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#148: If I had a totally unmanageable class, I'd do these 4 things immediately.10 Nov 202500:28:10

This episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the most common questions I get from Behaviour Clubbers, and honestly, it’s one we’ve ALL asked at some point: “What do I do with a class that is just... chaotic?”

We’re talking cultural chaos. The kind of class that leaves you emotionally wrung out, standing at the board yelling instructions to a sea of disengaged students while your nervous system quietly screams.

In this episode, I’m not going to throw another vague strategy at you or tell you to “build relationships” (you’re already doing that). Instead, I’m breaking down exactly what I would do if I had that class and had to make changes immediately.

This one’s especially for you if you’re:

  • Constantly waiting for quiet
  • Feeling frazzled by the end of every lesson
  • Dreading certain classes
  • Questioning whether you’re even cut out for teaching anymore


We’re stripping it all back and starting with what actually shifts classroom culture: ROUTINES.

What You’ll Learn:

  •  The first thing I’d do if I had a chaotic, chatty, unmanageable class
  •  Why teacher regulation trumps any routine or strategy
  •  The 4 core routines you NEED in place to turn the chaos around
  •  The sneaky behaviour triggers you might be missing
  •  How to get your students started before the lesson even begins
  •  My go-to early finisher system that doesn’t rely on “busy work”
  •  What to do in the last five minutes of class that’ll save your sanity


Resources Mentioned:

🎁 The $1 Behaviour Club Kickstart:
https://www.the-unteachables.com/kickstart

🧠 Early Finisher Task Bundle:
https://the-unteachables.shop/products/early-finishers-activity-bundle-choice-board-packet-worksheets-reflection?_pos=1&_sid=f45b530cb&_ss=r

🪄 Exit Doors Routine (the viral one):
https://the-unteachables.shop/products/exit-task-bundle

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#147: Why your classroom transitions are chaotic (and how to fix them)03 Nov 202500:20:53

The messy middle of a lesson can make or break your classroom calm.

You’ve nailed your entry routines. Your exits are solid. But those in-between moments, like shifting from group work to silent writing, that’s where chaos sneaks in.

If transitions have ever left you saying:

“I had them… and then I lost them.”

This one’s for you.

In this episode, I walk you through my three essential “Ps” for smooth transitions, plus five of my favourite practical tools to bring novelty, structure and just the right amount of fun into those mid-lesson wobbles.

Whether your students are bouncing off the walls or just dilly-dallying, you’ll walk away from this one with new tricks (and a taco) up your sleeve.

What you’ll learn:

  • Why group work isn’t the problem — it’s the gap between tasks
  • My 3-part “P” framework to diagnose & fix messy transitions
  • How to boost structure and student buy-in (without nagging!)
  • Easy, repeatable tools for transitions that students actually respond to
  • Fun little things like the “Tardy Taco” and “Fast Track Fajita” that build community while managing chaos

Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!

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#138: Brain breaks that secretly boost behaviour (and help us reclaim a bit of teaching joy in the classroom)25 Aug 202500:23:44

Ever feel like your class is one brain snap away from absolute chaos… or just asleep at the wheel?

In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the most powerful — and wildly underused — classroom management tools in your toolbox: brain breaks. But not just for the sake of fun. We’re talking strategic, rapport-building, energy-resetting magic that actually boosts learning, not wastes time.

This is Day 4 of the Kickstart (catch up on previous days if you missed them!) and today is all about what we do in the meaty middle of the lesson — when things can either hum along… or totally unravel. I’ll share the sneaky strategies I used (without knowing they were even strategies back then) to build connection, shift energy, and keep my most disengaged students coming back for more.

Spoiler alert: it's not about being the "cool teacher" — it’s about being a connected, present, values-led one.

Let’s roll the tape.

What you’ll learn:

  • What brain breaks actually are (and aren’t)
  • 3 go-to brain breaks Claire used to reset student energy on the fly
  • Why these simple strategies work (backed by brain science)
  • How to use them strategically to build rapport without losing instructional time
  • The “credibility flip” every teacher needs to know when transitioning from playful to teacher-led
  • Why this is classroom management gold — not fluff or filler

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#48: Should we be ‘letting things slide’ as teachers? Or should we be holding students accountable for every little challenging behaviour?30 Jan 202400:23:18

Classroom management is nothing if not confusing. One of the things I have been told along the way is that we need to be picking our battles with behaviour. Another thing I have ALSO been told along the way is that we shouldn't be letting things slide. I have also given both of these pieces of advice at different times in my career. 

So what do we do? Where do I stand?

Well the reality is that it is far more complicated than this. 

Are you surprised?

As I always say, classroom management is incredibly nuanced, and there’s very rarely a black and white answer. However, in today’s episode, I do aim to provide you with a bit of clarity on what it means to balance rapport with addressing challenging behaviours. 

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#47: How teachers are set up to fail, what SHOULD be included in teacher training, and what a trauma-informed approach looks like in action. A discussion with Em Gentle, founder of The Grad Guide23 Jan 202400:52:12

Today I am joined on the podcast with Em Gentle, a graduate teacher mentor, fellow edu-podcaster, and founder of the grad guide where she supports new teachers adopt a trauma informed approach to teaching. 

In today’s episode we go on all the rants including:

  • What teachers should be taught in teacher preparation programs before entering the profession
  • Our 'inherited' classroom management and teacher guilt around it
  • What a trauma informed approach looks like in action
  • What we see new teachers struggle with the most (self-doubt, overwhelm, a lack of behaviour support) and
  • What things we would recommend for new teachers to know and do with their classroom management and teaching and learning.

Although new teachers are definitely the focus for this episode, it is just as valuable for all teachers.

After all, it is simply about great teaching.


Find more of Em's work on instagram: @thegradguide_

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#46: What it really takes to change behaviour with the hardest to teach (and why it can take so damn long)!16 Jan 202400:26:26

Today on the podcast we will be talking about working with the students who are the hardest to teach, and the hardest to reach. 

The students who you are told to try to build the relationship with, but they resist it and throw it back in your face. 

The students who need a hell of a lot of support, and let’s face it probably need a placement that is more therapeutic, but are still working with you in your classrooms. 

I take you through a metaphor for understanding what it truly takes to shift behaviour in these students, but why it also takes so so long. 


We discuss:

  • What a disorganised attachment is how it manifests in challenging behaviours
  • What neuroplasticity is and how it works
  • How the practices we use in our classroom change behaviour little by little
  • Why we need to show ourselves grace and compassion, and why you're having more of an impact than you think



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#45: Are you classroom managing like a fist, or a palm? A game-changing metaphor that will shape the way you approach behaviour in the heat of the moment09 Jan 202400:24:15

In today’s episode, I am going to be giving you a visual metaphor to approaching challenging classroom behaviour that can be a game changer. 

This is something that I was taught way back in my first year of teaching and it has stuck with me ever since. It is one of the things that started to really build my own classroom management approach to what it is today.

I use it in my own classroom, I discuss this over the table with my own staff,  I have presented this to different schools, I embed it in my online courses, and today, I will be sharing it with you.

