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 beco...
#176: Kate Stockman on student voice, empathy, and why so many students stay silent.
This one almost didn't happen, and I am so glad it did.
Today's guest literally walked past my booth at EduTech 2026 to introduce herself, and within about two minutes I knew I needed her energy on this podcast. Her name is Kate Stockman, and she is deeply passionate about helping young people find their voice and helping schools build cultures where communication actually thrives. Kate is a secondary educator, communication specialist, and founder of Communicators. Having taught drama, English, and performing arts across both the UK and Australia, Kate has spent her career helping students build confidence...
#175: From fostering an unhoused teen at just 22, to leading trauma-informed practice in schools. A conversation with Avril Waite.
Joining me is Avril Waite, a secondary science teacher from regional New South Wales who is leading the integration of artificial intelligence across her school, while also being a strong advocate for trauma-informed practice and student wellbeing. Avril also coordinates the New Marine Pathways program, helping create university access opportunities for students pursuing marine studies across New South Wales. She does so much, and at the heart of it all is a commitment to equity, opportunity, and helping young people see what's actually possible for their futures.
We start with something I had honestly never heard before...
#174: Is your school quietly killing curiosity? Carmel McGee on what it looks like for curiosity to thrive (and why this matters).
Joining me is Carmel McGee, a Tasmanian educator and certified lead teacher who has spent much of her career chasing one question: how do we actually create the conditions for curiosity to thrive? Carmel works at Riverside Primary School in Launceston, where she helps build classroom cultures where kids are curious, capable, and courageous. Her thinking has been shaped by some seriously impressive influences, including Project Zero at Harvard, UC Berkeley, and inquiry learning legends Kath Murdoch and Susan Engel. If you've ever wondered how we move students beyond just complying and into genuinely wanting to learn, this episode...
#173: Finally answering the biggest questions you've sent in. Can you be too nice? How to get on top of the chattiness? The number one hill I'll die on with classroom management? + MORE!
Okay, so this one's a little different. I'm not the one asking the questions today.
I'm coming to you live from EduTech 2026, booth 1216, and before I put a single educator, leader or keynote speaker in the hot seat, my best friend and fellow teacher Jess decided it was only fair I sit in it myself first.
Jess grabbed all the questions you've been sending me on Instagram and in my inbox — the big ones, the spicy ones, the ones you've been dying to ask — and she fired them at me with zero warning. No prep. No n...
#172: Starters CAN be your classroom management superpower (here's how to do them right)
If you can grab them in the first five minutes, everything feels easier. That's the magic of a great starter activity — and this episode is Claire's full Q&A on how to do them well.
Starter tasks are one of Claire's absolute favourite things (her words). Done right, they communicate your expectations before you've said a single word, shift whatever energy students are walking in with, and create the kind of consistency and predictability that makes your classroom feel safe — for your students and for you.
In this episode, Claire covers:
Why star...#171: If you want students to take REAL accountability for their behaviours, here's the 4 things you need to do.
Teachers are constantly being told to move away from punitive approaches — but rarely given the actual, practical skills to replace them with. And that gap? It's leaving teachers feeling disempowered, lost, and like restorative practice just doesn't work.
This episode is Claire's answer to that.
She's breaking down her exact framework for helping students build real accountability after big behaviour moments — in a way that's realistic, respectful, and actually works in a real classroom.
In this episode, Claire covers:
Why restorative conversations alone aren't enough — and what's actually missingWhat real accoun...#170: 5 classroom management moves I am obsessed with (and you can use immediately)
Classroom management can feel like this big, intangible, confusing beast that no one can seem to nail down. Claire gets it — and this episode is her antidote to that.
Five non-negotiable moves. Five things she'd hand you immediately if you came to her tomorrow and said "I'm struggling, what do I do?" No fluff, no theory — just the actual things that are within your control and that you can take into your classroom today.
