When Disruption Becomes Opportunity: Embracing Powershifts in the Classroom

Fifty balloons. Stories of cupcakes. A student shouting profanities before storming out. These are the moments teacher prep programs can’t prepare you for. Dr. Adam Wolfsdorf joins us to discuss "subversive moments"—when classroom control completely evaporates and you have to make split-second decisions while somehow pretending you're not destabilized. Learn why disruptions can be opportunities, how to de-escalate without taking it personally, and why the most flexible teachers create the most expansive learning spaces for students. Based on his book Teaching in the Riptide: Anchoring Pedagogies for Soulful Practitioners. We’re proud to make this content free and accessible to all. If you find value in our episodes, please consider donating to support and sustain our efforts: https://cpet.tc.columbia.edu/giving.html