EP317 It's never just about the behavior (with Claire English from The Unteachables)
Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers
Angela Watson
4.8 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 26 January 2025
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What if the key to managing challenging student behavior isn't about "fixing" the kids—but about regulating yourself? In this episode, we explore a sustainable approach to classroom management that shifts the focus to what you can control. Join me and my guest, Claire, as we discuss how self-regulation empowers teachers to create calmer, more effective learning environments while building trust and healthier responses in students.
Here's what we cover in this episode:
- Why traditional behavior management strategies often fall short.
- How self-regulation in teachers sets the tone for the entire classroom.
- The role of neuroscience in understanding student behavior and stress responses.
- Practical strategies for co-regulation and creating micro-moments of connection.
- Why "fixing" student behavior isn't your job—and what you can do instead.
- How to craft an "island of safety" in your classroom, even without strong school-wide support.
- Tools and systems to help students develop self-regulation skills.
- Tips for avoiding burnout and emotional exhaustion when working with extreme behaviors.
Discover how small, intentional shifts in your mindset and practice can make a big impact. Whether you're a new teacher feeling overwhelmed or a seasoned educator looking for fresh ideas, this episode is full of practical insights to help you guide behavior sustainably—without carrying the weight of fixing everything.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Episode 317 of Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers. |
| 0:07.0 | I'm your host, Angela Watson, and I'm here to speak encouragement into the hearts of educators |
| 0:12.0 | and get you informed and energized for the week ahead. |
| 0:16.0 | Today I'm talking with Claire English of the unteachables about a more sustainable approach to behavior |
| 0:22.1 | management that focuses on what you as a teacher can actually control, your own behavior. |
| 0:28.8 | Visit truthforteachers.com for an easy to read, easy to share version of this podcast episode. |
| 0:36.2 | Today's episode is brought to you in part by ListenWise and their new product designed for newcomers |
| 0:42.1 | and beginning-level English learners. |
| 0:44.6 | It's called Lingol Lift. |
| 0:46.4 | Lingol Lift builds the foundational, social, and academic language that newcomers need. |
| 0:52.1 | Their large collection of short educational videos teaches content and language |
| 0:56.5 | together. Unique, watch, learn, speak, instructional sequences, and teacher's guides offer a powerful |
| 1:03.0 | yet flexible tool for building newcomer skills as quickly as possible. And now ListenWise has something |
| 1:09.2 | for students K to 12 at every level of English |
| 1:12.6 | language acquisition. Request a quote and try LingoLift free today at ListenWise.com. |
| 1:21.2 | My guest today is Claire English, whom you might know from her incredible presence on both Instagram and TikTok under |
| 1:29.5 | the account called The Unteachables. Claire is an experienced Australian secondary English teacher |
| 1:36.9 | and senior leader. She specializes in supporting students with complex social, emotional, |
| 1:42.7 | and mental health needs. |
| 1:49.2 | She's worked in schools across the UK and Australia, and is dedicated to transforming volatile, challenging, chaotic learning environments into places of safety and support and learning. |
| 1:57.6 | Claire has founded the Unteachables Academy and the low-level behaviors support club. |
| 2:03.1 | She's also the author of the book, It's Never Just About the Behavior, from which I took |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Angela Watson, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Angela Watson and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.