In this warm and candid conversation, Kyle, Jen, and Stuart welcome Dawn (one of Vermont’s Teachers of the Year in 2024!) to reflect on two decades in middle school classrooms.
Together, they explore how the modern emphasis on teacher-student relationships differs from traditional models, the emotional weight of holding space for disregulated students, and the fine line between mentorship and friendship.
From reimagining middle school as a “kibbutz”-style learning community to embracing hope through local advocacy, this episode invites educators and caregivers to rethink what truly matters at this pivotal stage of development.
Resources Mentioned
The group did not mention any explicit resources in this episode, but curious listeners could go to the following places for deeper dives into some of episode’s concepts.
The Schools Our Children Deserve
By Alfie Kohn
HarperOne, 2000
In this episode, we talk about how real learning grows out of trust, consistency, and meaningful relationships rather than compliance or box-checking. Alfie Kohn’s The Schools Our Children Deserve dives deep into that same argument, challenging the test-driven, behaviorist model that keeps getting in the way of relationship-centered teaching.
The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults
By Frances E. Jensen, MD & Amy Ellis Nutt
Harper PaperBacks, 2016
We spend a lot of this episode talking about why middle schoolers can flip from connection to chaos in about twelve seconds. Jensen’s The Teenage Brain gives the science behind those moments, explaining how adolescent wiring, impulse control, and emotional processing shape exactly the kinds of behaviors we describe.
The Burnout Cure: Learning to Love Teaching Again
By Chase Mielke
ASCD, 2019
When we talk in this episode about the emotional whiplash of teaching and wondering if “this is what burnout feels like,” Mielke’s The Burnout Cure offers a grounded look at why the work feels so heavy and practical ways teachers can protect their energy without losing the heart of the job.
