About this episode

Mark Ingrassia speaks with Dr. Joey Weisler about the impact of trauma on education and the importance of emotional engagement in teaching.

What happens when an educator refuses to treat students like data points? In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Mark speaks with educator, researcher, and author Dr. Joey Weisler about trauma, resilience, and what it really means to show up for students. Joey shares his deeply personal journey—from witnessing the aftermath of the Parkland school tragedy to navigating a difficult first year of teaching that ultimately led to his dismissal. What initially felt like failure became the turning point that shaped his mission: to build classrooms centered on connection, presence, and emotional engagement. Today, Joey teaches literature and composition at the college level while developing his HEART Framework, a model focused on creating learning environments where students feel seen, heard, and empowered. This episode explores how trauma, compassion, and purposeful teaching can reshape education—and why learning should never be the result of compliance. In This Episode Mark and Joey discuss: Joey’s experience teaching near the Parkland tragedy and how it shaped his understanding of student trauma Why many schools struggle to address emotional realities in the classroom The moment…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Ingrassia

Guest: Dr. Joey Weisler

Topics covered

• trauma
• education
• emotional engagement
• teaching
• resilience
• storytelling

Keywords

• trauma
• education
• emotional engagement
• teaching methods
• resilience
• storytelling
• classroom environment

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• From Advocacy to Impact: Raja Marhaba’s Fight for Exceptional Learners · March 30, 2026 · 57 min
• Ignorance Isn’t Leadership: What We’re Really Saying About Our Kids · March 24, 2026 · 12 min
• Part 1: Teaching Through Trauma: Dr. Joey Weisler’s Story of Purpose and Perseverance · March 9, 2026 · 36 min

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