As the first episode of 2024, I will also be giving you a bit of an overview of all of the exciting things happening  here at The Unteachables Academy, including the release of my first ever book!

Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!

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#44: The one thing you need to do during the holidays to improve your classroom management in 2024.19 Dec 202300:18:29

 I spent the first 5 years of my career feeling like I needed to be ‘all over’ every single facet of the lesson to contain and reduce challenging behaviours. This meant working through almost every weekend and break that I had.

Yes, it helped my classroom management! I was able to create lessons that were well-resourced, pitched right, scaffolded brilliantly so students could access them, relevant… all of the things that support us in mitigating some of the challenging behaviours that we may see.

What I didn’t release at the time was I was taking two steps forward and three steps back. I wasn’t resting, I wasn’t filling my cup, I wasn’t investing in myself, and I was BURNT OUT. Worse yet, I was on the brink of full-blown compassion fatigue after spending years absorbing the traumas of the young people I worked with. 

This meant I was missing the biggest piece of the classroom management puzzle.

Ensuring I was okay, that I was regulated, that I had the capacity to co-regulate, stay calm, and influence the energy in the room.  As cliched as it sounds, I wasn’t putting my own oxygen mask on before fitting it onto those around me.

So as we head into the holidays, this episode is a big reminder that resting is the most important thing that you can do, because the efficacy of your teacher self, is reliant on the health and wellbeing of your real life self. If this sounds like something you need a little bit of a reminder around, or you struggle to set boundaries, then this is the episode for you.

This is the last episode of The Unteachables Podcast for 2023 - I will be back Tuesday 8th January! I can’t wait to continue to support you in 2024. 

Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!

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#43: 2023: The year I became a mother, a wife, and an author. Reflections, regrets, and lessons learnt.12 Dec 202300:26:50

2023 has been one of the biggest, and most transformational times in my life. Both professionally, and personally.

It has been a year where too many dreams decided to show up at once (I understand how much of an oxymoron that is).

 So I just had to lean into the beautiful chaos of it all and MAKE it work.

I had a baby.
I wrote a book.
I ran my business.
I got married.
I was a senior leader.
And allll of the things that go along with every single one of the above.

In this episode, I reflect on the year that was and go through how I navigated all of it (and came out the other end in relatively one piece).

Thank you for listening in to The Unteachables Podcast this year, it’s been amazing to have you along for the ride!

Claire

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#42: Want to do some laid-back learning at the end of the year, and STILL maintain a calm and controlled environment? This is what you need to know.05 Dec 202300:21:27

As the year draws to a close, things start to get increasingly challenging.

You have your head teacher telling you that you need to keep learning until the last minute, even though you KNOW your students are checked out (and let’s be honest, we’re teetering on that edge too). 

Your students are becoming more and more unsettled. The energy shifts. The disruptions, and the general volume, within the class, increase. 

Yep, that countdown starts to drag, and drag, the closer we get. We feel like we should be on the wind down to the silly season but the expectations on us get higher whilst it feels like it gets lower for the students. 

This episode is all about WHY these challenges emerge at this time of year (because there are multiple culprits at play), and what we can actually DO to keep some semblance of control over our classroom spaces. 

It’s all about being able to inject some much needed fun into the end of year whilst still   maintaining a sense of calm amongst the excitement.

In this episode I discuss how to set the stage for more laid-back learning, and explore a structured start to keep your students engaged.  It’s all about thriving in the lead up to the holidays, not simply surviving! 

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#41: What Is the Conscious Competence Ladder, and Why You Need to Know About It for Learning, Behavior, and Your Own Professional Development.26 Nov 202300:18:42

One of the things that used to really grind my gears as a teacher was when I was trying to teach a new skill to students, whether it be an analytical response or a piece of creative writing, and they would say something like the following:

“I know how to do this already”
“This is baby work, I did it in Year 3”,

Or the worst one…

“Why do I have to learn English, I already speak the language!!”

Of course as a teacher I COULD spend a chunk of the lesson explaining until I am blue in the face about how there is a progression of skills, how English as a subject permeates everything we do, how the writing they did in Year 3 is not the writing I am expecting of them.

And I did. Often. 

Now? I understand that all of us, human beings in general, simply don’t know, what we don’t know!!

So what do I do instead?

I teach them about the conscious competence ladder (not necessarily using that lingo). 

Listen in to this week’s podcast as I go over what the Conscious Competence Ladder is, and why it is such a valuable theory to support us in teaching our students, and applying in our own practice.

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#40: Want a Calm Lesson? You Need a Calm Start! The 3 Proactive Classroom Management Strategies Every Teacher Should Know!21 Nov 202300:26:33

The first 5 minutes of a lesson can absolutely be make or break for behaviour.

What you do in this time and how you prepare for it can be the deciding factor between a productive, calm, controlled space where students can learn, and a lesson that very quickly continues to descend into chaos.

So how to make sure those first 5 minutes are absolutely on point with what is needed to ensure the best success for you and your students?

The 3 Es.

Listen in as I talk through what these 3 Es are and how you can use them to really get on top, and stay on top, of behaviours throughout the lesson. Best part, they work on a proactive level, mitigating challenges before they arise and saving you a hell of a lot of time on addressing low-level disruptions.

If you want to read through this or share it with your team, you can access a copy via my blog right here!


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#39: Four Steps to Better Parent-Teacher Relationships: Tackling those Tough Conversations14 Nov 202300:23:56

Ever wondered how you, as an educator, can foster and nurture a positive and productive relationship with the parents of your more challenging students? This episode guides you through the hurdle-filled journey of positively engaging with parents, even when resistance or blame are at play. 

This podcast episode dives into four actionable steps that will help shift the overall sentiment of your parent interactions. I share effective strategies for getting off on the right foot, making those difficult calls, and mastering the all-important art of balancing tough conversations with positive ones. 

By the end, you'll be equipped with the skills to handle these interactions more confidently, changing the dynamics of your communications with parents.

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#137: Feel like you need to split into 30 trying to support the whole room? This tool changes everything.18 Aug 202500:20:51

The task strategy that will change your classroom (even if you’re running on fumes)

Ever feel like the second you set your students off on a task, it’s like you’ve got to split into ten different versions of yourself?

In this episode, I’m walking you through one of my favourite practical strategies of all time — the humble task card — and showing you exactly how this simple tool can reduce overwhelm, cut through the chaos, and stop the constant chorus of “Miss, what are we doing again?”

This episode is giving you a front-row seat to:

  • The most overstimulating part of teaching (and how to fix it)
  • Why instructions alone aren’t enough (and what to do instead)
  • How a tiny piece of paper can help your students self-regulate, stay on task, and stop relying on you for every single step
  • The exact elements to include on a task card that actually works (no Pinterest fluff here)

So if you're tired of repeating yourself on loop and want to feel like the calm, credible leader of your room again, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn:

  • The real reason students disengage once a task starts (and why it’s not always behaviour)
  • Why clear instructions are not enough
  • How task cards increase engagement, autonomy, and differentiation without extra work
  • 6 things to include on every task card to make your lesson run smoother
  • How this tiny shift can give you your energy (and sanity) back

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#38: A Candid Conversation About Returning from Maternity Leave, Mum Guilt, and the Pressure to Be 'Good Enough' at Everything.07 Nov 202300:22:46

There are so many things that I wish somebody had told me before having a baby. 

