Contrary to its definition, Tom Newkirk argues feeling embarrassed in life is nothing to be ashamed of. Whether you are a teacher, student, parent, sibling, or friend, embarrassment is something we all experience. If we are able to talk about a taboo topic like embarrassment, Newkirk believes we can arrive at a deeper understanding of who we are and what we can accomplish. In his book Embarrassment and the Emotional Underlife of Learning, this definition of embarrassment pervades the classroom.
Here, Newkirk discusses the realities of anxiety in teaching. He wouldn't want readers to think that because he's written a book on teaching he's anything close to the idyllic "super teacher"; that's just not his emotional reality. After years of teaching, he still paces the floors before each class, and succumbs to frustration and time management issues like we all do. But, for Tom, that embarrassment he feels is nothing to be ashamed of.