A teacher stands at the front of the room asking, "Why aren't you listening to me?"

How to help a teacher who’s struggling with classroom management build real presence

In this episode of Not Your Average PD, host Jessica Sinarski talks with Claire English, creator of The Unteachables Academy. Claire has mentored teachers in that exact moment, and she's watched leaders talk about them in a really poor way. Her view is that those teachers aren't bad at the job. As Claire puts it, presence is "strategic, and it can be taught."

Jessica explains why it matters: non-verbals hit our brain much more quickly than our words. Claire walks through the mistakes that keep a class from settling, like shifting your weight, repeating yourself, and teaching over the noise. For leaders, Jessica's reframe is simple: "You might be not showing up in the way that I want you to, but that doesn't mean that's everything that's true about you." Real change doesn't come from one staff meeting. It comes from getting in, seeing it done, debriefing, and trying again. In Jessica's words, "that's how we learn."

🎁 A Thank-You for Listening

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IN THIS EPISODE

• Why classroom presence is a skill, not a personality trait

• Small nonverbal shifts that can make classroom management easier

• How high expectations and meaningful support go hand in hand

• Practical ways school leaders can help struggling teachers build their skills

ABOUT CLAIRE ENGLISH

Claire English is an Australian secondary teacher, senior leader, and author of It's Never Just About the Behaviour: A Holistic Approach to Classroom Behaviour Management. After years spent turning chaotic classrooms into places kids could actually learn, she founded The Unteachables Academy, where she now supports teachers worldwide with practical, ready-to-use classroom resources, training, community, and her podcast, The Unteachables Podcast.

Learn more at https://www.the-unteachables.com and find Claire’s book It's Never Just About the Behaviour.

ABOUT BRAVEBRAINS

BraveBrains helps educators and school leaders rethink behavior through practical, brain-based tools that make school work better for both students and adults.

Learn more: https://bravebrains.com/

Follow BraveBrains: @bravebrainsofficial on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube

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