Returning to work post-maternity and all of the waves of emotion and challenge involve is one of them.

This episode is important not just for those mums needing a bit of solidarity, but for EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

We all need to do better at supporting new Mums in the workplace, and an awareness of the struggles is a good place to start. 

So listen in as I have quite a candid conversation about the past term of work after 10 months home with my little chicken egg.


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#37: What Good Classroom Management Can't Exist Without: A Chat with Marie Gentles on Teacher Capacity, Perception, and Felt Safety.31 Oct 202300:55:16

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of talking to Marie Gentles, you might know her best as the expert in BBC documentaries Don’t Exclude Me and Helping our Teens, and now as the author of the book Gentles Guidance: How to Understand, Inspire and Empower Your Kids which has been recently published in June this year. She has also developed Gentle Guidance, where she delivers her own digital Behaviour Training Programme for schools/services and families.  To say that this woman is moving mountains in this space is an understatement.

So… when this incredible woman talks about what we need to be doing in the classroom to best support our young people, we all need to be listening, and what a privilege it was to be able to talk about some really important things in the educational space. 

In this episode:

  • We discuss the importance of felt safety (and how we can provide that for our young people).
  • We debunk some of the common (but understandable) assumptions we can make about the students who display the most challenging behaviours.
  • Marie shares a crucial strategy on how teachers can care for themselves first, so they have the capacity to better support their students.
  • + a whole range of other valuable bits and bobs!

Where to go to get further support from Marie:

Website: www.gentlesguidance.com

Course: gentlesguidance.thinkific.com

Book: Gentle Guidance - How to Understand, Inspire and

Empower you Kids

TV Documentaries: BBC iPlayer: Helping our Teens, Don’t Exclude Me.


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#36: Are You Confusing The Hell Out of Your Students? Strategies for Clearer Instruction, Better Engagement, and Less Challenging Behaviours05 Sep 202300:19:31

Do you ever give instructions for a task to a class full of students, only to have a bunch of hands go up or confused faces looking back at you? Maybe you have low level behaviours buzzing and a disengaged hum the moment you send them off to do their task? Teachers, the answer to tackling these things could be in your clarity of instruction.

This episode is designed to arm you with practical strategies to enhance clarity of instruction and student engagement. I delve into the complexities and challenges of teaching in a room filled with 30 different humans with diverse needs and learning styles and uncover strategies to overcome hurdles that can impact a student’s ability to follow instructions. From demonstrating tasks to scaffolding, using real-life examples, encouraging questions, and reflecting on our practice, this episode has you covered.

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#35: Increasing Felt Safety (and Reducing Challenging Behaviours) Through Consistency and Predictability. A Deep Dive Into the Humble Seating Plan.29 Aug 202300:19:08

In this episode, I delve into the pivotal role of felt safety in classrooms. You'll learn how to craft a climate of felt safety that hushes unpredictability and amplifies familiarity, helping students to stay calm and regulated, ultimately reducing and mitigating disruptive behaviors.

One game changer when it comes to increasing this consistency, is the humble seating plan. 
 
It's more than just curbing low-level disturbances; it's about offering students a consistent, predictable space that silently communicates expectations. 

Listen along as I give you a step by step walk through of why seating plans are so beneficial, and why increasing the predictability and consistency in your classroom is golden for a calm teaching and learning environment.

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#34: Co-Regulation Explained: The Core of Calm and Effective Classroom Management 22 Aug 202300:21:47

This week's "pillar" episode of The Unteachables Podcast explains the concepts at the core of my approach to classroom management; coregulation, regulation and dysregulation. 

I uncover how our survival instincts contribute to our emotional landscape and the implications it holds for teaching, and set the stage for future episodes where I delve into actionable classroom management underpinned by the need for co-regulation. 

Listen in as I discuss the role of the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, the crucial relationship they have, and how this is established. As well as answering the question, "why are some individuals able to better coregulate than others?" as I explore the influence of early childhood experiences, attachment, temperament, and traumatic events on our ability to manage emotions.

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#33: Teachers, protect your peace this school year with these 5 crucial reminders15 Aug 202300:13:51

Teachers, this episode I speak through the 5 mantras I use in my everyday practice to stay calm, stay connected, and ultimately, protect my peace!

I made this a quickie so you could return to this whenever you needed it as a bit of a pick me up. 

Write them down, pop them up on your wall, in your planner, on your desk, share with a teacher friend! Just have them in the forefront of your mind as you enter the school year (or the week) ahead.

Claire x



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#32: Teaching Kids with 'Big Baffling Behaviours': The Science of Opposition with Robyn Gobbel.08 Aug 202301:03:18

In this episode I speak to the incredible Robyn Gobbel, and when I say you’ll want to listen to this, you should really trust me on this one.

Robyn is a former therapist turned author, podcaster, educator, and community creator, supporting the grown-ups who care for kids with vulnerable nervous systems and big, baffling behaviors. Her work has been with children with histories of complex trauma, through which she takes a relational neuroscience approach to understanding what behaviour REALLY is. 

She draws from interpersonal neurobiology, attachment theory, the neurosequential model of therapeutics, polyvagal theory (and more).

We dive deep into two concepts that will flip the way that you see the big baffling behaviours in your classroom, as well as revealing some really fundamental problems with how we are able to work with our students with trauma: Connection or protection, and the owl, possum, and watch dog pathways of the brain.

Oh, and teachers, want some help in working with challenging parents? Robyn helps you with that too. She really is that good.

This episode is full of information that every human being needs to bring more compassion to yourself, and to others in the world. 


If you want to see more of Robyn and her work (which is a big hell yes from me), you can do so by following her over on Instagram @robin.gobbel or heading to the links below:

Host- The Baffling Behavior Show podcast

Creator- Being With {an immersion course for parenting professionals}

Creator- The Club {a virtual community for parents of kids with big, baffling behaviors}

Author- Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work (forthcoming September 21, 2023}




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#31: The 'Why' That Drives Our Behaviour (The 'Good', the 'Bad', and the 'Ugly'): The 5 Basic Needs01 Aug 202300:26:04

Today, we're diving deep into a common saying in the behavior management world: "Behavior is communication." But let's be honest, it's so broad that it often leaves us wondering, "What are they really trying to tell us?" Well, in this episode, I've got you covered!

In this episode I will be:

  • Unraveling the true meaning behind "Behavior is communication" and how it relates to our students' unmet needs.
  • Understanding the concept of Choice Theory and how our students' choices are influenced by five fundamental needs.
  • How challenging student behaviour is a result of them trying to meet their unmet needs (and how to use this to help us proactively classroom manage)

Grab a cuppa and tune in!

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#30: We don't teach our subjects! We teach students, and there is one hell of a difference between the two18 Jul 202300:14:33

Once a mentor said something to me that changed the way I viewed teaching:

We teach students, not subjects.