Because here's the thing: you can't control your students' behaviour. You can't control what they're dealing with at home, or how they...
#169: 4 whole-class recall games that will have students begging to learn right up until the summer break
Mentioned Resource: The Engagement Bundle
Engagement slumping? You're not alone. Whether you're in the final push to summer or just hitting that mid-year wall where motivation has quietly packed its bags, this episode is for you.
Claire shares four no-prep (or low-prep) whole class games that gamify your lessons, bring back buy-in, and make the last stretch of the year actually fun, for you and your students.
And yes, she's also addressing that "hard pass, kids don't need more dopamine" comment she got on Instagram. Spoiler: these aren't video games.
...
#168: What schools get profoundly wrong — with Andy Hargreaves
What does it actually mean to be a professional in teaching? Not just "treated like one" — but what does professional knowledge, professional growth, and professional community actually look like in practice?
I got to sit down with one of the most cited education scholars alive — the incredible Andy Hargreaves — and honestly, I could have talked to him for hours. Andy is an author or editor of 40 books, an education advisor to governments across multiple countries, and the co-creator of the concept of Professional Capital — a framework that has genuinely changed the way educators and systems think ab...
#167: The ‘boring’ differentiation strategy you need to be using in 2026 to improve low-level behaviours | The Differentiation Series: Part 3
Okay, I'm going to say something that might surprise you.
The most powerful differentiation strategy I know is also the most boring one.
No fancy tech. No elaborate lesson design. No creating multiple versions of anything. Just one simple, evidence-backed approach that, when you actually use it, has the power to dramatically reduce the low-level disruptions, work refusal, and off-task behaviour that's making your days harder.
Welcome to Part 3 of the differentiation series, and today I'm giving you a front seat to scaffolding, what it actually is, when to use it, and the...
#166: Why telling teachers to ‘just differentiate’ is helping nobody (and what we need to do instead) | The Differentiation Series: Part 2
Let me be real with you for a second, the word "differentiation" has a bit of a reputation problem.
For most teachers, hearing it conjures up images of three separate lesson versions, colour-coded ability groups, and a to-do list that never ends. No wonder it sends a shudder up your spine.
But here's the thing: that version of differentiation? It's not what I'm talking about. And it's not what's actually going to help your students, or you.
This is Part 2 of my differentiation series, and today I'm giving you a front seat to...
#165: The "brain builder" mindset shift every teacher needs. Jessica Sinarski on dysregulation, teacher burnout, and the neuroscience behind behaviour
Every teacher has been there. The class that makes you want to crawl under your desk. The student who seems hell-bent on dismantling every lesson you've planned. And the horrible, shameful moment when you realise you've snapped, yelled, or just completely lost the plot… and it didn't help at all.
Here's the thing: it's not because you're a bad teacher. It's because you're a human with a brain, and that brain is doing exactly what it's designed to do under stress.
This week, I'm joined by the incredible Jessica Sinarski, award-winning author, innovative educator, and fo...
#164: Why your students won't do the work (even when it's really doable) | The Differentiation Series: Part 1
When a student pushes a piece of work off their desk, puts their head down, pulls out their phone, or starts cracking jokes, it can feel personal. Like, really personal. Especially when you've poured your heart into that lesson.
But here's the thing: none of that behaviour is random. And it's definitely not about you.
In this episode, I'm giving you a front seat to something I wish I'd known back in my second year of teaching, when I planned what I thought was an epic observation lesson, complete with immersion stations, bells, whistles, the...
#163: What does real inclusion look like in the classroom? Supporting neurodivergent students | Interview with Verity Harvey
What if the biggest shift you could make for your most complex students had nothing to do with behaviour charts, consequences, or reward systems — and everything to do with the way you see them?
In this episode, I'm sitting down with the incredible Verity Harvey — an educator with over 20 years of experience in inclusion and disability, a passionate advocate for neurodiversity, and one of the keynote speakers I'll be joining at EduTech 2026 here in Sydney (more on that soon!). Verity brings a wealth of experience from early childhood through to complex disability settings, and...
