

The Unteachables Podcast
Claire English
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 LabMarie 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 authorAnd 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!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 15, 2023 • 13min
#33: Teachers, protect your peace this school year with these 5 crucial reminders
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 xHave a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Aug 8, 2023 • 1h 2min
#32: Teaching Kids with 'Big Baffling Behaviours': The Science of Opposition with Robyn Gobbel.
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 podcastCreator- 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}Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Aug 1, 2023 • 25min
#31: The 'Why' That Drives Our Behaviour (The 'Good', the 'Bad', and the 'Ugly'): The 5 Basic Needs
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!Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jul 18, 2023 • 14min
#30: We don't teach our subjects! We teach students, and there is one hell of a difference between the two
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.unteachablesHave a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jul 11, 2023 • 18min
#29: Dropping the ball on things at work? Don't worry, that's what they were designed for! A reframe around teacher time management.
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.Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jul 3, 2023 • 17min
#28: Are You Setting Your Students Up for Success, or Failure (Without Even Realising It)?
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.Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jun 27, 2023 • 19min
#27: Addressing Misogyny (and Other Damaging Comments) in the Classroom: Your Step-by-Step Guide"
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.Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jun 20, 2023 • 23min
#26: Sorry, Not Sorry: How Apologies Can Be a 'Get Out of Jail Free Card' for Students (and What to Do Instead)
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 conflictsThe key components of Transformative Talks: The crucial piece of the puzzle with authentic resolution. Check out the Masterclass: Real Consequences Real ChangeHave a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jun 13, 2023 • 21min
#25: Rethinking discipline: Why consequences are only a small piece of the pie
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 FoxHave a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website

Jun 6, 2023 • 22min
#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.
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. Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT: Shop all resources 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 Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change' Connect with me: Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables Check out my website