I am an English teacher. I love English. I wanted students to love English as much as I did, to enjoy it, to be inspired by the concepts, to read a book and discuss it as a class and be thinking wow I was just transported into a dystopian land and I can see connections between that and out current society and wow mind blown!!!

Now? This is the furthest thing from my job.

Teaching doesn't mean to stand there and teach our subject. With the existence of the internet, every bit of information we could possibly need is accessible with a simple google search. As such, teaching has changed. 

Once I came to this realization, I stopped getting so precious about my subject, and I started thinking about how English was a ‘way in’, a ‘doorway’ to these children engaging with their education, to feel successful, to learn how to think critically, to problem solve, to be creative and to find enjoyment.

In today's (very short and sharp) episode of The Unteachables Podcast, I take you through a bit of a mindset shift, and dig into why this means it's even MORE crucial for teacher training to change with the times.

Join me this episode for a mindset shift, and if you want to come and have a chat about it, don't be shy. Send me an email claire@the-unteachables.com or message me on Instagram @the.unteachables




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#29: Dropping the ball on things at work? Don't worry, that's what they were designed for! A reframe around teacher time management.11 Jul 202300:18:40

I am sure I don't need to tell you this, but as a teacher, there is SO MUCH TO FREAKING DO! This is why some of the BIG questions I get asked from teachers, particularly newer teachers, is about things like prioritising, time management,  and how we can do allllll the things that are required of us.

The answer is simple.... We can't.

At least, we can't do everything well and still have a bit of balance.


As an experienced teacher and now a senior leader I absolutely don’t do it all - I set boundaries for myself, I do the work that’s important, I accept not everything can and will be high quality, but what matters will be done right. 

However it has taken years and years to learn how to ‘be’ as a teacher/leader in a way that works for me and protects my peace. It has taken a lot of boundary setting, letting go of things that don’t matter, learning how to prioritise and letting go of the idea of perfect. And FYI: It also took working around the clock and then burning out in my 6th year of teaching and never wanting to go back. 


In this episode of The Unteachables Podcast, I give you a reframe around workload, time management, and how to master the art of dropping the balls that really don't matter all that much.

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#136: The entry routine that is magic for low-level disruption! The power of learning maps12 Aug 202500:19:30

Join the Kickstart: https://www.the-unteachables.com/kickstart

If your lessons feel like a sprint uphill from the very first bell... kids trickling in, backpacks still on, everyone chatting while you’re already repeating yourself, then friend, you don’t have an entry routine problem. You have an entry routine opportunity.

This is part two of the Behaviour Club Kickstart, and today we’re talking entry routines! Specifically, the simple but mighty tool: Learning Maps.

Think of Learning Maps like Google Maps for your lesson: they show students exactly where they’re headed, how they’ll get there, and why it matters. And the magic? They’re not just a “best practice” teaching tool, they’re also low-level behaviour kryptonite.

I’ll walk you through:

  • Why a shaky start sets the tone for a chaotic lesson (and how to fix it)
  • How Learning Maps calm student anxiety and cut down disruption
  • What to include so they actually work in the real world—not just on paper
  • How to use them as part of your entry routine without adding extra work to your plate

It’s never just about the behaviour, it’s every dang thing we do in our classroom!

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • Why entry routines are your first (and best) line of defence against disruption
  • The three superpowers of Learning Maps for behaviour and engagement
  • Exactly what to include in a Learning Map so it’s clear, consistent, and student-friendly
  • How to embed Learning Maps into every lesson, no matter your schedule or classroom setup
  • Ways to keep students returning to the Learning Map throughout the lesson to boost clarity and buy-in

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#28: Are You Setting Your Students Up for Success, or Failure (Without Even Realising It)?03 Jul 202300:17:55

On today's episode I dive into how our beliefs and assumptions about our students have a direct correlation with either their success, OR their failure.

These are the Pygmalion and Golem effects. The self-fulfilling prophesy.

The 1968 Rosenthal and Jacobson study concluded that when a teacher expects a student to excel, that student is more likely to perform well, while students who are expected to struggle or underperform, often do so.



Listen in to hear about:

  • The things that we do as teachers that unknowingly stop students from succeeding or progressing in the way they could.
  • The challenges and barriers to actually believing in the success of all of our students (because it's not as straight forward as just saying 'I believe in you'
  • How we can use this as a powerful tool for increasing student academic success and helping even the most 'unteachable' students break barriers and succeed.


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#27: Addressing Misogyny (and Other Damaging Comments) in the Classroom: Your Step-by-Step Guide"27 Jun 202300:20:02

If you would like a printable cheat sheet of the steps found in this episode, click here.

Have you ever had to address comments from students that were homophobic, racist, misogynistic, ablest, or problematic in any other way?  If you're a teacher, it's likely the answer to that question is yes... Annnnd it only seems to be getting tougher. With male 'role models' in the social media space such as Andrew Tate, we are seeing a rise in students expressing these damaging misogynistic views, young boys in particular. 

It can be so tough to know what to say or do as teachers, especially because these things can be so deeply personal and triggering. Oftentimes when we DO address it,  students will say "it is a joke", or, "I am entitled to my opinion". 
 
So teachers are left simply remarking, "that's inappropriate" and moving on.

However this isn't good enough. It is so crucial we address these things seriously to ensure that we are teaching our students better, and creating a safe space for everybody in that room.

But how?

This is your step by step guide.


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#26: Sorry, Not Sorry: How Apologies Can Be a 'Get Out of Jail Free Card' for Students (and What to Do Instead)20 Jun 202300:24:26

In this episode of The Unteachables Podcast, I talk apologies, and the conundrum of forcing them. It feels like a knee-jerk reaction when a student has done something harmful... "What do you say?" or "Say sorry."

It makes sense why we do this. As the teacher we want to get to a resolution. We want to make things better! However simply forcing a student to say sorry is definitely not a solution to challenging behaviour and conflict... in fact, it's a big 'out' the allows accountability to go down the drain. 

Toady I cover:

  • The missed opportunities of forced apologies: What we really need to be doing when things go wrong.
  • The role of dialogue and reflection: Explore how engaging in meaningful conversations can repair relationships and nurture vital social and emotional skills.
  • Practical quick swaps that you can make right now to foster greater reflection and accountability during these challenging conflicts
  • The key components of Transformative Talks: The crucial piece of the puzzle with authentic resolution.

 

Check out the Masterclass: Real Consequences Real Change


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#25: Rethinking discipline: Why consequences are only a small piece of the pie13 Jun 202300:21:45

Join me in this week's episode of The Unteachables Podcast as I dive into the power of an actionable approach to restorative practice. Through this ep I will help you to discover how accountability, reflection, and restoration can transform those frustrating behaviour challenges into golden teaching opportunities.

Get ready for a refreshing approach that focuses on respect, support, collaboration, and meaningful discussions. I share my top foundational consequences, tailor-made to authentically right the wrongs and foster student accountability. No more one-size-fits-all punishments—these consequences gain maximum buy-in from your students and mitigate future challenges. 

