The Unteachables Podcast

Episoder

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  #178: What good support from senior leadership actually looks like when a teacher says I'm drowning, with Aaron Johnston 28.07.2026 41min

  This is the final one. My last episode live here at EduTech 2026, and I cannot think of a better way to wrap it up. Joining me is my teachergram turned real life friend Aaron Johnston, who popped his head into the booth yesterday and got roped into coming back for an interview. If you don't already know Aaron, you should. He is a deputy principal at Talara Public School, now in his 18th year of teaching, and he is well known across the teacher podcast space for leading the way on Aboriginal e...
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  #177: Educating the 'whole child' beyond the academic buzzword. Andrea Vandenbohl on building a school culture where every child feels seen 21.07.2026 40min

  I am still here at EduTech 2026, and today's conversation has completely lit me up. I'm sitting across from the wonderful Andrea Vandenbohl, deputy principal at Northam Grammar School, where she has spent the last five years leading initiatives that weave wellbeing science and character education into every part of school life. Andrea's work is built on the belief that educating young people is about so much more than academic achievement. Through her leadership of student leadership programs...
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  #176: Kate Stockman on student voice, empathy, and why so many students stay silent. 14.07.2026 27min

  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, Engli...
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  #175: From fostering an unhoused teen at just 22, to leading trauma-informed practice in schools. A conversation with Avril Waite. 07.07.2026 28min

  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,...
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  #174: Is your school quietly killing curiosity? Carmel McGee on what it looks like for curiosity to thrive (and why this matters). 30.06.2026 28min

  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 Mu...
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  #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! 23.06.2026 32min

  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 warn...
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  #172: Starters CAN be your classroom management superpower (here's how to do them right) 26.05.2026 21min

  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 stud...
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  #171: If you want students to take REAL accountability for their behaviours, here's the 4 things you need to do. 19.05.2026 22min

  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 t...
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  #170: 5 classroom management moves I am obsessed with (and you can use immediately) 12.05.2026 19min

  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. Yo...
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  #169: 4 whole-class recall games that will have students begging to learn right up until the summer break 06.05.2026 17min

  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" comme...
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  #168: What schools get profoundly wrong — with Andy Hargreaves 28.04.2026 55min

  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 c...
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  #167: The ‘boring’ differentiation strategy you need to be using in 2026 to improve low-level behaviours | The Differentiation Series: Part 3 21.04.2026 14min

  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 givi...
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  #166: Why telling teachers to ‘just differentiate’ is helping nobody (and what we need to do instead) | The Differentiation Series: Part 2 14.04.2026 17min

  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 tod...
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  #165: The "brain builder" mindset shift every teacher needs. Jessica Sinarski on dysregulation, teacher burnout, and the neuroscience behind behaviour 07.04.2026 43min

  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 ...
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  #164: Why your students won't do the work (even when it's really doable) | The Differentiation Series: Part 1 31.03.2026 16min

  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, comp...
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  #163: What does real inclusion look like in the classroom? Supporting neurodivergent students | Interview with Verity Harvey 24.03.2026 51min

  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...
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  #162: How to Turn Your Teaching Into a Classroom Management Machine 10.03.2026 1t 14min

  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 ...
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  #161: What we get wrong about classroom management, low-level disruption, crafting a strong teaching presence + more 03.03.2026 59min

  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)...
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  #160: The 10 quick community builder activities that will become your classes favourite 24.02.2026 19min

  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 th...
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  #159: The 5 routines that are non-negotiable for teachers wanting to reduce low-level disruptions and create a beautiful, calm, safe classroom environment. 17.02.2026 29min

  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...