TW: Mention of self-harm and suicide

Ever left school feeling completely wrung out, wondering if you’re even cut out for this job?

Same. And in this episode, I’m opening the curtain on one of the most raw, real reflections I’ve ever shared—because I know I’m not the only one who’s felt that way.

This one’s a mix of real talk, sobering stats, and a whole lotta love for you and the incredible, emotional, life-changing work you do every single day.

I’m giving you a front seat to the moment I sat in a seminar sobbing into my notebook, while simultaneously remembering why I started The Unteachables in the first place. The mental health stats? They’re scary. But they also confirmed something I’ve always known in my bones:

Teaching is the hardest job in the world.
And it’s also the most important.

I’m also finally sharing something I’ve never opened up about publicly before: the burnout, the breakdown, the toxic school environment that almost broke me, and why I had to take stress leave even when I felt too guilty to go.

But more importantly, I’m walking you through WHY this matters for you and how the “tiny” choices you make—moment to moment—can literally change a student’s brain.

Let’s roll the tape.

What you'll hear:

• The statistics that will stop you in your tracks—and how it impacts every classroom
• Why 47% of Aussie teachers consider quitting within their first year (spoiler: it’s not just the workload)
• The one thing I said to my Year 10s before taking mental health leave—and why it mattered
• What emotional literacy and co-regulation actually look like in a regular, chaotic school day
• How tiny moments of connection can shift brain chemistry (yes, literally)
• Why your role is even more powerful than you think—and how to honour it without burning out

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

When talking more makes things worse… try this.

Ever felt like the more you say, the more defiant your students become?
Yeah. Been there.

This episode is all about the subtle magic of nonverbal strategies — those tiny, calm, game-changing tools that help you shift students out of defiance and into direction without saying a word.

Whether you're dealing with low-level defiance, overwhelm, shutdowns or full-blown phone battles, this is your gentle reminder that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is say nothing at all.

Instead, I'm walking you through 3 of my favourite nonverbal classroom tools:
✅ Choice Cards
✅ Post-it Prompts
✅ Movement Tasks

Each one is designed to help you preserve your calm, keep your credibility intact, and create safety — for your nervous system and theirs.

These tools are gold. They’ve saved my sanity. And I want them to do the same for you.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why “shutting your mouth” can sometimes be the best classroom strategy
• How to give students ownership without surrendering the boundary
• The psychological reason these tools reduce defiance (spoiler: it’s about safety)
• Exactly what to write on post-it notes to de-escalate without saying a word
• How a simple movement prompt can act as a nervous system reset
• What to do when you want to build rapport without people-pleasing

Resources Mentioned:

• Join the Waitlist for The Behaviour Club: https://www.the-unteachables.com/tbc

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

What to do when a student flat-out says NO

[Get the FREE Calm Scripts Guide: https://www.the-unteachables.com/calmscripts]

Let’s talk about the moment every teacher dreads:
You’ve asked a student to follow an instruction… and they just say “No.”
Or ignore you.
Or crank the volume on their phone.
Or knock the work off the table.

Whether it’s passive defiance or full-on “get out of my face” energy, the stress response this triggers in us? Whewww. It’s real. And it’s raw.

In today’s episode, I’m walking you through how to respond to student defiance in a way that’s calm, regulated, and actually works.
No yelling.
No power struggles.
No public meltdowns.
Just 20 plug-and-play CALM SCRIPTS that help you hit pause, protect your values, and keep your credibility in check — even in the heat of the moment.

Whether you’re dealing with low-level noncompliance or outright oppositional behaviour, these phrases will help you hold firm boundaries without escalating the situation. They are a nervous system life raft — for you AND the student.

Let’s get into it.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why defiance hits teachers like a threat — and what your brain is doing in that moment
• Why “just staying calm” isn’t always realistic (and what to do instead)
• The #1 way to de-escalate student defiance without losing face
• 20 word-for-word calm scripts you can start using tomorrow
• How to practise these in low-stakes moments before things go off the rails
• Why protecting the nervous system is the secret sauce to credible classroom leadership

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