#162: How to Turn Your Teaching Into a Classroom Management Machine
What if the reason classroom management feels so bloody hard… is because you were never actually taught how to do it in a way that works and aligns with your values?
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to a live training I recently ran called Turn Your Teaching into a Classroom Management Machine — and honestly, it was too good not to bring onto the podcast.
If classroom management has ever left you feeling reactive, frazzled, hopeless, or like you’re stuck playing whack-a-mole with behaviours all lesson long… this one is for...
#161: What we get wrong about classroom management, low-level disruption, crafting a strong teaching presence + more
A few weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of jumping on the Teacher Takeaway podcast for a proper behaviour-nerd chat… and the second we wrapped, I knew I wanted you to hear it too.
Because if you’ve ever walked into a lesson feeling like you’re doing crowd control (and then gone home thinking, “Why am I like this?!”)… this one is for you.
In this conversation, Aaron and I unpack the biggest misconceptions teachers have about “behaviour management” (spoiler: it’s rarely about the behaviour), why so many of us feel wildly unprepared for the...
#160: The 10 quick community builder activities that will become your classes favourite
What if I told you that you could build connection, boost buy-in, reset the vibe, AND reduce low-level behaviour… in five minutes flat?
No prep. Just you, your class, and a little bit of magic. ✨
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to 10 of my favourite grab-and-go community builders, the ones that get students laughing, talking, connecting, and (without even realising it) building the kind of classroom culture that makes behaviour easier.
A couple of episodes ago, we talked about the foundations of community, routines, predictability, felt safety, clarity, differentiation. All th...
#159: The 5 routines that are non-negotiable for teachers wanting to reduce low-level disruptions and create a beautiful, calm, safe classroom environment.
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to the teaching assistants I’ve had in my classroom for years… except they’re not people. They’re systems. Predictable, powerful routines that quietly run the room so I can actually teach with FAR fewer low-level disruptions.
I’m walking you through the non-negotiable routines that have transformed my classroom from chaotic to calm, and how you can start implementing them immediately.
What You’ll Learn:
Why routines are the purest form of proactive classroom management (you'll hear me nerd out about this A LOT)How a ti...#158: How to build the most beautiful, positive, connected class community brick by brick (even the toughest, most disengaged of classes)
What if the class everyone labels “unteachable”… becomes your favourite group of the year?
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the most formative stories of my teaching career—back when I was fresh out of uni, wildly underqualified, and somehow ended up turning the “low class” into the class that changed everything for me.
This episode is a big one. It gets to the heart of how community is actually built in classrooms (and how it’s usually not).
I’m taking you back to my first couple...
#157: "What if I just realllly don’t like a student?!" How to teach a kid you find really dang triggering and unlikeable.
Here’s a spicy but honest truth: sometimes, we don’t like every student we teach.
And while we’re trauma-informed, values-driven, compassionate educators — we’re also human. And navigating complex behaviour, bullying, defiance, or students who constantly derail your lessons? It takes a toll.
In this episode, I’m opening up the very real conversation about what to do when you find a student… unlikable. (Gasp!) I’m giving you the validation, language, and mindset shifts to acknowledge that feeling without acting from it. You’ll learn how to stay professional, regulated, and credible — while still honourin...
#156: Why forced icebreakers don’t build trust or community (and what does)
In this episode, I’m giving you a front-row seat to how I break the ice with my classes without forcing kids (or me!) into anything awkward, loud, or fake.
Whether you’ve got a class full of students with complex needs, or just want something low-stakes and actually useful — this is the episode for you. I’m walking you through the exact back-to-school icebreakers I’ve used for years with huge success. These are tried-and-tested with mainstream AND complex classrooms — and they do more than just "get to know you." They start building classroom culture from day one.
