About this episode

Dr. Joey Weisler shares his experiences during the Parkland school shooting and discusses the impact of trauma on education and teaching.

In Part 1 of this powerful two-part conversation, Mark sits down with Dr. Joey Weisler to explore the deeply personal experiences that shaped his path as an educator. Before Joey ever had his own classroom, he found himself at the center of a community tragedy. While substitute teaching at a middle school next to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the Parkland school shooting , he and his students were forced into lockdown as the devastating events unfolded nearby. Joey shares what that moment was like inside the classroom, the emotional weight educators carry during crisis, and how witnessing trauma within a school community changed the way he understood teaching, safety, and the emotional lives of students. The conversation also explores the difficult reality many teachers face when students reveal deep struggles—and how systems sometimes fail to respond with the urgency and compassion those moments require. This episode is an honest and moving discussion about trauma, responsibility, and the human side of teaching . It’s also the beginning of a larger story—one that continues in Part 2 , where Joey shares how these experiences ultimately reshaped his career and…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Ingrassia

Guest: Dr. Joey Weisler

Topics covered

• trauma
• education
• teacher responsibility
• emotional impact
• community tragedy
• student struggles

Keywords

• trauma
• education
• Parkland
• teacher mindset
• student emotional lives
• crisis response

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

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• Part 2: From Trauma to Transformation: Dr. Joey Weisler on Teaching with Heart · March 16, 2026 · 33 min

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