Teach Different

In this episode of the Teach Different podcast, Dan and Steve Fouts analyze a quote by Jane Addams: “You do not know what life means when all the difficulties are removed,”  which emphasizes the importance of struggle in understanding the meaning of life. They explore the claim that difficulties are essential for personal growth and the counterclaim that happiness and peace can also provide meanin...

In this episode of the Teach Different podcast, Dan and Steve Fouts, along with guest Lauren Brown, a seasoned history teacher, explore Marie Curie’s quote: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” The conversation delves into the role of understanding in overcoming fear, both in educational settings and in broader societal contexts. Lauren shares her perspective as a teache...

In this episode of the Teach Different Podcast, Dan and Steve Fouts interview Katelyn Donnelly, an expert in education, workforce, and business, who shares insights on the importance of preparation and adaptability in shaping one's future. The discussion revolves around the quote from Malcolm X: "The future belongs to those who prepare for it today." Katelyn discusses her career jour...

In the podcast, Dan Fouts and Steve Fouts interview Sabari Raja, an entrepreneur turned investor with a rich background in education and technology. The conversation centers around a quote by Stephen Covey: "I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions." Sabari shares her personal journey, starting from her upbringing on a coconut farm in South India to her succ...

How do I know when to follow authority and when to think for myself? Being told what to do is comforting. We don’t have to think. All we have to do is stop asking questions and follow along.  With the burden of thinking for ourselves lifted, we are in a sense liberated from moral responsibility and the inherent risks that come from making our own decisions.  Blindly following authority gives us th...

What are the best strategies to confront our self-doubt and fear? We're our own worst enemies, aren't we? Our internal demons of fear and self-doubt cripple us, and blind us to seeing possibilities. Smart risk-taking becomes impossible. Our confidence shrinks.  Fueling our self doubt are other, more powerful external forces like prejudice, criticism and mental illness, which conspire to ho...

How do you know what type of leadership style to use in any given situation? Leadership is hard work, due in large part to the fact that people are often resistant to doing work and following the lead of others. As Eisenhower himself must have known as a commander in World War II, sometimes people must be convinced to follow orders whether they like it or not. But leadership also entails artful pe...

What does it mean to be “at home”? The concept of home is more nuanced than it appears. On the one hand, we can think of home as a physical place of comfort and safety where needs for protection are met. But we can also think about home as a place where we feel listened to and where our humanity is acknowledged. Our unique definition of 'home' may change throughout our lives depending on w...

Join our community and attend our podcasts live. You can participate or just listen! How do we prevent technology from controlling our lives? Today, Steve and Dan Fouts tackle an engaging quote about technology from Norwegian educator and Nobel Peace Prize winner Christian Lous Lange. Through connections to World War I, artificial intelligence, social media, and more, we contemplate the proper rol...

How do we know when to give people a second chance? Join seasoned educators Steve and Dan Fouts as they delve into the profound wisdom of Maya Angelou's quote, "When somebody shows you who they are, believe them the first time." In this thought-provoking discussion, they explore the application of Angelou's thoughts on personal relationships and the difficult decisions teachers m...

How do I know when to be loyal to my government? Today, Steve and Dan Fouts confront a thought-provoking quote from Mark Twain that explores the philosophical theme of loyalty. Join them as they discuss the delicate interplay between unconditional national allegiance to country and conditional loyalty to government. This conversation introduces a host of timely issues that relate directly to our r...

Should there be limits to free speech? Steve and Dan Fouts, founders of Teach Different and seasoned educators with over 50 years of experience, tackle the tension between free speech and social responsibility using a compelling quote from English writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall (referring to the French philosopher Voltaire): "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your righ...

How should a society balance individual freedom with the need for stability and control? Tune in with Steve and Dan Fouts, the innovators behind Teach Different, as they delve into the complexities of liberties and rights, inspired by W.E.B. Du Bois's poignant statement: "The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression." In this insightful episode, they navigate the equilibr...

When is forgiving somebody the right thing to do? True forgiveness can pave paths to healing and liberate us from hate.  But what about the need for justice and accountability of unjust actions?  Steve and Dan Fouts, founders of Teach Different and seasoned educators with over 50 years of experience, use the Teach Different Method to explore the delicate balance between forgiving and demanding acc...

What is the best way to persuade those in power to make concessions? Sometimes progress only happens when people demand change. Unless those in power are pressured to act in equitable ways, they will take advantage of their authority and pursue selfish ends. Sometimes, though, internal self-reflection of those who hold power can also drive transformative change. Progress often hinges on the dual f...

How do I know when to be patient? Patience, often overlooked, is a virtue of immense importance. It plays a pivotal role in our quest for achievement and success. When we forfeit patience, we grant others the power to provoke frustration, leaving us feeling powerless. However, there are instances where impatience serves us well, such as during emergencies when swift action is imperative. The ongoi...

What is the best way to get respect? We find contentment in being our authentic selves when we stop comparing or competing with others. It gives us a sense of inner harmony. Though respect is not solely dependent on self-acceptance and non-comparison but also on achievements, social status, or power. People who excel in life tend to command more respect in society. Ultimately, the quest for respec...

Everybody has unique talents, though it's hard to see them sometimes. We are often blinded by doubt, lack of confidence and a fear that we might embarrass ourselves. So, we turn away from ourselves, copy others, and bury our own potential. Yet, learning from others is essential for our own success and so we must embrace others' influence in a way that doesn't compromise our sense of se...

We find meaning and value through our memories. They offer reminders of our mistakes, heartaches and enduring accomplishments. They are like building blocks for our personal identity. Yet, meaning is also to be found in our future. When we look ahead, we embrace hope, and that confidence in the future brings us value of a different sort. And what about living in the moment without concern for the ...

How do we know when our actions will speak louder than our words? "Talk is cheap," as the saying goes. Talking about doing something is easy, but actually doing it is much harder. Doing things requires risk-taking, embracing uncertainty, and the knowledge that you just might be making mistakes along the way. Yet, depending on the person doing it, speaking also requires proactive risk, especially i...

What is the most beautiful way to reshape yourself through suffering? When we endure suffering, our character changes. Sometimes we grow weaker, less confident, and more resigned that life has it out for us. At other times, our character is strengthened. Suffering makes us resilient. It expands our capacity to persevere. We become empathetic, vulnerable. It crowds out our fears and opens our heart...

How should I be judged by other people? We all know the feeling of being judged. Many times others look to our accomplishments to judge whether or not we are living a worthwhile life. Our accomplishments are supposed to signify our success and happiness and worthiness for praise, but that often leaves us with an empty feeling, because it sidesteps an appreciation for the hardships we had to endure...

How do we know if somebody is good or bad? Kids are in the midst of making so many ethical choices about the types of people they should be hanging out with. There is peer pressure to spend time with friends who may make questionable life choices but whose approval is important for a child’s self-esteem. Friendship advice from parents, coaches and other authority figures often go unheard because t...

What is the purpose of education? Our society has always struggled to agree on the purpose of education. Some say the purpose is for students to acquire factual knowledge of subjects. Others argue that the real purpose should be to motivate action. In that sense the debate really comes down to a definition of what it means to be an informed citizen, and whether citizenship goes beyond just acquiri...

How do we create systems so that individuals can be successful? Success comes from a confluence of forces. Sometimes, it is the sheer will of the individual who, when faced with difficulty and challenge, rises to meet the moment. Riding alongside individual will is the system in which that individual operates. But no individual effort can overcome a dysfunctional system. The challenge here is to b...