The Unteachables Podcast

You"re in the middle of a lesson, focused on delivering content, when a student walks in displaying behaviours that signal things are about to escalate. Maybe they look angry, and you know they have the potential to become physical. Maybe they’re swearing, laughing, and trying to draw in the rest of the class. Maybe th

When I engage with students about their behaviour, it’s often just a conversation between us. But sometimes, having a structured reflection task can make a huge difference. Reflection is a skill that needs to be taught, modelled, and practised. These tasks help students problem-solve, build self-awareness, and develop

Check out my Brain Break Bundle! As a secondary English teacher, I used to struggle with the idea of brain breaks. The pressure to get through content and prepare students for exams felt too overwhelming to justify stopping for “games.” But my classroom culture was suffering. Students were stressed, disengaged, and bur

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a simple yet powerful transition technique that can help you regain student attention without raising your voice or using unnecessary energy. Transitions can be one of the trickiest parts of classroom management. Picture this: students are engaged in a group task, there’s movement, chatt

One of the most powerful shifts we can make when addressing student behaviour is to stop lecturing and start leading. Instead of telling students what they did wrong, we need to ask the right questions to guide them toward reflection, accountability, and change. Lecturing rarely leads to buy-in. It is one of William Gl

There are strong opinions when it comes to consequences in schools. Some believe in strict enforcement—"do the crime, do the time"—while others advocate for restorative conversations and plans. Regardless of approach, one thing remains essential: we need student buy-in for consequences to be effective. Without buy-in,