...#155: The first-week moves that’ll save you months of behaviour work down the track
That quiet calm at the start of the year? Yeah, it won’t last... unless you do this.
Welcome back to The Unteachables Podcast. It’s still back-to-school season, and this episode is for every teacher who wants to avoid the classic Week 7 spiral when behaviours suddenly spike and everything feels a bit… cooked.
I’m giving you a front seat to the real reason that early-term magic fades—and what to do right now (yes, even this week) to avoid the whiplash of your “angel class” suddenly turning into chaos gre...
#154: How to build back confidence and credibility after a tough year with behaviour [+ whats coming in 2026]
Feeling like last year’s behaviour battles stole your joy? Let’s change the energy at the door. We kick off the new season with a grounded, practical roadmap to reset expectations, reclaim credibility, and build calm with routines that do the heavy lifting—even if you’re returning to the same challenging group.
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to:
#152: So it's December, and your students won't stop talking... Now what?
In last week’s episode, we talked about what to do when student energy is flat, motivation is MIA, and you're pulling teeth just to get through a lesson. This week, we're flipping the script and tackling the other end of the spectrum, those wild, chatty, off-task end-of-year vibes that have you asking:
🫠 “Why is everyone shouting?”
🫠 “Why can’t we sit down for longer than 2 minutes?”
🫠 “Is it me? Am I the drama?”
This high-energy chaos is totally normal (and very human), but it doesn’t mean you have to just white-knuckle your way through it. In thi...
#151: What to do when your class is bringing the 'checked out, apathetic, can't be bothered' vibes at the end of the year
We’ve officially entered the end-of-year zone... You know, the part where students are either bouncing off the walls or slumping over their desks like they’ve pulled three all-nighters in a row. And let’s be honest, we’re right there with them.
In this week’s episode, I’m unpacking a common (and deeply exhausting) classroom vibe: student apathy. That “ugh, why are we even here?” energy that rolls in hard during December. Whether your students are dragging their feet into class, doing the bare minimum (if anything), or slurping down Red Bulls the size of thei...
#150: Students pushing your buttons? These 6 one-liners will save you!
This episode is a big warm hug and a practical roadmap for every teacher who’s ever thought: “How the heck am I supposed to stay calm when they’re pushing ALL my buttons?!”
I’m diving into a juicy listener Q&A all about what to do in those real-deal, fight-flight-freeze moments in the classroom. And spoiler alert: it’s not about becoming a Zen monk who never reacts. It’s about having scripts, self-awareness, and a bit of self-compassion ready to roll.
In this episode, I walk you through:
My own messy mome...#149: 3 Thanksgiving activities to beat the November behaviour wobbles
Whether you're wrapping up the year in Australia (hi, me too!) or heading into Thanksgiving mode, this one's for the teachers out there who want to keep the vibe high, the connection strong, and the behaviour smooth as the term winds down.
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to the actual gratitude-based activities I use with my own students when things start taking an energetic nosedive!
We’re talking:
🧠 sneaky SEL
💬 beautiful conversations
✍️ creative, calming brain breaks
🎨 and some genuinely lovely wall displays if y...
#148: If I had a totally unmanageable class, I'd do these 4 things immediately.
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...
#147: Why your classroom transitions are chaotic (and how to fix them)
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...
#146: Why classroom compliance isn’t the win you might think it is
Ever found yourself sitting at your desk mid-lesson, staring at the wall while chaos erupts around you… thinking “I cannot teach like this”?
Same.
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the most eye-opening classroom experiences I had as a baby teacher—and how it accidentally dropped me straight into something called the pedagogy of poverty.
You’ll hear the story of a student called “Nathan,” how I unintentionally leaned into compliance-based teaching just to survive, and the big, uncomfortable lightbulb moment that changed everything about how I teach now.
...#145: The Halloween classroom management mistakes that turn your class into a horror movie (and what to do instead)
Ah yes, spooky season. The sugar. The chaos. In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to exactly how to lean into the festive vibes of Halloween (and any holiday season) without your classroom descending into a full-blown free-for-all.