Restorative approaches are not about letting students get away with their behaviour or taking a soft approach. Quite the opposite! Discover why this method demands even greater accountability and reflection, empowering you to become a more skilled and effective teacher for all your students.

I also unravel the secrets behind Jane Nelson's 3 Rs of logical consequences, and delve into why they're essential guideposts on this transformative journey. I’ve got your back as I unpack these Rs to ensure your consequences hit the bullseye.

Most importantly, I introduce you to the heart of my restorative teaching practice—the transformative talks. I spill the tea on how these talks are your secret weapon to building connections, resolving challenges, and restoring relationships. I’ll explore the goals of these talks and when to unleash their power in your classroom.

So, download for your commute, and get ready to explore **actionable** restorative practice.

Referenced in the pod: Teachers or Taunters: The dilemma of true discipline for direct care workers with children. Lorraine Fox


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#24: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Set Expectations, and (More Importantly) Make Them an Effective Part of Your Day-to-Day Classroom Management.06 Jun 202300:23:12

In this episode, I take you on a mini pod journey as I unravel my tips for setting expectations with students. Join me as I explore:

- The drawbacks of traditional rules and the power of expectations in fostering collaboration and connection.

- Why expectations are more effective in gaining student buy-in and creating a productive learning environment.

- Practical strategies for effectively setting expectations, including dedicating explicit lessons and encouraging student input.

- The importance of modelling accountability and creating a culture of trust and shared responsibility.

- How to keep expectations alive throughout the school year and integrate them into daily classroom routines.

- Why you, as a teacher, are a living embodiment of the expectations you set for your students.

Listen along as I provide you with the tools and inspiration to establish a classroom culture where students feel respected, valued, and motivated to meet expectations. 



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#23: Mindfulness: 'Airy-fairy' or a crucial classroom management tool? With Laura from The Kindness Curriculum23 May 202301:00:48

This episode is a BIG ONE!

The incredible Laura co-founder of The Kindness Curriculum visits the podcast to talk all things mindfulness (and beyond!) 

Listen in to hear us chat about...

  • Why classroom management is all about regulation, not about just firefighting behaviours.
  • What's the big deal with mindfulness?
  • The complexities and barriers to using mindfulness in the classroom (hint... teaching is a bloody stressful job).
  • How we can bring mindfulness into our classrooms to help with behaviour and classroom management.
  • How we can make mindfulness a genuine part of the mainstream school culture.
  • Bringing mindfulness into school detention systems
  • AND MOST IMPORTANTLY.... The importance of self-compassion and kindness as teacher.

If you would like to hear more from Laura, or to check out Kind Minds, go hang out with her on Instagram @thekindnesscurriculum  


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#22: Why Your Students Might Be Rewarding (or Punishing) You with Their Behaviour: A Discussion on the Insidious Pedagogy of Poverty.16 May 202300:20:30

"Have you ever experienced the quiet calm that sweeps over the room when you ask your students to copy the work off the board, write down definitions or do a word search?

If you teach students with social, emotional and mental health needs, I would almost
guarantee the answer to that is yes. When it comes to classroom compliance, this style of pedagogy works. Which is why it is no surprise that it is common practice in schools where there are high proportions of students who exhibit challenging behaviours.

It is called ‘The Pedagogy of Poverty’, and it is inconspicuously stealing our most vulnerable students’ opportunities for success."

This episode of the podcast explores the concept of the pedagogy of poverty, explains what it means for teaching, learning, behaviour, classroom management, and everything in between. Of course, I then give you a little insight into how to tackle it through your practice.

The above excerpt is from my article "The Hidden (Disim)power of Pedadogy" in the Everyday. Journal. If you would like to check it out,  head to www.everyday.org.nz

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#21: When students say... NO! What to do, and how to avoid getting too triggered, with Danica from Little Bloom Consultancy09 May 202301:02:23

On this week’s episode I get to have a chat with the incredible Danica, an educational mentor and consultant and the woman behind Little Bloom Consultancy. Through her work, she helps educators and parents transform how they support children’s behaviour and emotional development. Her work is firmly rooted in the values around teaching and respecting the whole human being, empathy, understanding.

We discuss a wide range of things, including her series on ‘what to do when a child says no’ where she value-bombs the podcast by going through 4 practical steps to approaching challenging behaviour. 

Teachers, you just wait for the mantras that she gives us mid-way, they are absolutely transformative for our mindset and practice in the classroom!

Keep your eyes peeled on Danica’s socials @littlebloom.consultancy - soon she’ll be releasing all of the juicy details about a free masterclass where she’ll be sharing some of the ‘what and why’ behind guidance as well as three strategies you’ll be able to implement straight away. She’ll also be releasing information shortly about a mini-course that takes you step-by-step through bringing guidance to life in your space. 



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#20: How to nail classroom management whilst leaving a legacy of kindness and compassion with every single student. An open house tour of That'll Teach 'Em25 Apr 202300:19:57

Are you ready for an open house tour into That'll Teach 'Em?! 

13 years ago I stepped into the classroom with no confidence and no clue.

I was plonked into a chaotic classroom with 30 ‘unmanageable’ and ‘unteachable’ students

And then another, and another, year after year, and I had no option but to learn how to swim. It started with a little doggy paddle, and now I am on a pretty smooth freestyle, but it wasn’t an easy journey.

Now, looking back from the other side, I know how desperately teachers need (and freaking deserve) quality support, training and mentorship. This sink or swim culture in teaching needs to freaking end (imagine just handing a surgeon a scalpel and telling them to cut without them seeing how it's done first?! That’s teaching)

So I took all of my training, incredible mentorship, every single lesson (good and diabolical) and observation, all of the ‘constructive feedback’, my own research, and my years spent developing teams of teachers. All 13 years of it.

Then… I broke it down into an 8 week course that gives you the roadmaps, strategies, knowledge and support to nail classroom management.

And I am officially accepting enrolments into The April intake of That’ll Teach ‘Em (but not for long)

So… if you’re a teacher (or one in the making) and you’re wanting to learn how to mitigate, address and resolve challenging behaviour in a way that leaves a legacy of kindness with every one of your students, then come and join me! 

Say goodbye to... 

✕ Feeling overwhelmed and defeated by challenging behaviours in your class

 ✕ Having no idea what to do next… you’ve tried it all and those behaviours aren’t budging

✕ Feeling that anxious gut feeling going into another tough lesson, already watching that clock wanting it to be over

✕ Feeling disempowered, at the end of your tether, and out of control with your students… 


And hello to... 

✓ Walking into your classroom feeling empowered, skilled and ready to tackle whatever the lesson throws at you

✓ Knowing how to proactively plan and prepare for lessons in ways that mitigates and reduces challenging low-level and all level behaviours

✓ Being excited and re-energised to try new strategies that will not only support students who struggle with behaviour, but foster a calm and productive learning environment for every student

✓ Having the skills to resolve challenging behaviour by bringing kid on the journey, getting buy in, and actually helping them be accountable!


