#68: Turning your classroom into an island of safety for every single student (oh, and for yourself as the teacher, of course)

The Unteachables Podcast

Consistency in classroom management is more than just a routine; it’s a pathway to creating an "island of safety" for your students. From the moment students walk into the classroom to the way lessons are structured, consistency can significantly reduce anxiety and foster a supportive learning environment.
In this episode, I delve into the fourth pillar from my book, It's Never Just About the Behaviour, focusing on proactive classroom management through increased predictability and consistency.
Listen in as I discuss how teachers can create a neurologically safe learning environment for their students. I explain how predictability helps regulate students neurologically, making them feel safer and more prepared. This sense of security is crucial for mitigating challenging behaviours and creating an atmosphere conducive to learning.
To help you implement these strategies immediately, I outline how to establish a strong, predictable, and calm start to lessons. After all, if you win the start of the lesson, the rest becomes much easier.
Here are some of my favourite routines to start a lesson on a calm and positive note (and the ones I walk you through in this episode):

• Welcoming students with predictability and consistency.
• Using seating plans as a proactive, rather than reactive, strategy.
• Using learning maps to enhance students' ability to anticipate upcoming activities, ultimately decreasing anxiety and the stress response.
• Providing a consistent, quality, accessible, and concept-driven starter activity.

I discuss all of these in depth in Pillar 4 of my book, It's Never Just About the Behaviour.
The biggest takeaway? Understanding that reducing the activation of the amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for the fight, flight, or freeze response—leads to an immediate decrease in challenging behaviours. One of the best ways to achieve this as a teacher and create a calmer, more focused learning environment is by following the golden rule: "minimize the unknown."

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Chapters

1. Creating Consistent Classroom Management Strategies (00:00:00)

2. Building Consistent Classroom Expectations (00:08:48)

3. Excitement for New Book Release (00:17:14)