This episode is packed with practical ways to keep your routines, keep your calm, all while adding just the right sprinkle of spooky magic to make it fun and functional.
From Halloween-themed SEL check-ins to brain breaks that actually regulate, I’m sharing the exact routines I don’t ditch (and how I just theme...
#144: How to actually support students with additional needs... in a mainstream classroom... with zero support...
How do you actually manage special needs in a mainstream classroom (when you’re not getting the support you need)?
Ever looked around your classroom mid-lesson and thought:
“How the heck am I supposed to meet 30 different needs all at once?”
Yeah. Me too.
This week, I’m kicking off a new mini-series answering your most-asked questions, starting with one I get all the time:
“How do I support students with special needs in my mainstream classroom? There has to be more help out t...
#143: 5 powerful (and doable) ways to support ADHD students. October is ADHD Awareness Month!
October is officially Hectic Month™️ (Black History Month, Mental Health Day, Halloween... all of it), but nestled in the mix is something super important: ADHD Awareness Month.
And look, if you’re thinking, “Well, I don’t have any diagnosed ADHD students,” think again. Not only is it likely that you do (diagnosed or not), but what helps ADHD students thrive is actually just good teaching for everyone.
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to 5 simple, powerful shifts you can make today to better support your neurodivergent students.
These are the real-d...
#142: My English teacher saved my life (and she will never know it). The episode you need to hear if you've ever doubted your impact.
This episode is personal. Raw. Vulnerable. And honestly… one of the most important stories I’ve ever shared.
So if you’re a teacher who’s ever doubted the impact you’re having, especially with those students who seem like they couldn’t care less? This one’s for you.
Today, I’m taking you back to my own high school days. Not the shiny, well-behaved student success story, but the version of me who was skipping class, stinking like cigarettes, and seriously thinking about dropping out altogether.
And then… there was Miss Povey. My English...
#141: Tired of blank stares and the same 5 hands up? Here's how to get whole-class engagement (WITHOUT relying on cold-calling)
This tiny tweak could change your whole classroom vibe.
If you’ve ever found yourself gripping onto those five students who always put their hands up while the rest of the class stares blankly out the window—or worse, starts low-key mutinies—you are NOT alone.
In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to a game-changing shift I made in how I asked students to engage. It's a small upgrade that completely changed the energy in my classroom. And no, it's not a paddle pop stick in sight.
I’ll tak...
#140: If you've ever been told (or felt) you need to "be stricter" for classroom management success - listen to this.
We’re busting a big ol’ classroom management myth in this episode: that being kind, compassionate, and empathetic means you’re “too soft” to manage behaviour effectively.
Because I’m seeing it everywhere right now - especially from all the beautiful new teachers joining me inside The Behaviour Club - this feeling of, “Am I doing it wrong?” “Am I too nice?” “Do I need to start being strict to be taken seriously?”
Short answer? No.
Longer answer? Let’s talk about it.
This episode is a riffed, unfiltered reminder that you don’t need to ditch yo...
#139: The exit routine your class [and you] desperately needs
Let’s talk about the part of the lesson where the wheels often fall off — the final five minutes.
You know the one. The bell's about to go, some students are packing up early, others are zoning out, and you’re standing at the door doing your best nightclub bouncer impression. 🚪🕺
In this final episode of the Kickstart series, we're talking exit routines — specifically, how to manage early finishers so the end of the lesson feels calm, purposeful, and controlled (instead of sweaty chaos).
I'll walk you through the exact routine I teach...
#138: Brain breaks that secretly boost behaviour (and help us reclaim a bit of teaching joy in the classroom)
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 les...
#137: Feel like you need to split into 30 trying to support the whole room? This tool changes everything.
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 i...
#136: The entry routine that is magic for low-level disruption! The power of learning maps
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 heade...