I can't wait to be a mentor in your corner! Doors close on April 29th, head right here for further details and enrol (OR for information on the next cohort if you've missed the cut off).


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#19: The behaviour management trap that is keeping teachers stuck in survival mode18 Apr 202300:16:44

On this week's episode I am going to be talking about the entire narrative around behaviour management that is getting teachers stuck in PURE survival mode. It is a trap!

And what is the trap?

Seeing  behaviour management is solely that. Behaviour management.  Just about responding to and addressing behaviour.

It keeps teachers in a viscous never-ending cycle. Particularly with low level behaviours that can't necessarily be resolved by doing anything about every little frustrating micromoment.

It isn't getting down into those mechanics. It's not asking the right questions because what the hell do we ask anyway. It is seeing resolving behaviour as a reactionary task.

And it is not really doing what we need to do... what we really need to do to effectively manage behaviours is weave classroom management into every single fibre of what we do pedagogically as teachers.

Because, my friends, it is so much more than just the behaviour.

This episode, I am going to be giving you 3 examples of proactively classroom management that will support you to shift some of those challenging behaviours.






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#135: Is your teaching presence undermining your classroom management? 05 Aug 202500:22:08

Why Your Presence Might Be Undermining Your Classroom Management (And How to Fix It)

Ever felt like you're being too nice... or not taken seriously enough in your classroom?

Like you're walking a tightrope between being warm and relatable and being respected as the leader of the room?

Whew—yeah. Been there. That’s exactly what today’s episode is all about.

We're kicking off the Behaviour Club Kickstart with Day 1: PRESENCE—because how we show up in our classrooms (literally, physically) impacts everything from student engagement to classroom climate. And trust me, the shifts we can make here are subtle but mighty.

In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the biggest lightbulb moments I ever had about classroom management—when I realised I wasn’t being taken seriously by my “easy” class… and it had everything to do with my nonverbal presence.

Here’s what we’re covering:

  • The two teacher personas you're constantly switching between (and probably don’t even realise it)
  • Why being "approachable" isn't always helping your classroom calm
  • What “credible” non-verbal communication actually looks like (without being cold, robotic, or mean)
  • How I accidentally nailed behaviour management with a “tricky” class… and totally flopped with my high flyers
  • What to tweak immediately to lead with more calm, grounded authority (yes, even if you’re still finding your feet)

If you want the visuals, templates, and reflection prompts that go with this episode, make sure you’re signed up for the Behaviour Club Kickstart. It's just $1 and includes all five sessions + a super practical kickstart booklet to help you embed the work in your day-to-day.

🎟 Join the Kickstart here: https://www.the-unteachables.com/kickstart

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • The difference between credible and approachable teacher presence
  • How your body language might be unintentionally inviting misbehaviour
  • Where I went wrong with my year 10 class (and how I fixed it)
  • Practical strategies to switch from “friendly chaos” to “calm credibility”
  • The quickest way to reset your presence mid-lesson

Resources Mentioned:

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#18: Miss Honey: beloved teacher role model or a misleading representation of the job of teaching? 11 Apr 202300:17:33

Let’s talk about the fiction vs reality of Matilda’s MISS HONEY! 

She has inspired a generation of teachers. For so many she was actually the reason, the catalyst, the inspiration to get into the job of teaching. 

She was the saving grace to the kids she taught. She was generous, she was compassionate, she protected her students and their wellbeing from the incredibly punitive and nasty principal Ms Trunchbull, who used behaviour management strategies that were physically and psychologically abusive to the students at Crunchem Hall Primary School. 

However, her pedagogy wasn’t on point, because it takes a hell of a lot more than just a smile and taking interest to have a class that is engaged, happy and ‘well-behaved’. 

Challenging classroom behaviour is complex and nuanced, and dealing with it, addressing it, resolving it, reducing it, mitigating it, is also complex and nuanced. 

In this episode, I discuss the ‘Miss Honey Trap’ that leads teachers to believe that relationships are the only classroom management strategy needed, and go over my non-exhaustive list of things that actually go into classroom management on top of the relationships and your values around caring for each child:


  • Classroom environment 
  • Culture setting
  • Planning and preparation
  • Expectations
  • Non verbals
  • Routines
  • Strategies to de-escalate behaviour - low and high level
  • Coregulation / self regulation
  • Relationships with parents
  • Following up on behaviour
  • Understanding behaviour itself


For more information on Approachable vs Credible - Michael Grindrs ENVoY non-verbal language listen to episode 8 - Low Level Behaviours, Big Level Frustrations!



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#17: Are we just excusing ‘bad behaviour’? What teachers need to know about the ‘why’ behind challenging student behaviour04 Apr 202300:20:18

In this episode, I answer the question, “aren’t we just excusing bad behaviour when we look into why it is happening?”

Why bother learning about behaviour? 

Afterall, whatever the reason behind it, it doesn’t change the fact that it IS happening and we need to address it all the same as teachers right? 

So why spend time learning about it?

Doesn’t learning about the why behind behaviour excuse the behaviour in a way? 

No, certainly not. 

In fact, learning more about the why behind the behaviour is incredibly empowering, not just for teachers who are dealing with this behaviour in front of them, but for students as well. 

Listen in as I explore many reasons why knowing the ‘why’ behind the behavior is so crucial for us as teachers and students who display challenging behaviour, including:

  • Increased accountability and buy in for students who are able to reflect more authentically on their behaviours
  • Supporting us to regulate, de-personalise, and surround ourselves with a protective behaviour bubble
  • Giving us the ability as teachers to use strategies we know will have a positive impact and be able to explain why this is the case

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#16: Do you feel like you’re constantly repeating yourself? How to minimise the dreaded question “what are we doing?!”28 Mar 202300:22:22

Who relates to finishing explaining a task to students only to have a hand pop up and ask…  ”Sir/Miss, what are we doing?!”


If you had a dollar for every time you had just explained a task and you get a question that if they were really listening, they wouldn’t need to ask in the first place, or that was irrelevant, or that forced you to explain what you had just explained, how many dollars would you have?


If you asked me this in my first year of teaching, I would have had many dollars.

But that amount of money I would have has significantly decreased. Of course I’d still have a few bucks in the jar, but it would be far more empty.


This episode is about just that. What to do to minimise the questions and have a much smoother ride into tasks, get the students working from the get go, get rid of the task confusion, and just be able to crack on with things


I am going to break it up into two types of strategies:

  • Strategies before the task - so in the planning phase
  • Strategies during the task - so in the lesson


All of these things are about being clear and consistent in our practice... one of the many things that helps to mitigate challenging behaviours before they arise. This is why module 5 of my course That’ll Teach ‘Em is so impactful for your practice!



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#15: What does a good teacher look like anyway?? A powerful discussion around teacher guilt and wellbeing, and your permission slip to just do your best and forget the rest!21 Mar 202301:10:37

DO YOUR BEST, FORGET THE REST!

If you’re looking for a permission slip to truly embrace the teacher you are, then look no further than this amazing interview with Ceri Sandford. This passionate woman behind the powerhouse Wine with teacher club and podcast goes deep with me as we discuss some of the challenges of teaching.

