Good morning,

Behaviour is one of the few aspects of teaching that can make even experienced teachers question whether they are any good at the job.

In the first episode of this mini-series, Charles and I ask what teachers really mean when they say behaviour is getting worse. We explore attention, low-level disruption, behaviour policies and the sense of powerlessness that can make a difficult class feel impossible.

Hope you enjoy!

Panthi, N., Thorpe, K., Houen, S., Casey, C. and Staton, S. (2026). ‘The challenges of challenging behaviour: early childhood educators’ understandings of child behaviour and impact on occupational wellbeing’. Teachers and Teaching, 32(1), 162–176

Bennett, T. (2020). Running the Room: The Teacher’s Guide to Behaviour. John Catt Educational.

Lovell, O. and Dowley, M. (2024). The Classroom Management Handbook: A Practical Blueprint for Engagement and Behaviour in Your Classroom and Beyond. John Catt.

This Saturday, we launched a new four-part mini-series on behaviour in schools.

Across the series, we explore why behaviour can feel harder than ever, how it can be taught rather than simply managed, when teachers should call for help, and five ways schools can promote positive behaviour for learning.

TDaPE Club members can listen to all four episodes now, with each episode then released publicly over the following weeks.

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TDaPE Online Workshops

A big thank you to everyone who shared last week’s episode. It genuinely makes a difference, helping the podcast reach more thoughtful primary teachers and leaders. If someone came to mind while you were listening, I’d be very grateful if you sent the episode their way.

That’s all from me this week. I’d love to hear what you thought, so leave a comment wherever you listen or simply reply to this email.

Until next time, thanks for listening.