Modern Psychoanalysis and the Teacher*

Modern psychoanalysis, with greater flexibility than classical analysis and a more sophisticated structure than other psychotherapies, is ideally suited for application to the classroom. With certain modifications in the analytic model and some elaboration in technique, modern psychoanalysis is extremely useful in helping students on the road to emotional maturity. The application here envisioned calls upon the teacher to sustain a sensible role in the cognitive development of the student while at the same time promoting emotional growth in the classroom. Abandonment of the curriculum is not advocated since it is not our goal to encourage emotionally healthy but intellectually deficient students.

When modern psychoanalysis is correctly applied to the ongoing classroom situation, both students and teachers should accelerate their intellectual and emotional growth. While classes in emotional education are valuable and should be included in the curriculum as separate courses, our aim is more broadly defined. We do not advocate a simple application of group therapy nor a special class in emotional education for students in a school or college setting. In the best sense of the word we are dealing with the “whole” student—intellectually,