Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education

🎧 Episode Synopsis (for notes/description)What if resilience isn’t something you “have”…but something that’s built—moment by moment, relationship by relationship?In this episode of Classroom Narratives, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Dr. Rob Martinez—educator, former superintendent, and author of Recipes for Resilience—to challenge everything we think we know about resilience in schools.From losing his mother at 13 to rebuilding his life through connection, mentorship, and education, Rob shares a deeply personal story that reshapes resilience as a process rooted in safety, care, and community—not grit alone.Together, Joey and Rob explore the tension between transactional education vs. human-centered learning, the dangers of toxic school cultures, and what it truly means to create classrooms where students feel safe enough to grow.This is a conversation about what schools get wrong, what great educators do differently, and why—at the end of the day—we’re never doing too much for kids..📌 Episodic show notes and resources✏️ Rob's website (@ResiliencyGuy) and link to social medias✏️ Recipes For Resilience✏️ The Story of Sparkle and Shine✏️ Dave Burgess: Teach Like a Pirate

📝 Episode SynopsisIn this deeply honest and affirming conversation, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Claire Plumbly to explore the lived reality of burnout—what it is, how it shows up in the body, and why so many educators find themselves quietly unraveling while trying to hold everything together.Drawing from her work in trauma and her book The Trauma of Burnout, Dr. Plumbly breaks down the difference between stress and burnout, guiding listeners through the emotional, cognitive, and physical signs that often go unnoticed until it’s too late. Together, Joey and Claire reflect on the intersection of teaching, trauma, and identity—what happens when passion turns into depletion, and when caring deeply begins to cost too much.Through personal story, clinical insight, and practical tools, this episode offers something essential: permission. Permission to pause, to recalibrate, and to remember that being human in this work is not failure—it’s the foundation.At the heart of the episode is a simple but powerful reminder:“I’m doing my best. And that’s enough.”📝 Show Notes📌 Dr. Claire Plumbly website📌 Dr. Claire Plumbly "Feel Better" page📌 Dr. Claire Plumbly Burnout/Recovery book📌 Dr. Claire Plumbly instagram: @drclaireplumbly📌 Dr. Claire Plumbly linkedin📌 Follow here to understand the Yerkes-Dodson model📌 Two conversations with Christopher S Mukiibi on the nervous system (Classroom Narratives podcast-- Pt 1 and Pt 2)

📌Episode Synopsis In this powerful episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with literacy scholar and educator Dr. Katie Egan Cunningham to explore how stories shape the human experience—both inside and outside the classroom.Together, they examine why stories matter not only as texts but as lived experiences. From novels and playlists to social media and personal memory, stories help young people make sense of the world and themselves. Dr. Cunningham reflects on how literature allows students to see themselves and others through what educators call “windows and mirrors,” while also urging educators to think carefully about how stories are selected and taught.The conversation moves into deeply personal territory as Dr. Cunningham shares how navigating her son’s dyslexia reshaped her understanding of literacy systems and advocacy in education. She explains how school structures can unintentionally fail children who learn differently—and how educators can recognize early warning signs before students fall through the cracks.Dr. Weisler and Dr. Cunningham also discuss grief, vulnerability, and the emotional realities that students bring into classrooms. From experiences of trauma and loss to the pressures of school systems that prioritize certainty over humanity, the episode asks a critical question: What happens when educators create classrooms where students feel seen?Ultimately, this conversation reminds us that literacy instruction is not only about decoding words—it is about helping students navigate the stories of their own lives.📌 Show Notes🔗 Dr Katie Egan Cunningham's website 🔗 Dr. Cunningham's article: In Search of Hope and Healing: Guideposts for Whole-Hearted Living, Loving, and Teaching after Loss 🔗 Article: Catching Readers Before They Fall (Torgesen)🔗 PODCASTS: Dr. Susan B Neuman, Dr. Adam WolfsdorfTheorists and thinkers: Grace Enriques from Lesley University, Pam Allyn,

