laughter! 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 * Learning from Pain: How some awful professional experiences forced me to reckon with the role emotions play in teaching * Negative Emotions: Why I love and embrace them in myself and others * Psychic Health: How to, as Ande puts it, “reframe our wounds as our brilliance” It’s nice to be on the receiving end of the questions! And Ande is a thoughtful and lively host. I hope you check it out! Connect & Share Got a story to share? How friendly are you with your negative emotions? How friendly are you willing to get? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or send me an email! [email protected] 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 Don’t Be Caged by Your Age YouTube clip from the interview Instagram clip from the interview 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 is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
The Stress of Having a TA: Managing expectations
2026/08/20
My friend Sarah is a bad ass. She is an incredibly good teacher and is assiduously responsible. In our initial episode about the difficulties of having a Teaching Assistant (TA), she promised to follow up with me about her take-aways from her conversation with me and Joe. Which she did. And this is the conversation she and I just had about that follow-up. Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Here’s the thing about TAs: They are supposed to be helpful. Just like paraprofessionals and parent volunteers and co-teachers are supposed to be helpful. Very often they are! And very often they are not. Why? Because they are sentient adults. And most sentient adults have their own ways of doing things. They are used to being in charge. And, sometimes, they think their undermining or self-aggrandizing behaviors are good for you. When they’re not. They’re good for them. So you might think the topic of working with TAs is boring or irrelevant. But Sarah and I (and, in the first episode, Joe) are actually talking about collaborating with anyone who is not you. Not necessarily easy. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For example, we discuss * The Impact of Stress: Sarah owns her busy-ness (“My poor TAs!”) and thinks about how to lower her standards to a range that is more easily reachable. * Cultural Differences: Sarah’s TAs are from many different countries and cultures. But every adult has their culture. How to bridge the differences? * Sorting Expectations: Sarah comes up with an approach to determining her TAs’ strengths and weaknesses and assigning them to the proper teaching tier. Thanks for tuning in! We at TTE hope you’ve had a restful summer and are rarin’ to head back into school! Connect & Share Got a story to share? What’s the worst experience you’ve ever had with another adult in your classroom? What’s the best? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and I’ll get in touch. Maybe we can feature your story in a future episode! Or send me an email: [email protected] Support the Show: If anything about the Teaching through Emotions podcast resonates, please leave 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Where's Your Joy? Try the Joy Lab.
2026/08/06
I tend to ask of my clients the question “Where’s the anxiety?” It’s a useful question because anxiety can be at the root of all kinds of bad experiences that need to be unpacked. But “Where’s your joy?” is super important and useful, too. In the Joy Lab podcast, co-hosts Henry Emmons and Aimee Prasek talk about all aspects of joy and wellness in short, 30ish-minute episodes that are calm, friendly, informative, and often themed. Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. The episode I’m sharing while my team and I are on hiatus is from the podcast’s “month of gratitude.” It’s called “The Power of Good-Enough Parenting and Calling Out Our Moms.” I chose this episode because, well, they had me at “good-enough parenting.” It’s a term that my main man D.W. Winnicott coined and a concept I love. If you don’t already know what it means, the co-hosts define it beautifully. Take a listen! Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear * Passing It On: how important parental mental health is * Fear of Women: Where it comes from * Fear of Domination: How it actually leads to authoritarianism * The Power of Gratitude: How it affects the future A couple bonuses in case this topic really interests you: a blog post I wrote 11 years ago called Invisible Work that is right up this topic’s alley. And a delicious quote from Winnicott (mentioned in the Joy Lab episode): “Every happy person is in infinite debt to a woman.” Connect & Share Got a story to share? Where do you find joy? How do you cultivate it in the classroom? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or send me an email! [email protected] Support the Show: If anything about the Teaching through Emotions podcast resonates, please leave 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
What teachers in the US and Madagascar have in common.
