EMpowered Podcast Take Over Series: Supporting Highly Sensitive Children in the Classroom with Jacquie Ward
EMpowered
On the EMpowered Podcast Takeover Series, psychologist Jacquie Ward joins us to talk about something every teacher needs to know. How to support highly sensitive children in the classroom. Some children feel things more deeply, notice the smallest details, and get overwhelmed more easily. These students aren’t being “too sensitive” or “overdramatic”. They’re wired this way. Up to 20% of kids are highly sensitive, and when we understand them, we can support them in ways that actually work. Jacquie Ward is a Psychologist who works with Children, Adolescents & their Families. It...
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EMpowered Podcast Take Over Series: The Connection Curriculum with Matt Pitman
EMpowered
If you’ve ever felt like something is missing in your school community, whether it’s student engagement, teacher retention, or just a general sense of belonging, this episode is for you. Guest host Matt Pittman is talking about one of the most overlooked solutions in education. Instead of sticking with bandaid fixes for disengagement, behaviour, or burnout, Matt shares how prioritising connection can shift your entire school culture and actually make teaching feel good again. Matt is the Head of Senior School at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs, a Catholic secondary school in the...
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Beyond Behaviours Series Episode 5: What does ‘Meeting Children’s Needs’ in the Classroom Mean?
EMpowered
Behaviour is communication and children act out when their needs aren’t met. But what does that actually mean? And how do we meet their needs in the classroom in a way that helps them feel safe, connected, and engaged? In this episode, I’m talking about what it really means to meet children’s needs (beyond the buzzwords) so you can shift from reacting to behaviour to understanding what’s underneath it. If you’ve ever wondered why certain students seem to be in constant meltdown mode, why some avoid tasks or disrupt lessons, or why connection is such a big deal, this episode will give...
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EMpowered Podcast Take Over Series: Using Boundaries as a Tool to Support Behaviour with Danica See
EMpowered
Boundaries are often misunderstood, but when done right, they create safety, structure, and predictability. The key ingredients for a classroom where children feel secure and engaged. If you’ve ever struggled with feeling like kids are walking all over you or wondered how to hold firm boundaries without resorting to control or punishment, this episode is for you. This episode is part of the EMpowered Podcast Take Over Series, where incredible educators take the mic to share their expertise on creating conscious and connected classrooms. Danica is an early childhood educator, university...
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Beyond Behaviour Series Episode 4: Why Educators Need to Understand Trauma Informed Practice
EMpowered
Trauma affects how children learn in the classroom. When children don’t feel safe, they cannot access the part of the brain required for learning. If you've ever wondered why some students seem constantly dysregulated, reactive, or withdrawn, this episode will give you the missing piece. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why trauma leaves a lasting impact on a child’s behaviour, emotions, and ability to learn. The difference between simple, complex, and developmental trauma and why it matters. How trauma keeps children stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn states. Why traditional...
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Beyond Behaviours Series Episode 3: The Lowdown on Rewards and Punishments in the Classroom
EMpowered
Rewards and punishments might seem like an easy way to manage behaviour, but do they actually work? In this episode of the Beyond Behaviours series, I’m talking about why extrinsic rewards and punitive consequences don’t create long term behaviour change, and what to do instead. If you’ve ever relied on sticker charts, prize boxes, or detentions but found they don’t really shift behaviour, this episode will give you a new way to think about it. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why rewards and punishments control behaviour in the short term but don’t teach long-term skills. How...
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Beyond Behaviours Series Episode 2: Classroom & Learning Environment Setup
EMpowered
In this episode, I’m focusing on how you can set up your classroom and learning environment for 2025. It’s not about Pinterest-perfect displays but creating a purposeful, functional space where children feel emotionally, physically, and mentally safe. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to balance aesthetics with practicality or you’re unsure how your classroom setup impacts behaviour and learning, this episode is for you. Here’s what you’ll learn: How to avoid overstimulating classrooms that overwhelm neurodivergent learners. Why clutter impacts focus and behaviour and how to...
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Beyond Behaviours Series Ep 1: Routines and Expectations: The Secret to Starting the Year Strong
EMpowered
Welcome to the first episode of the Beyond Behaviours series, where I’m sharing quick and actionable steps to help you create a conscious classroom that feels safe, structured, and supportive from day one. This episode is all about routines and expectations—the essential building blocks for a classroom where children feel secure and ready to learn. If you’ve ever struggled with behaviours spiralling out of control or felt like your classroom just wasn’t flowing, this is where you need to start. Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode: Why routines and expectations are the...
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How to Set Up Your Conscious Classroom This Year
EMpowered
In this episode, you will learn how to set up your classroom this year to have a learning environment that’s safe and nurturing, where students can thrive both academically and socially. If you’ve ever wondered how to move away from punitive measures and into a more responsive, emotionally aware teaching approach, this episode is for you. Here’s what you’ll learn: How emotional intelligence, connection, and responsiveness can transform your classroom into a supportive space. Why self-awareness around your teaching beliefs and practices is the foundation for lasting change. How old...
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I Don’t Feel Good Enough… Why Do I Keep Comparing Myself to Other Teachers?
EMpowered
In this episode, I dive into the self-doubt and comparison trap that many educators, both new and experienced, find themselves stuck in. If you’ve ever wondered why your brain zeroes in on what you’re lacking and why you keep comparing yourself to other teachers, this episode is here to help. Here’s what you’ll learn: Why comparing yourself to others is normal but unhelpful. Practical strategies to shift from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I’m learning,’ and how to consciously take steps toward confidence and competence. Why focusing on what you’re doing well and celebrating your growth...
info_outlineIn this episode, I sit down with the incredible Michelle Mitchell, who’s spent years working with teens, tweens, and their families.
Supporting kids at this stage can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like they’ve got that wall up and are shutting you out. There is so much more going on beneath the surface.
Michelle Mitchell is a former teacher turned tween and teenage expert, with years of experience running youth programs, mentoring young people, and supporting families.
She’s all about helping adults to see what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of tweens and teens and helping them build the kind of connections that truly make a difference.
We talk about how we can really see and support teens and tweens in this phase of their development. It’s not about being cool or getting it right all the time.
What you’ll learn from Michelle:
- Why what you see on the surface isn’t the full story when it comes to teenagers.
- The importance of connection and how teens are wired to crave it, even when they push you away.
- How play can help upper primary and secondary students regulate their emotions (and why we should never cut it out too soon)
- The differences between tweens and teens, and why treating them the same is a massive mistake.
- How to work with social media, not against it, and create a school environment where teens feel safe to unplug and actually be present. There are smart, compassionate ways to help teens balance their online and offline worlds, with boundaries that actually feel good to them.
- Why the shift from primary to secondary school is huge and why this transition needs more attention.
Michelle’s no stranger to the challenges of this developmental phase and she’s here to help you navigate them with compassion and clarity.
No matter how tough your teen or tween acts, what they need most is to feel connected to the adults around them.
Resources for you:
- If you missed the masterclass with Lael Stone and Dr. Billy Garvey, the replay is available. Find out more to see how we’re flipping behaviour support on its head. Here’s the link!
- Learn more about my self paced course, The Emotionally Intelligent Educator, and how it can help you reduce stress, build confidence, and change the way you show up as a parent or teacher.
Connect with Michelle
- Website: michellemitchell.org
- Instagram: @michellemitchell.author
Connect with Em
- Website: emmagentle.com.au
- Instagram: @em_gentle