Description

In this episode of the Innovating Education Podcast, we sit down with Erin Thorkilsen—educator, professor, and founder of Heart in Education, a professional development initiative focused on the human and relational dimensions of teaching. With over two decades of experience and deep grounding in learning science, Erin helps educators navigate complexity, strengthen classroom culture, and teach in ways that honor both student and teacher wellbeing.

This conversation dives into the psychology of learning, emotional regulation, and what really happens in the brain when students—and adults—become dysregulated. Erin shares practical, emotionally grounded tools for designing learning experiences that honor curiosity, emotion, and multisensory engagement. She also reframes classroom management through a lens of compassion, co-regulation, and teacher self-awareness—moving beyond “fixing” behaviors toward supporting whole humans.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Why emotion is the engine of learning—and how to design lessons that leverage attention, memory, movement, and joy.
• How to shift from “rescue boat” to “lighthouse” when students experience big feelings.
• Practical strategies for building regulation skills, both for students and for teachers in difficult moments.
• How to support classroom management by meeting students’ needs for play, novelty, and connection—especially during tricky transitions.
• Why letting go of outcome can open the door to presence, clarity, and stronger relationships.
• A glimpse into Erin’s Refresh Your Toolkit workshop and her self-inquiry approach to helping educators move from stuckness to insight.

Referenced frameworks & resources:

• Dan Siegel’s Hand Model of the Brain
• Shelburne Farms’ Cultivating Joy and Wonder
• Blue School’s creative learning model
• Heart in Education’s regulation and relational teaching toolkit

Connect with Erin Thorkilsen: 🌐 Website: heartineducation.org 📸 Instagram: @heartineducation