We discuss some commonly shared feelings amongst teachers such as:

  • Am I the only teacher who feels like im winging it all of the time?
  • Am I the only teacher who has cried in front of a class?
  • Am I the only teacher who feels hopeless not knowing how to address all of the individual needs in the classroom?
  • Am I the only teacher who feels like im doing a bad job and i don’t fit in as a teacher?
  • Am I the only teacher who feels like i am not doing a good enough job even though I leave work exhausted every day?

So if you have ever felt one of the above, this episode is sure to make you feel less alone, whilst giving you some solid strategies to help you overcome it.

If you want to know more about Ceri’s work, be sure to head over to her Instagram @ceri.sandford or listen to her amazing podcast - The Wine with Teacher Podcast (there's a cheeky episode with me there if you want to have a listen!)





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#14: A very honest chat about my teaching journey: How burn out, a break, and skipping the country led me to my passion and purpose.14 Mar 202300:27:14

Welcome back to season 2 of The Unteachables Podcast - Woooo freaking hoo!

And I am back with a brand new co-host, my 2 month old daughter Ava. Despite me training her up for 9 months, she didn’t contribute much, but I might just let her stick around.

This episode I go through my journey in teaching, from the rapid growth of my first few years from beginning teacher to middle leadership. To burning out, quitting, and skipping the country. To the eventual progression to senior leadership. 

This episode is perfect for anybody who…

  • Wants 3 pieces of advice for anybody who is looking to progress through their career and has any desire to move to roles beyond classroom teaching
  • The importance of your individual ‘why’ and passion in education
  • How getting comfortable with the discomfort shapes you as an educator
  • Is burnt out, wants a break, wants to leave teaching, but their heart is torn

Join the waitlist for the April intake of my classroom management course That’ll Teach ‘Em

Or if you want some more info about the course  

I can't wait to be a bit part of YOUR teaching journey!

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#13: 2022 all wrapped up. What you need to leave behind this year and move towards in 2023.13 Dec 202200:25:05

Wow, teachers, 2022 has been a BIG year hasn’t it?! 


But let me ask you something… how do you really feel about it?


Are you measuring yourself backwards and really appreciating how far you have come, OR have you gotten yourself in the habit of measuring yourself forwards to goalposts that are always changing? 


This concept is from the book ‘The Gap and The Gain’ by Dan Sullivan and Dr Benjamin Hardy, and is so useful in helping YOU see how you can transform your idea of success in the classroom in 2023!


Here are your FINDING THE GAINS journal prompts (as promised!)


  • In the past year, what experiences have I had that have made me a better teacher?
  • What do I know now or what can I do now that I didn’t know at the start of the year?
  • What are 3 things that past me would be so proud of if they saw how the year unfolded?
  • What have I done this week that has been a step forward in my teaching?
  • How have I taken the steps to being a stronger teacher this week?
  • What do I know about classroom management now that I didn’t know when I was still at uni?
  • What am I grateful about where I am at in my teaching journey?



Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62dc1deb87802ab6bcaf6015


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables https://www.instagram.com/the.unteachables/



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#12: The things I would go back and tell my first year teacher self. Tips, encouragement, and home truths.06 Dec 202200:23:07

If you could sit across from your first year teacher self, what would you say?


Well this episode is me exploring that very question for myself.


If you’re a teacher in the making or a teacher still early in their career, I hope my reflections over this episode help bring a little validation, support and clarity.


And if you’re an experienced teacher, this episode will be an exercise in reflection, to see just how far you’ve come, to look back and consider what you would say to your teacher self when you were still bright eyed and bushy tailed, and help you to put yourself back in that mindset of how you might be able to support newer teachers you are or will be working with.



IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

Doors close to the current That’ll Teach ‘Em behaviour management course on Wednesday 14th December and I am having a ‘GOING OUT SALE’!

Head over now and access the course for the closing down sale! 

If you enrol now at the price of £99, you will be able to access the current course to begin immediately if you choose, BUT you will also automatically secure a space to start in the April intake and be able to access the new version of the course. 

Because it is going to be an offer that is naturally higher touch and support through live sessions and lessons, the price WILL be increasing from what it currently is. So if That’ll Teach ‘Em has been on your mind, then it might be a good time to join now!

Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching 


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables 

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#11: A teachers survival guide to navigating those tough last weeks of term.29 Nov 202200:22:04

Who feels like they are crawwwwwwling to the holidays? That end of year push can feel impossibly exhausting. 


And it’s obvious why it is hard…. We are tired, we are burnt out.


Buttttt as you know, being a teacher is pretty multifaceted, there's a lot of reasons why this time of year feels really tough, after all it's not just us at a computer getting through that last bit of work. It is us, plus 30 other human beings, who are also exhausted and counting down those days.


So in this episode I'll be discussing WHY it is so tough, for us, and our students, as well as giving you some of my top classroom survival tips leading up to the break.


I’ll be talking about:

  • What makes teaching so much harder at the end of the year.
  • What could be escalating the behaviour of our students at the end of the academic year and other school terms.
  • What you can do to keep a settled and productive classroom environment to reduce the low-level behaviours in the lead up to the holidays.
  • How to just get through to the end, even if you’re in survival mode!



Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching


Check out my full training program That’ll Teach ‘Em. Enrol for 20% off with the code PODCAST20


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables 

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#10: Cruel to be kind? Striking the balance between addressing behaviours and maintaining relationships22 Nov 202200:25:45

I don’t need to sit here and tell you that building a positive relationship with a student is a pretty important part of the work we do. 


I am sure you also know that the students who really need that relationship the most to trust you and learn from you, are also sometimes the ones who display the most challenging behaviours!


This is why it is SUCH a double edged sword, because you will then NEED to address more of their challenging behaviours. And every time you address a challenging behaviour, it can be like one step forward and three steps back in our efforts to build that relationship!


But I say POTENTIALLY because it doesn’t have to be like that, there ARE ways that we can manage behaviours that do strike that very delicate balance, and we NEED to be able to do this to progress with our most vulnerable and challenging students. 


How??  


In this episode, I give you a run down of classroom management that connects and disconnects, and explore the concept of using a students ‘emotional piggy bank’ to be very crafty and conscious of the way we establish and reinforce boundaries and expectations with ALL students!


  • How to make investments in a relationship with even the toughest students
  • How to still hold boundaries and address challenging behaviour without being detrimental to the relationship
  • What is behaviour management that connects and disconnects and how to use it effectively


Join the masterclass - Unlocking Your Teaching Superpower: Non Verbal Classroom Management.

For 20% off enrolment, use the code POD20 or click here


Add both the masterclass AND my full comprehensive classroom management course ‘That’ll Teach ‘Em’ to your basket to bundle them together and receive 25% off the total price of enrolment!



Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching 


Check out my full training program That’ll Teach ‘Em. Enrol for 20% off with the code PODCAST20


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables 

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#09: The most common teaching mistakes we make with classroom management, and the very quick and easy fixes that can transform behaviour.15 Nov 202200:24:24

Mistakes, blunders, slips, errors… all of these are NOT dirty words… ESPECIALLY in teaching. 


