Today 4BC Radio Brisbane (111.6 AM) interviewed me LIVE about my gutsy memoir, ME AND HER: a Memoir of Madness. I revealed how parents at my school harassed me, teacher Karen Tyrrell, to breaking point and Beyond. I gulped deep breaths throughout the interview … Could I really be that Brave?
Why the Interview NOW?
Today Queensland teachers and students returned to school.
Radio announcers, Moyd and Loretta of 4BC radio wanted a REAL Teacher story with a different angle. They focused on how students and teaching have changed. And the stress and harassment teachers are now experiencing.
How did this Interview Evolve?
Unexpectedly at 10.30 am today, I received an urgent message from the producer of 4BC Afternoons with Moyd Kay and Loretta Ryan program. She requested a LIVE telephone interview, urging me to say YES.
For two hours I prepared what I would say. When the phone rang at 1.07 pm I forced a SMILE 🙂 so a happy voice would transmit over the radio waves. During the five minute interview, I divulged far more dramatic details about my personal harassment story than I planned. The words simply gushed out.
Here the intro on 4BC’s website …
“On the first day of school, Moyd and Loretta remind us to be kind to the teachers. They talk with former teacher and writer, Karen Tyrrell, about the stresses of teaching which lead to her downfall and resignation. “
Check out the 4BC link to the FULL audio recording …
http://www.4bc.com.au/blogs/4bc-blog/karen-tyrell/20120123-1qdjn.html
As I’m typing this Blog, I’m still sweating and my heart pounding!
Where did I get the courage to say those words today?
What was the best part about the interview?
I hope my personal experiences on how my harassment triggered mental illness will open up further discussions in the community
** What did you think of my interview?
** How can schools be more supportive to Teachers?
PS 4BC radio requested I send a printed copy of ME AND HER: a Memoir of Madness for a Book Review.
Lovely to hear you on air this afternoon, Karen. Well done! I look forward to your book launch on 1 May. 🙂
Thanks so much Joanna. I really appreciate all the support you gave me today, sharing the News on Facebook. I can’t wait for the launch on the 1st of May too.
So very proud of you Karen. It was an honest gutsy interview which hopefully will get people thinking. Well done!
Thanks Sonja, For your amazing support today. Thanks for connecting and understanding with my anguish as a harassed teacher and my anxiety today with telling my Story! 🙂
Great achievement Karen, just think of all those people who were listening and will be clamouring for your book in May! Very upset I’ll be in the US at the time of your launch… good luck with it all!
Thanks Rebecca, for dropping by! Today When I was interviewed on the radio, my last thoughts were of the launch. Glad I typed up a few “reminders” to put next to the telephone.
Great interview Karen! You sounded more confident as the interview progressed… well done! Another string to your bow, as the saying goes… 🙂
Thanks so much Heather 🙂 This interview literally came out of the Blue at 10.30 am this morning! I’m still pinching myself!
Well done Karen, you really got a response from listeners in similar circumstances and a great press for your book!
Today’s interview took me by surprise, but I ran with it. So glad my interview connected with other teachers and those with similar experiences.
Thanks Lorraine for your awesome support! 🙂
Good interview Karen.. well done.. sounds like quite a struggle… love to know what happened to this little ‘angel’ (kid) as the years progressed.. I studied teaching also for a couple of years, but it wasn’t for me.. but I could see how times have changed.
Good for you getting on radio too..
=]
Thanks Anthony, my Recovery has been quite a struggle! In the past I would shake uncontrollably talking about those “past events”.
That “little Angel” has quite a history in herself! Much is revealed about her and the family in my book.
How the radio interview evolved is incredible in itself, which I’ll divulge another time … all about a stranger I met in a lift two years ago 🙂
Very heartfelt and genuine interview with an excellent promotion leading up the publishing of “ME AND HER: a Memoir of Madness”. Despite the short notice and the enormous pressure you would have been under during the interview, you certainly came across as a well respected and confident Teacher/Author who survived the battle/politics in the schooling system and came out victorious and vindicated. Well done Karen!
Thanks so much Art, for your amazing support over the last day, spreading the news about my LIVE radio interview ! Very much appreciated xx Thanks too for your very encouraging words and your understanding of my trauma 🙂
Great interview, Karen. I taught for 15 years in high-schools. Not always easy! But troublesome kids are not new. My uncle was a woodwork teacher in 1940’s to 60’s and had to lock chisels away so children didn’t use them against each other. Occasionally one would be thrown in anger in a class situation. My cousin, a high school history teacher, had a chair thrown at him in the 1970’s. In times gone by, however, parents would generally have given their kids absolute hell at home if they found out that the child had stepped out of line at school, and teachers had absolute and effective support from the top.
Well done Karen and hope this interview brings even more support and sales for your book.
Dale
http://www.daleharcombe.com
Thanks Peter, for dropping by to share your personal experiences as a teacher and your knowledge of how kids, families and teaching has changed. 🙂
My story of abuse by parents and their child is sadly true, happening on a daily basis for over a year.
Thanks Dale,
I hope my story of long term Teacher Harassment and my resulting mental illness brings about honest discussion in the community 🙂
Great interview Karen, your slight nervousness at the start really gave it an edge of genuineness. Knowing the professional you are, I bet you’ve already written down responses to some of the questions they asked. The radio commentators want a copy of your book too – could be very good promotion for it.
Thanks Graham on the feedback for the interview. The producer didn’t give me specific questions to answer but explained it would be about Teacher stress and harassment. I typed up key points, rehearsed them in a “slow voice” and printed them out to leave next to the phone. I feel very grateful for the whole experience 🙂
Hi Karen, very moving interview.
Thanks so much Sharon,
I really appreciate your taking the time to listen to the interview and then come back here with your positive feedback xx
PS I just found your supportive comment on 4BC Blog. Thanks so much for that too. Awesome 🙂
[…] In 2012, Helen contacted me again about my upcoming book Me and Her. This time Helen was now a radio programmer for 4BC radio. She requested an interview about my teacher experience with violence in schools. HERE […]