Why Your Presence Might Be Undermining Your Classroom Management (And How to Fix It)

Ever felt like you're being too nice... or not taken seriously enough in your classroom?

Like you're walking a tightrope between being warm and relatable and being respected as the leader of the room?

Whew—yeah. Been there. That’s exactly what today’s episode is all about.

We're kicking off the Behaviour Club Kickstart with Day 1: PRESENCE—because how we show up in our classrooms (literally, physically) impacts everything from student engagement to classroom climate. And trust me, the shifts we can make here are subtle but mighty.

In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the biggest lightbulb moments I ever had about classroom management—when I realised I wasn’t being taken seriously by my “easy” class… and it had everything to do with my nonverbal presence.

Here’s what we’re covering:

• The two teacher personas you're constantly switching between (and probably don’t even realise it)
• Why being "approachable" isn't always helping your classroom calm
• What “credible” non-verbal communication actually looks like (without being cold, robotic, or mean)
• How I accidentally nailed behaviour management with a “tricky” class… and totally flopped with my high flyers
• What to tweak immediately to lead with more calm, grounded authority (yes, even if you’re still finding your feet)

If you want the visuals, templates, and reflection prompts that go with this episode, make sure you’re signed up for the Behaviour Club Kickstart. It's just $1 and includes all five sessions + a super practical kickstart booklet to help you embed the work in your day-to-day.

🎟 Join the Kickstart here: https://www.the-unteachables.com/kickstart

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between credible and approachable teacher presence
• How your body language might be unintentionally inviting misbehaviour
• Where I went wrong with my year 10 class (and how I fixed it)
• Practical strategies to switch from “friendly chaos” to “calm credibility”
• The quickest way to reset your presence mid-lesson

Resources Mentioned:

• The Behaviour Club Kickstart → https://www.the-unteachables.com/kickstart
• Michael Grinder’s ENVoY (Educational Non-Verbal Yardsticks

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