Episode SynopsisIn this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education, Dr. Joey Weisler speaks with Bruce Liebe, a retired Illinois State Police officer with over 30 years of law enforcement experience and a longtime instructor in active threat training and tactical response.Together, they explore the intersection between education and prevention—specifically how educators, administrators, and communities can recognize early warning signs that may indicate a student in distress or at risk of causing harm.Drawing from research, real cases, and decades of field experience, Bruce explains the five phases many active attackers move through, emphasizing that the earliest stages—fantasy, planning, and preparation—often contain visible signals that educators may encounter through student behavior, communication, or writing.Dr. Weisler reflects on his own teaching experiences following the Parkland tragedy, discussing the challenges educators face when trying to report concerning student behavior while navigating institutional pressure, stigma, and uncertainty.This conversation offers practical insights into threat assessment processes, school-community collaboration, and how educators can remain attentive without creating fear or trauma within school environments.Ultimately, the episode reminds listeners that prevention is rarely about a single person acting alone—it requires a village of educators, families, counselors, and community members willing to listen, observe, and act early.Show Notes Guest: Bruce Liebe Retired Illinois State Police officer (30 years of service) Former statewide SWAT coordinator and active threat instructor Contributor to The Tactical Edge and international law enforcement consultantFurther ReferencesBev JohnsSue Klebold – A Mother’s ReckoningPeter Langman – Research on School ShootersDave Cullen – Columbine and Parkland ReportingWhy Meadow Died – Andrew Pollack and Max Eden

📝 Episode Synopsis (for episode description)In this powerful conversation, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with nationally recognized special education leader and behavioral consultant Bev Johns, whose four-decade career has helped shape special education law, classroom practice, and behavioral supports across the United States. Bev shares deeply personal stories—from teaching students who were once denied access to school altogether, to advocating for legislation protecting students from harmful disciplinary practices.Together, they explore what happens when behavior is misunderstood, why teachers’ calls for help often go unheard, and how trauma, anxiety, and invisible disabilities manifest in classrooms. Bev challenges punitive approaches and urges educators and systems alike to see behavior as communication—not defiance.This episode highlights the life-changing power of relationships, the necessity of documentation and advocacy, and the restorative role of the arts in helping students regulate emotion and reclaim dignity. Above all, Bev reminds us that supporting students begins with supporting teachers—and that education, at its core, is an act of human connection.🤞🏻A Message of HopeSupporting educators is key to sustaining the profession.Collaboration between families, schools, and community services is essential.Positive relationships remain the most powerful force for change in education.📌 Show Notes (Key Ideas and Highlights)Check out Bev Johns website here"Sally Sits On My Shoulder" article Classroom Narratives podcast segment with Dr. Lisa KayRestorative Practices in Education Through the Arts (Book)

🗒️ Episodic Synopsis In this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education, Dr. Joey Weisler speaks with Principal Robert Hinchcliffe—award-winning school leader, author of More Than Just Principals, and nationally recognized advocate for human-centered school leadership.Drawing on more than two decades as an elementary school administrator, Hinchcliffe shares what it truly means to lead a school in today’s climate. He reflects on servant leadership, the emotional complexity of guiding teachers and students, and why visibility, relationships, and trust must come before compliance. He challenges rigid curriculum systems, emphasizing the importance of differentiation, teacher autonomy, and honoring the individuality of every student.Together, they explore the tension between leadership and humanity—how principals balance accountability with compassion, how new teachers can be supported rather than judged, and why schools must stop “eating their own” through negativity and isolation. At its core, this conversation reframes leadership not as authority, but as presence—showing up for students, teachers, and communities every day.As Hinchcliffe reminds us, leadership isn’t clean or predictable—it’s messy, relational, and deeply human.🔗 Show Links and Resources 📌 Follow Principal Hinchliffe's Linktree for his books, social media, and ways to stay connected!📌 Brad Johnson's Memoir "Room 212"📌Learn more about the Ron Clark Academy (RCA)

Episodic SynopsisIn Part II of this conversation with Jeremy Brooks, Classroom Narratives shifts from leadership identity to leadership responsibility — exploring school safety, crisis response, and the systems that support students, educators, and families during difficult moments.Jeremy reflects on guiding school communities through loss, the importance of transparent communication during crises, and the responsibility educators carry in balancing emotional care with professional boundaries. Together, he and Dr. Joey Weisler discuss proactive safety planning, SEL practices across disciplines, and the role of and PBIS frameworks in creating supportive school climates.At the center of this conversation is a powerful leadership principle: meaningful change in schools happens through servant leadership, shared responsibility, and what Jeremy calls “radical interdependence.” While schools cannot prevent every crisis, they can build systems of care that help communities respond with compassion and connection.Jeremy Brooks' extended bioJeremy Brooks is the CEO of Brooks Broadcasting LLC and the host of The Education Talk Show with Jeremy Brooks, an international education media platform that has reached more than 1.5 million viewers from around the world and over 295,000 subscribers.Under his leadership, The Education Talk Show with Jeremy Brooks has earned five Communicator Awards from the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts as well as the YouTube Silver Creator Award, establishing it as a leader in digital education media. Brooks Broadcasting LLC also produces The Weekly Recess, an award-winning live, panel-style show that expands conversations around education, leadership, and culture.Jeremy is also a published author and contributor, having written “7 Effective Steps to Improve Your School’s Attendance” for Leadership magazine. He is featured in the book More Than Just Principals by Robert Hinchliffe, which highlights educators who go above and beyond in service to students and school communities.In addition to his media work, Jeremy is a former school administrator who has served in key professional leadership roles, including past president of a county charter of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and former Chair of Legislative Policy, representing five counties on ACSA’s State Public Policy Committee. Through this work, he has contributed to statewide and national education policy conversations in Washington, D.C.Alongside his leadership and media roles, Jeremy still finds time to play an active role as a classroom educator, teaching courses like Psychology and college-level Advanced Placement American Government and Politics for high school students. He is a recipient of the Crystal Apple Award, recognizing his work for going above and beyond for students.🔗 Show LinksMore Than Just Principals (Robert Hinchliffe)Seven Effective Steps to Improve Your School’s Attendance (ACSA Leadership Article)Jeremy Brooks — The Ed Talk WebsiteThe ED Talk Show — YouTube ChannelThe Anxious Generation (book by Jonathan Haidt)