2026/07/23
My producer, Jullian Androkae, did something unusual and remarkable when he was 19 years old: He opened a library in Bekitro, his ancestral village in southern Madagascar. Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. That was in 2018. The library is alive and well today. Which you’ll hear about, because this episode is all about Jullian’s Vahombey Project, which built the library, furnished it, stocked it with books, and hired (and still pays) two prodigious librarians, Mme Raissa and Mme Hary, who not only serve hundreds of children a day but have turned the library into a community center. I call the librarians prodigious because these women are anchors in a somewhat chaotic educational sea. The educational context they work in is quite different from that of the U.S. But the individual situations they deal with are similar — and damn! Raissa and Hary are ON IT! Their voices, which you’ll hear in the episode, inspire me from 10,000 miles away. Jullian and I discuss * Giving Back: How he came up with the idea for the project * Eating Crow: How the village school handled the parents of a disruptive student * Living on Air: Some pretty incomprehensible differences between teaching in the US and in Madagascar * Holding the Line: The value of being a “harsh” librarian Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Call to Action I love this special bonus episode, and I love the Vahombey project. So I hope you listen and enjoy. But I also hope you click on this link to make a donation to the library. Much is needed there. More books. Dictionaries (you’ll hear that I’m obsessed with this for some reason). A TV to play English- and French-language shows so students can learn these two languages (in addition to Malagasy). Salaries. Support for wildly popular spelling bees! The smallest donation can make a huge difference in the lives of the kids, teachers, and librarians associated with Vahombey. Check out the list of urgent needs here. Click here to see pictures of the library, some of the kids it serves, and Jullian! Please share this episode far and wide! The more people we reach, the better the chances that the library gets the funding it needs. Thank you. So much. External links Vahombey project Chuffed campaign Connect & Share Got a story to share? Have you taught outside the US? Wanna compare and contrast? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or send me an email! [email protected] Support the Show: If anything about the Teaching through Emotions podcast resonates, please leave 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Restorative Practices in Schools: Why aren't they working?
2026/07/09
It is so frustrating to me — and I think to a lot of educators — that the practices schools adopt that are meant to solve all their problems end up fading away. Like Restorative Practices. A really great program aimed at strengthening relationships through honesty, support, and community connection. Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Of course, no program can be a silver bullet. Change takes humans who exert discipline and consistency and commitment. But, as my readers know, anything that strengthens relationships in schools is good because it increases the chances of effective teaching and learning. Not to mention growth and development. So sticking with programs that foster connection makes sense. Marisol Quevedo Rerucha, author of Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices: Building a Culture of Equity, Connection, and Healing and CEO of Heartset Consulting Group, argues for restorative practices in schools. In this episode from Truth for Teachers, Marisol discusses * School Culture: Who are restorative practices for? * Living Our Values: How does our humanity get in the way of our work? * Making Mistakes: How do we hold each other accountable with love and dignity? * Being Human: How to blend personal and professional development * The Role of Faith: What is the Way of the Buffalo? What is a Cow Moment? Marisol is wise and offers lots of great perspective and advice. If you leave this episode thinking, “YEAH!! Let’s do this thing! But how?” here are a couple of suggestions (beyond using restorative practices in your school): * Read Loretta Ross’s Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel * Contact TTE Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Connect & Share Got a story to share? What’s your experience with restorative practices? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or send me an email! [email protected] Support the Show: If anything about the Teaching through Emotions podcast resonates, please leave 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Summer TTE Throwback: Rethinking assumptions about our negative emotions
2026/06/25
So something happens that irritates you and you berate yourself for being too judgmental, eh? It might be time to rethink that judgment. Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. In this episode, which is the one you, dear listeners, listened to the most this season, Joe and I talk about a simple, probably all-too-common story of a teacher who condemns herself for having negative feelings in school. You might be surprised by our conclusions! Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss * Psychology of Boundaries: Why personal space in a busy classroom isn’t just a preference, it’s a psychological need. * Reframing “Judgment”: Why we mislabel valid annoyance as a character flaw. * Failure: How to view conflict as data instead of a disaster. * Overcoming Self-blame: The power of asking for what you need rather than internalizing the problem. Beyond the classroom? You don’t have to be a teacher to enjoy this episode! Too many of us turn our legitimate annoyance against ourselves. Hearing how someone (who happens to be a teacher) reframed her negative experience into open-hearted understanding is good for everyone! Connect & Share Got a story to share? Ever had a moment when you might have misunderstood your feelings? Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158. Joe and I can unpack it confidentially in one of our episodes and maybe, maybe offer a different and helpful perspective! 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] It’s summer summer summertime! I hope you’ve already begun relaxing. If you’re looking for ways to reflect on your year, consider re-listening to other TTE podcast episodes. There’s lots of food for thought here just waiting for you! 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 is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Ending The School Year: Reviewing the state of education + TTE updates!
