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Welcome to 'The Unteachables Podcast'! I’m your host Claire English, a passionate secondary teacher and leader turned teacher mentor and author of the book 'It's Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management'. I am here because I am on a mission to transform classroom management and teacher support.
Why I do this? It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was completely overwhelmed and out of my depth with behaviour, trying to swim, rather than sink. It took me spending thousands of hours in the classroom, with all of the inevitable ups and downs, to make me the teacher I am today; confident, capable, and empowered in my ability to teach all students, yes even the ones who are the toughest to reach. And now, I am dedicated to supporting teachers like you to do the same.
I created The Unteachables Podcast to give you the simple and actionable classroom management strategies and support that you need to run your room with confidence, compassion, and calm.
On the Podcast you will hear from incredible guests such as:
-Bobby Morgan of the Liberation Lab
-Marie Gentles, the behaviour expert behind the BBC documentaries 'Don't Exclude Me' and 'Helping Our Teens', and author of the book Gentles Guidance: How to Understand, Inspire and Empower your kids.
-Robyn Gobbel, author of Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviours
-Dr Lori Desautels, assistant professor and published author
-Ceri Sandford of Wine with Teacher Podcast / Embrace your ADHD Chaos
-Danica of Little Bloom
Think of them as your behaviour besties (and there are many more to come!).
So whether you’re in early years, primary or secondary. A beginning teacher, an early career teacher, a teacher in training, a teaching assistant, an experienced teacher, a leader in teaching, and you’re wanting to feel happy and empowered and enjoy being in the classroom, whilst also making an impact with every single one of your students, then you’re definitely in the right place.
Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
60 Episodes
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Is it possible that being too friendly is harming your classroom management efforts?No.Okay, maybe a little, but not in the way you think.Does the below resonate?You feel like you have a really great relationship with your students, but when it is time to get to the business side of things and get some serious work done, the energy is high, they aren’t really listening to you, they might be calling out and having a chit chat during instruction?Maybe this is leaving you feeling a little disrespected and deflated? After all, you have a fab relationship with them, but they don't seem to be taking you seriously!Maybe you are feeling that pressure to be more stern and strict but you don't know how to do that in a way that aligns with your values?PLEASE KNOW FIRST UP... This is NOT because they don't RESPECT you!!So what is the problem?That is what I cover in this week's episode:What is the credible and approachable teaching personas?How can we craft this into the day to day?What does it look like in practice? How this can be a game changer for our teaching practice and classroom management! Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
What comes to mind when I say that as teachers we need...STRONG expectations and FIRM, CONSISTENT boundaries.Does it sound like:"You as a student are not going to act a fool in my classroom and go UNCHECKED. You are not going to be rude and disrespectful UNCHECKED. And yes go tell your parent I said it! Standards and boundaries from DAY 1!"OR does it sound like:"Welcome, Year 8, Come on in!"Spoiler alert: It's the latter. Because behind the scenes of that sentence, are all of the things that are done to non-verbally reinforce your expectations and boundaries. Your responsesYour routinesYour planningYour practicesHow you foster connectionYour modellingYour mindsetYour classroom environment.Every 👏 single 👏 thing we do is sending messages to our students about what we expect from them.What do I mean? In this episode of The Unteachables podcast I give you ONE as an example. Your classroom environment.Listen in as I dig into how our classroom environment could be make or break for our classroom management, how before our students even walk in, we could be mitigating (or fuelling the fire of) challenging behaviours.Want a free resourced and ready expectations lesson? Leave me a written review, take a screenshot, send it over to me on Instagram @the.unteachables or send it to my email claire@the-unteachables.com and I will send it over as a thank you! Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
Classroom management can, oftentimes, leave teachers grappling with feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, failure, and powerlessness. You might feel walked all over, that you can't do anything about behaviour, that your students simply don't care about what you're teaching. This can be an incredibly disempowering place to be in as a human being, and if this is you at all, if you have ever ever felt like this, any of these things, this teacher pep talk is definitely for you. Never forget: You can not control anybody elses behaviour.Nobody is a puppet on a string.You can not make a human being do anything that they don’t want to. No matter how old they are.What you CAN do, is control your practice, your responses, yourself. Once you know exactly what you CAN control, the teaching, learning, and behaviour game changes. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
A very special bonus episode coming to you from the That'll Teach 'Em Private Podcast!On today's episode I answer Michelle's 'question' (well - I respond to her comment)."This can’t start quick enough - I wouldn’t even call myself a new teacher but I am drowning in behaviour and whenever I reach out for help, and I'm not shy in doing so I’m so keen to learn and improve, my head of department always umms and ahhs, makes excuses, and has never actively observed me, supported me, or really answered any questions around classroom management. I am so happy to be a part of the That'll Teach 'Em community and to finally feel like I’m not alone."I know this is something that many of you are experiencing, or have experienced. So if this is you, this episode is definitely worth a listen. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
So the research shows that punishment doesn’t change behaviour? So then what do we actually do as teachers? What’s on the table when other things feel like they are off it?In today's episode:I give you a few ins and outs of the impact of punitive punishmentWhy sometimes it seems to really work3 really tangible takeaways you can immediately apply in your classrooms Speaking of research, want to have a read? Here are some good places to start:Jean-Richard-Dit-Bressel P, Killcross S, McNally GP. Behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of punishment: implications for psychiatric disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018;43(8):1639-1650. doi:10.1038/s41386-018-0047-3Lukowiak T, Bridges J. Punishment strategies: First choice or last resort. JAASEP. 2010:63-72.A great book that will sum up a bunch of research on punishments and rewards is Alfie Kohn's book Punished by Rewards. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
