The Unteachables Podcast
Welcome to 'The Unteachables Podcast', your go-to resource for practical classroom management strategies and teacher support. I’m your host, Claire English, a passionate secondary teacher and leader turned teacher mentor and author of 'It's Never Just About the Behaviour: A Holistic Approach to Classroom Behaviour Management.' I'm on a mission to help educators like you transform your classrooms, build confidence, and feel empowered.
Why am I here? Not too long ago, I was overwhelmed by low-level classroom disruptions and challenging behaviors. After thousands of hours honing my skills in real classrooms and navigating ups and downs, I’ve become a confident, capable teacher ready to reach every student—even those with the most challenging behaviors. My journey inspired me to support teachers like you in mastering effective classroom strategies that promote compassion, confidence, and calm.
On The Unteachables Podcast, we’ll dive into simple, actionable strategies that you can use to handle classroom disruptions, boost student engagement, and create a positive learning environment.
You'll hear from renowned experts such as:
Bobby Morgan of the Liberation Lab
Marie Gentles, behavior expert behind BBC's 'Don't Exclude Me' and author of 'Gentles Guidance'
Robyn Gobbel, author of 'Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviours'
Dr. Lori Desautels, assistant professor and published author
And many more behaviour experts and mentors.
Angela Watson from the Truth for Teachers Podcast.
Whether you’re an early career teacher, a seasoned educator, or a teaching assistant navigating classroom challenges, this podcast is here to help you feel happier, empowered, and ready to make an impact with every student.
Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode packed with classroom tips and inspiring conversations that make a real difference!
The Unteachables Podcast
#95: BEHAVIOUR BITE: When you chat to students about their behaviour, are you lecturing, or guiding? The difference it makes is HUGE!
Imagine being 12 years old and feeling lost in a classroom. School has always been a struggle, and instead of admitting your confusion, you become the class clown, distracting yourself and your friends. When the teacher calls you out, you know the drill—nod along and wait for the inevitable lecture.
That lecture? Like water off a duck’s back!
IN THIS EPISODE, I DISCUSS:
- The cycle of disengagement: Lecturing students about their behaviour often leads them to tune out, allowing them to avoid taking real accountability. This just perpetuates the same patterns when they return to class.
- Shifting from lecturing to guiding: By using strategic questions, we can encourage students to reflect on their actions and understand the impact of their behaviour.
- Empowering student reflection: When students contribute to the conversation, they become active participants in their own learning and behaviour management, rather than passive recipients of criticism.
This week, observe your language when discussing behaviour with students:
- Are you talking more than listening?
- Are you telling more than asking?
- Challenge yourself to become a guide instead of a lecturer.
Notice how this shift influences your conversations and helps students take ownership of their actions.
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Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!
Resources and links:
- Take the "What's Your Teacher Type" Quiz
- Join The Behaviour Club
- My book! It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management
- The Low-Level Behaviour Bootcamp
- Browse all resources on TPT
- Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change'
Connect with me:
- Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables
- Check out my website
Welcome to Behaviour Bites. One quick tip per week that you can put into action immediately to help you crush your classroom management. This is your host, Claire English, and this is your Bite of the Week. Hello, lovely teacher. I would like to start this week's Behaviour Bite with a little bit of a scenario.
Speaker 1:Imagine you're 12, school has always been a struggle. You feel anxious there. Your friends get work and they just get on with it and you feel like such a failure because when you look at the work, when you look down at your desk, it just doesn't make sense. The words on the page don't make sense. It's asking you something that you just don't know. And you look around and you've got all of the other students with their heads down, pens in their hand writing something like what are they even writing? I just don't understand what they could possibly be answering and it is embarrassing. So instead of admitting that, which is very hard for a 12 year old to do, you decide that you're going to distract. You're going to be the class clown. You're going to have a bit of fun. You're going to be able to make your friends laugh. When your teacher tells you to get on with the work, you say it's baby work. This is too easy, it's stupid. Like why would you give me this work To think that I'm dumb, or something Like. So you are deflecting and deflecting and deflecting to take away the feeling of embarrassment and shame that is associated with the fact that, looking around the room, you feel like the only one who doesn't get it. So that talk that you're going to get at the end of the lesson you don't care. You're used to the talk. You know what you'll say back. You know that if you can just shut your mouth and nod along, that eventually that chat's going to be over and you can go and enjoy whatever bit of lunch is remaining Bish, bash, bosh done, and you're happy for the chat. The trade-off is so much better If you have that chat with your teacher. You don't have to admit to your peers that you don't understand, that you feel like a failure, that you feel dumb. So that chat with your teacher so much easier to have.
Speaker 1:You come in next lesson and nothing has changed because you've just been able to nod along and go. Yep, no worries. The point is, when we sit there and we lecture students about their poor behavior, they switch off and guess what they don't have to take any real accountability or reflect on their behaviors or do anything to break the cycle. For the next lesson, when that student comes back in the room and looks at that same work, it starts all over again. Instead, what we need to be doing is thinking about being their guide rather than someone that's lecturing them, and when we start to be their guide, we can start to ask strategic questions that allow students to reflect on the behaviors they're exhibiting and actually try to come up with some solutions and think about what the reasons might be, and we might actually start to understand a little bit more about why they're behaving in the way that they're behaving. So we do this by using strategic questions to encourage reflection and accountability, such as why do you think I need to speak to you?
Speaker 1:What was happening at the time? What were you feeling at the time? What might have been a challenge for you or for your peers or for me? Is there something going on? How do you feel about English as a subject? Why? When is the last time you felt good about being in English? What subject do you feel good being in?
Speaker 1:What is something that we can change for next lesson? What is something that we can do to make you feel more successful. What can I do to help you make that change? What is a plan for next lesson? And all of these questions have one thing in common they are requiring input from the student. All of a sudden, that student goes from being passive in the conversation to being the main contributor and we are leading that conversation, we are guiding their reflection, we are supporting them to take true accountability and make change.
Speaker 1:So your action step for this week the next time you're engaging with a student around their behavior, just take note of the language that you're using. Ask yourself am I talking more than listening? Am I telling more than asking? Are my students reflecting or are they just telling me what I might like to hear? Go and be the fabulous guide that I know you can be and see how it changes the conversations you have with your students around their behavior and the connections you are able to make with them. That was this week's Behavior Bytes. Have a fantastic week and I will see you next time for the next one.
Speaker 1:This Behavior Byte was brought to you by the behavior club my wonderful membership for teachers where every single month I'm releasing training around a focus area quality resources to lighten the load in every sense of the word. A brilliant community that I'm in daily answering questions and giving personalized support, and just so much more. So consider this my personal invite to come on in, take a look around, and I absolutely can't wait to see you there. Help you feel confident, help you feel capable and just crush classroom management. Head to the-unteachablescom forward, slash TBC or find the link in the show notes. Me and my behavior. Clubbers are popping on a cuppa and pulling up a seat as we speak.