2026/06/11
We knew it was going to happen even if we couldn’t imagine it: The school year is coming to an end. And so is Season 3 of Teaching through Emotions. Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Huzzah! Congratulations to all for making it through another crazy year! Speaking of crazy years: In this episode, Joe and I review some of this year’s craziness. We share some facts and lots of strong personal opinions about them. And we invite you to weigh in! What did we get wrong? What was crazy for you this year? What are you looking forward to this summer? How are you going to rejuvenate before the new school year begins? We’d love to hear from you! Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss * Prejudice and Oppression: the state of our federal government’s influence on education * What’s Good? What’s Bad?: constantly feeling out the magic line between opposing stances in the classroom * TTE Updates: reviewing Season 3, your favorite episodes, and what we are working on plus what we’re releasing this summer * Important Bonus: how to say “effin’” in Spanish Connect & Share Got a story to share? What was crazy for you this year? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or send me an email! [email protected] 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 Joe does talk about furries and litter boxes in schools (as he mentions) in this TTE episode: The Meowing Student: Understanding weird behavior in the classroom. Here’s the book I taught that has a conservative take on school reform in our country: Left Back: A Century of Battles over School Reform by Diane Ravitch (who has since flipped to the progressive side). Joe’s favorite episode: To Care or To Detach?: Finding the emotional balance in teaching One of Betsy’s favorite episodes (and our listeners’ favorite): Handling Teacher Guilt: Are you being too judgmental of yourself? TTE merch (T-shirts, mugs, The Feeling of Teaching) 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 is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Resistant to Joy? How to welcome and transform negative emotions
2026/05/28
God knows I am no fundraiser. Actually, neither is my guest, Erin McQuade-Wright — at least, not anymore. Erin used to be a fundraiser for non-profits and even has a podcast called The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser (which shares psychodynamic wisdom on how to survive that difficult job). But now she’s a coach who helps people of all types live vital lives. (Her company is called Vitalist Coaching.) In this episode, Erin and I talk about our areas of overlap (hint: it’s a large region) and revel in our delight in talking about emotion work, healthy relationships, and the wisdom of psychodynamics. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss * Personality Types: Enneagrams and their usefulness in learning about ourselves * Somatic Knowing: Brain vs. body knowledge and the half-life of an emotion * Emotional Lives: How much emotion is allowed in a classroom? How can we manage big emotions? How can we turn difficult feelings into freedom and space to be real? * Definition of Self-Care: How dealing with negative emotions helps us fill up so we can be present and resilient * Nourishment Barriers: How are you resistant to joy and why is that bad for you? * How Does Burnout Work for You? Are you singing the burnout song with a chorus of colleagues? Connect & Share Got a story to share? How are you managing your emotions at this point in the school year? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or send me an email! [email protected] 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 Enneagram HeartMath Institute Vitalist Coaching 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 is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
To Care or To Detach? Finding the emotional balance in teaching
2026/05/14
As y’all probably know, I’m a big fan of caring in education. But, thanks to today’s guest, Rachel Branham, a veteran Teacher Support Group participant who’s now working in higher education, we get to consider the downsides of caring, too. What if you’re not a particularly “squishy” person? What if you don’t want to be “in the shit” with your students all the time? What does caring look like for you? How does a natural inclination to detach serve you and your students? Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is such a fun and stimulating conversation! Applicable to anyone who, well, cares. I hope you enjoy it! Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss * Caring vs. Controlling: Sliding along the continuum between “squishy” teaching and detachment. * Alienation from Big Emotions: When students are joyous or chaotic, feeling outside of their world and not knowing what to do about it. * Students’ (and Teachers’) Psychological Needs: Do all students need or want to be seen? How can teachers love students who are causing them pain? * Setting Boundaries: When and how do you tamp down exuberance when students are “coloring outside the lines”? Where are those “magical lines” in the first place? Connect & Share Got a story to share? How do you balance care with detachment? How do you find and navigate the “magical line” between them? I’d love to hear! Leave me a voicemail at (413) 239-4158 and we might feature your perspective in a future episode! Or, if you’re a millennial and hate using the phone (like Rachel), send me an email! [email protected] 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 Radical Love: Rethinking care and professional love in the classroom Pedagogy Basics: What educators can learn from early childhood teachers Dream Keepers: Comic Edition 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 is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Teacher Observation Strategies: Can evaluations actually bring joy?