Episode SynopsisIn Part I of this two-part conversation, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with educator, former principal, doctoral researcher, and media host Jeremy Brooks to explore what leadership truly looks like during difficult moments in education.Drawing from his journey from classroom teacher to administrator to founder of Brooks Broadcasting, Jeremy reflects on how leadership is not defined by titles, but by presence, integrity, and service to students and educators. Together, Joey and Jeremy discuss teacher burnout, compassion fatigue, the importance of visible leadership in school communities, and how trauma-informed practices can shape healthier school cultures.This episode centers on a powerful idea: strong leadership keeps educators in the profession — especially when systems feel overwhelming and teachers are asked to support students while carrying their own emotional weight. Part II will continue the conversation by examining school safety, accountability, and the shared responsibility of building supportive educational systems.Jeremy Brooks' extended bioJeremy Brooks is the CEO of Brooks Broadcasting LLC and the host of The Education Talk Show with Jeremy Brooks, an international education media platform that has reached more than 1.5 million viewers from around the world and over 295,000 subscribers.Under his leadership, The Education Talk Show with Jeremy Brooks has earned five Communicator Awards from the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts as well as the YouTube Silver Creator Award, establishing it as a leader in digital education media. Brooks Broadcasting LLC also produces The Weekly Recess, an award-winning live, panel-style show that expands conversations around education, leadership, and culture.Jeremy is also a published author and contributor, having written “7 Effective Steps to Improve Your School’s Attendance” for Leadership magazine. He is featured in the book More Than Just Principals by Robert Hinchliffe, which highlights educators who go above and beyond in service to students and school communities.In addition to his media work, Jeremy is a former school administrator who has served in key professional leadership roles, including past president of a county charter of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and former Chair of Legislative Policy, representing five counties on ACSA’s State Public Policy Committee. Through this work, he has contributed to statewide and national education policy conversations in Washington, D.C.Alongside his leadership and media roles, Jeremy still finds time to play an active role as a classroom educator, teaching courses like Psychology and college-level Advanced Placement American Government and Politics for high school students. He is a recipient of the Crystal Apple Award, recognizing his work for going above and beyond for students.🔗 Show LinksMore Than Just Principals (Robert Hinchliffe) Seven Effective Steps to Improve Your School’s Attendance (ACSA Leadership Article) Jeremy Brooks — The Ed Talk Website The ED Talk Show — YouTube Channel Principal Earnshaw segment

📌 Episode Synopsis In this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with storyteller and teaching artist Rachael Harrington to explore how storytelling can rebuild connection, imagination, and community in the aftermath of isolation and disruption.Drawing from her background as a middle school art teacher and illustrator, Rachael shares how the “invitation to play” became central to her teaching philosophy and later evolved into her storytelling work with schools, libraries, and families. She reflects on creating Morning Circle during the COVID shutdown, using stories and art-making to provide routine, creativity, and emotional respite for children and educators navigating uncertainty.Together, Joey and Rachael discuss storytelling as a deeply human act—one that strengthens listening skills, builds shared language and memory, and fosters empathy across communities. Through folktales, imagination, and interactive performance, storytelling becomes more than entertainment—it becomes a pathway toward reconnection.As Rachael reminds us, rebuilding community often begins with something simple: sharing our stories with one another🔗 Link here to Rachael's website🔗 Rachael's podcast: The Fairytale Art Cart