In this episode, Joe and I unpack a classroom story from Siobhan, a special ed teacher working with high schoolers who grapple with big emotions — by acting out in big ways. What happened when her students broke a deal they made? How did Siobhan handle it? (It wasn’t pretty, at first! But then it got, well, amazing.)

Joe and I discuss

* why students might get “insufferable” in the first place and what they might be communicating

* how to prevent obsessive self-blame that can lead to insomnia

* what makes for a healthy “holding environment” in a classroom

* how actions teachers regret might actually be signs of strength

* how to talk frankly with students about classroom dynamics

I love this story, and I hope you do, too. If you’ve had a similar (or different!) experience, click Teaching through Emotions at the top of this page and then click Share a Story. You’ll get to me directly and confidentially.

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