2026/04/30
How can it be that teachers all over the country want to be observed? How can it be that observations of their teaching bring teachers joy? Today I’m conversing with Craig Randall, founder of Trust-Based Observations and expert in the art of supporting teachers in improving their practice. We go “pretty dang deep,” as Craig put it. Which is good, because classroom observations are super important and are too rarely done well. Until now! Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss * Building Trust: The wisdom of focusing on accumulating “trust marbles” before offering suggestions for improvement * Strengths-Based Observations: The importance of battling the deficit mentality and emphasizing teachers’ strengths * Coaching vs. Fixing: How to short-circuit the typical fix-them orientation * The History of Teacher Observation: How we got here (hint: It’s partly A Nation at Risk’s fault!) Connect & Share Got a story to share? Tell me a story of a disastrous observation! Or tell me about one that made you glow with confidence and happiness. 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. External links Trust-Based Observations (the book) Trust-Based Observation (the website) [email protected] EMDR: Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing 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 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Actively Hating Students: How to rebalance your classroom
2026/04/16
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. B******t: 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 is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Toxic School? Diagnosing narcissistic organizations and changing school culture
2026/04/02
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 [email protected]. Yep, I’m biased: I am certain that teaching is spiritual. Not because teachers need to be religious but because the tasks of teaching human beings require heart-based skills: faith, care, love, “unconditional positive regard for difference” — skills that do not necessarily come naturally all the time and therefore demand care and attention themselves. In this episode, I explore this question and others with Mark Longhurst, an inspiring pastor, writer, and publications manager for Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation. Together, we explore how to view teaching (and parenting) not just as a task list, but as a spiritual practice. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss: * Flowing with chaos: How to stay grounded when the classroom (or home) feels out of control. * The “holy ordinary”: Why the most mundane moments hold the most spiritual weight. * Detachment for connection: The paradox of detaching from our “teacher identity” to develop healthy attachment with students. * Somatic teaching: The importance of bringing a “settled body” into the classroom. * Sacred spaces: The benefits, and perils, of viewing your classroom as holy ground. External Links the holy ordinary by Mark Longhurst (Substack) The Holy Ordinary: A Way to God (Book) My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness that Can Heal the World by Dr. Jacqui Lewis 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
The Frustrations of Having a Teaching Assistant: Managing the benefits and drawbacks
2026/03/19
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. 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 Teaching through Emotions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe
Radical Love: Rethinking care and professional love in the classroom
2026/03/05
In this episode, I’m joined by Carol Garboden Murray, director of the Wimpfheimer Laboratory Nursery School at Vassar College. She is a lifelong lover of the youngest children, ages 0 - 5, and thinks a lot about what it means to teach and care for them. Early childhood education, care, and love are very dear to my heart. I know that teachers of young children have special skills and talents that teachers at all levels should consider and adopt. I hope this interview inspires you to think about and adopt them for yourself! Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss: - Caring for vs. caring about: Why “caring about” social justice or education is easy, but the actual, physical labor of fostering healthy development is where the real work happens. - The neuroscience of caring: How high-level empathy is a blend of neurological functioning and intuitive, creative practice. - Limits of caring: An honest look at what happens when caregiving stops being “beautiful” and starts being exhausting. - Professional Love: Defining a radical framework for love in the classroom that goes beyond “niceness.” External Links Carol’s Website Carol’s book, Illuminating Care: The Pedagogy and Practice of Care in Early Childhood Communities Mentioned in this episode TTE episode with Sarah Becker: Pre-school teachers have it right: Professional Love Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education by Nel Noddings The Real Wealth of Nations by Riane Eisler The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler A Different Voice by Carol Gilligan Awakening the Inner Eye: Intuition in Education by Nel Noddings with Paul J. Shore I and Thou by Martin Buber Carol mentions other thinkers without specifying publications. If you’re curious about any of them, get in touch and I’ll ask Carol for links. Connect & Share Got a story to share? Is "Professional Love" a term you've used in your school? Or does the idea of "Radical Love" feel a bit too intense for the classroom? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 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 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe

Podcast reviews

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4.3 out of 5
12 reviews
★★★★★
carterme 2025/06/12
Incredibly helpful for teachers
This podcast is an incredible help to teachers and addresses topics that are typically not part of conversations about pedagogy or educational develop...
★★★★★
Sarah625625 2025/05/27
Constructive and Honest
I really like this podcast because the conversations between Betsy and Joe are honest and brash— they don’t feel the need to be diplomatic (though the...
★★★★★
crue 286 2025/05/10
Enjoyable and insightful!
I listened to the May 1 episode because my friend was on it! What an enjoyable podcast to listen to and learn from! There were things I learned that...
★★★★★
VT Teacher-Fan 2025/05/07
Fuel for Educators
Listening to the Teaching through Emotions podcast is like savoring that first cup of coffee in the morning. It wakes you up to your working environme...
★★★★★
Summer Julie Time 2025/04/30
Gold Mine
I have been teaching high school music students for 33 years and have the fortitude to continue due to working with Betsy and our teacher support grou...
★★★★★
LauraRoslin47 2025/02/21
A must listen for educators
This podcast is a gift to educators — and in fact anyone who engages with young people regularly, including parents. In each rich, well-produced episo...
★★★★★
Oogway Joe 2021/10/16
Awesome podcast.
“Teachers’ Lounge” is really well-written and utterly relatable. I love that it recognizes the emotional minefield that students AND teachers have to ...
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