It is so easy to get lost in the noise in teaching. ‘Best practices’ are pretty dependant on who you speak to. Some will advocate for a trauma informed approach, some talk about restorative practice like it is the holy grail. Some will call it different names entirely. Some still stand by the use of extrinsic rewards and detentions, there is PBL, PBIS, tiers, intervention after intervention, a million pieces of the big old puzzle that is classroom management.So what do we do? What is good classroom management, really?For me, it is the holistic approach that I have adapted over the past 13 years. An approach that effectively reduces, responds to, and resolves, challenging classroom behaviours. An approach that not only supports every student, but empowers every educator. In this episode of The Unteachables Podcast, I am going through the entire thing. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
We are often told to go back to our 'why' as teachers when things get tough. My goodness is it important for us to have a strong purpose in a job like teaching, yet it certainly is no classroom management magic bullet.Why, oh why, is a why not enough?Because it takes FAR more to have a strong, compassionate, and calm approach to teaching. In this episode of The Unteachables Podcast, I take you through my own journey to demonstrate how even with the strongest why, without the proper support and strategy we can be left drowning in classroom behaviours and becoming the teacher we never envisioned being. I hope this episode serves as a comfort to new teachers and experienced teachers alike, and is validation that if you are finding classroom management hard, that is because it really is that hard. No matter who you are, and why you chose to be a teacher. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
On today's podcast episode I interview probably THE most quotable guest I have had on the show.Bobby Morgan, the founder of The Liberation Lab, is a spearhead for disruptive education practices that break away from the confining norms of high-control teaching. We unravel the threads of deficit ideologies and reimagine a classroom where culturally responsive teaching and social justice aren't just concepts but are interwoven into the fabric of learning.Right at the very heart of our discussion, we cast a spotlight on the harsh truths behind punitive discipline in schools, advocating for a seismic shift towards nurturing relationships within classroom management. We dissect the unrealistic standards we set for our students, standards that we, as adults, often fail to meet ourselves. Our exchange serves as a mirror, reflecting the essential need for educators to embody the principles they champion, fostering an environment ripe for understanding, compassion, and true behavioural change.This episode is overflowing with value, as we touch on:What is a disruptive educator (and how can we be one)?A little about our own roots in education and some mistakes we have made along the wayTeacher helplessnessThe 4 types of educators you will come across at every school, and finally (but most importantly:A really practical and immediate way you can bring more restorative practice into your classroom to have a positive impact on behaviour.This is an episode that truly calls for teachers to be the catalysts of growth, nurturing every child's potential through self-awareness and continuous development. I can't wait for you to listen. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
There are absolutely no absolutes when it comes to behaviour. So when somebody makes a sweeping generalisation that if you do X, Y, and Z you will have very few behavioural issues in your class, they are misleading you, big time. In this podcast episode I talk about a very misleading teaching post I stumbled upon on social media. It was divisive. It was shame-inducing. And it went VIRAL! Which means there were a hell of a lot of teachers who saw it, engaged with it, and may have felt like crap because of it.Listen in as I break it down and smash it apart. This is a no-shame space for teachers!! Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
On today’s episode I talk to Jess Steadman who is an experienced Australian primary educator. You might know her as @thesydneyteacher on Instagram where she develops resources for teachers, but I brought her on the podcast today because she recently went on a study tour of Finland! Finland routinely tops rankings for education, yet what we know is that there is very little homework, mandatory testing and less time actually spent in a traditional classroom setting. But when Aussie teacher Jess heads into Finnish schools, what were her observations, what was different? And what are some of the things that teachers could bring back and implement into their own islands which could be transformative for their practice, academic outcomes, and the behaviours of the students we teaching. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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 professionOur 'inherited' classroom management and teacher guilt around itWhat a trauma informed approach looks like in actionWhat we see new teachers struggle with the most (self-doubt, overwhelm, a lack of behaviour support) andWhat 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_ Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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 behavioursWhat neuroplasticity is and how it worksHow the practices we use in our classroom change behaviour little by littleWhy we need to show ourselves grace and compassion, and why you're having more of an impact than you think Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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! Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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 Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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! Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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! Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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. Pre-order a copy of my book ‘It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management Other ways I can support you in your teaching practice: Download my free guide: 9 Tiny (But Mighty) Tips to Transform Your Teaching Follow me on Instagram for daily micro-professional learning and support Connect with me on LinkedIn
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funny, I added a comment here a week ago. It was about the damage done to teachers who are abused by students before the relationship is built, asking how to protect teachers from this harm because, regardless of the why, being sworn at or ducking flying furniture is experiencing abuse.
Excellent points on developing relationships. However, you missed a big piece. Teachers are being abused during the weeks, months, and years it takes to do that work. During that time, teachers are expected to take abuse, accept it, forgive it, & work ever harder to help the abusers. This is causing unacceptable harm. Then comes the gaslighting "consider their perspective," "don't take it personally" etc. What is your plan to stop the harm and prevent the abuse until the relationship is working?