In fact, I celebrate mistakes, I encourage mistakes, I welcome the vulnerability of teachers standing there and just doing their thing in the classroom KNOWING that mistakes are a part of the learning process.


When it comes to classroom management in particular, there are some very common patterns in the mistakes that we can make that actually FUEL low-level behaviours with our students.


The good news? These are all really easy to identify, reflect on, and then FIX! This means that if a teacher is open and willing to own up to their blunders, massive amounts of growth can happen, and happen FAST!


In this episode, I go over some of these very common and very simple mistakes you could be making in the classroom, and give you some very real and practical advice on how to quickly and easily develop. 


For anybody who came to the show notes for those reflective questions - here they are!

  • What are the structures and routines I have in place? Can I strengthen these?
  • Do my students know what to expect when they walk in the room?
  • Can I make this lesson more visual?
  • Is this lesson pitched appropriately?
  • Is there anything more ‘hands on’ I can do to get this content across?
  • How could they reach this learning objective through exploration rather than my explicit teacher talk or instruction?
  • Is this conceptually relevant to them and their lives in some way?
  • How can you harness your non-verbal classroom management to mitigate SO MANY of these behaviors from occurring?


Join the masterclass - Unlocking Your Teaching Superpower: Non Verbal Classroom Management! Check out the details and let me support you in your classroom!

Add both the masterclass AND my full comprehensive classroom management course ‘That’ll Teach ‘Em’ to your basket to bundle them together and receive 30% off the total price of enrolment!

Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching 


Check out my full training program That’ll Teach ‘Em. Enrol for 20% off with the code PODCAST20


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables 

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#134: Bullying in the classroom?! 😖 How to talk to your students about it in a way that gets them listening, empathising, and creating change!28 Jul 202500:19:21

Ever had a student yell "I'M BEING BULLIED!" when their friend won’t let them borrow a pencil? Meanwhile, real, insidious bullying is flying under the radar?

HEAD TO THE BLOG HERE FOR ACTIVITIES + MORE 😁

In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to the three-part framework I use to help students identify what actually counts as bullying, how to respond safely, and how to foster real empathy in your classroom. These are simple but powerful tools that work beautifully during Bullying. No Way! Week—but honestly, they’re useful any day of the school year.

We’re talking real strategies, not posters and platitudes.

You’ll also hear the story of the time I got my hair done by the girl who used to bully me in high school (yes, really), and what it taught me about what we really need to be doing to address bullying.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to define bullying using the 3 P’s: Power imbalance, Purpose to harm, and Pattern over time
  • The difference between conflict, meanness, and bullying (and why kids mix them up constantly)
  • The "High Five" strategy to help students respond safely when bullying happens
  • A powerful visual metaphor that makes the emotional impact of bullying stick
  • Three discussion starters that build empathy and help students step into others' shoes

Resources Mentioned:

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#08: Low Level Behaviours, Big Level Frustrations! How to start to shift the low level disruptions that are stopping you from getting on with teaching.08 Nov 202200:34:00

When I ask teachers what their biggest classroom behaviour challenges are, MOST of the time I will hear….

 

Low. Level. Behaviours. 


*SHUDDER*

 

For SO many teachers, these behaviours sit in this difficult grey area. They are annoying enough to completely derail a lesson, but not quite severe enough to warrant a big response. They are the behaviours that stop the learning, and make you want to chuck in the towel and run screaming out of the lesson!


The calling out, the talking over, the tapping, the funny noises, the disengagement, the coming late and leaving early, the whispers, the chatter, the laugher, the throwing things across the room and talking with friends, the blatant ”no” to your requests. 


This episode takes you through my own journey of learning how to not just address, but mitigate and reduce these behaviours, and guides you to do the same through a few of my top non-verbal classroom management strategies!



Join the masterclass - Unlocking Your Teaching Superpower: Non Verbal Classroom Management! The Masterclass goes LIVE on Sunday November 27th at 9am GMT, with access to the replay for wherever you are in the world!

https://theunteachables.myshopify.com/products/2030799


Add both the masterclass AND That’ll Teach ‘Em to you basket to bundle them together and receive 30% off the total price of enrolment!!



Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62dc1deb87802ab6bcaf6015


Check out my full training program That’ll Teach ‘Em. Enrol for 20% off with the code PODCAST20- https://the-unteachables.com/products/1794465


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables https://www.instagram.com/the.unteachables/



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#07: The cover lesson survival guide: How to calm the chaos and get through the day in one piece.01 Nov 202200:29:40

So many classroom management strategies rely on a foundation of not only relationships and rapport, but solid routines and a whole lot of consistency to be effective. But what if you have absolutely no opportunity to do this because you have either chosen the path of, or are currently in the role of, a casual / supply / substitute teacher (whatever you call it in your patch of the world)! 

I know how incredibly hard it can be teaching one of these lessons, you don’t even know their names! Let alone having the time to really build any kind of meaningful relationship.. That luxury of developing consistent routines? Nope not that either!! 


Now sometimes this is totally fine. Sometimes you might walk into a classroom and the students are really cool, calm and collected and are ready to just crack on with whatever cover work has been left with you. But you and me both know that that is rarely the case.


This episode is your survival guide! It will step you through how to build your skills, and your confidence walking into a classroom of students who don’t know you from a bar of soap, and get through that day in one piece (even maybe have FUN in the process!)


If you want to jump on my Masterclass 'Unlocking Your Teaching Superpower - Non Verbal Classroom Management',  now is the time to do it! Head to https://theunteachables.myshopify.com/products/2030799 for all of the details!

Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62dc1deb87802ab6bcaf6015


Check out my full training program That’ll Teach ‘Em. Enrol for 20% off with the code PODCAST20 - https://the-unteachables.com/products/1794465


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables https://www.instagram.com/the.unteachables/



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#06: Don’t take it personally? The teaching advice that is much easier said than done.25 Oct 202200:22:15

I am sure you have heard this being said before, ‘don’t take it personally.. it isn’t about you’...

Well, if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of incredibly personal, harsh, nasty student comments, you know that it is something that is so much easier said than done. 

This episode will unpack the truth in the ‘don’t take it personally’ advice, but ALSO give you the much needed knowledge and support to protect your peace and manage these really difficult moments in the classroom. 


In this episode, I talk about:

  • The importance of recognising how HARD it is to not take things personally, and explain why this might be the case.
  • How to create space between the behaviour you’re seeing in front of you, and the reaction, so you are able to respond in a more well considered and impactful way.
  • Strategies to ACTUALLY de-personalise things that feel very personal indeed!
  • How to get curious about behaviour: Not just that of our students, but our own, too!


Download my free guide “10 Tiny (but mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62dc1deb87802ab6bcaf6015


Check out my full training program That’ll Teach ‘Em. Enrol for 20% off with the code PODCAST20 - https://the-unteachables.com/products/1794465


Or simply come and say hello over on Instagram @the.unteachables https://www.instagram.com/the.unteachables/


Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!

RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT:

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