#138: Brain breaks that secretly boost behaviour (and help us reclaim a bit of teaching joy in the classroom)

Season 6 Episode 138

Ever feel like your class is one brain snap away from absolute chaos… or just asleep at the wheel?

In this episode, I’m giving you a front seat to one of the most powerful — and wildly underused — classroom management tools in your toolbox: brain breaks. But not just for the sake of fun. We’re talking strategic, rapport-building, energy-resetting magic that actually boosts learning, not wastes time.

This is Day 4 of the Kickstart (catch up on previous days if you missed them!) and today is all about what we do in the meaty middle of the lesson — when things can either hum along… or totally unravel. I’ll share the sneaky strategies I used (without knowing they were even strategies back then) to build connection, shift energy, and keep my most disengaged students coming back for more.

Spoiler alert: it's not about being the "cool teacher" — it’s about being a connected, present, values-led one.

Let’s roll the tape.

What you’ll learn:

What brain breaks actually are (and aren’t)
3 go-to brain breaks Claire used to reset student energy on the fly
Why these simple strategies work (backed by brain science)
How to use them strategically to build rapport without losing instructional time
The “credibility flip” every teacher needs to know when transitioning from playful to teacher-led
Why this is classroom management gold — not fluff or filler

Podcast Episode Details

#138: Brain breaks that secretly boost behaviour (and help us reclaim a bit of teaching joy in the classroom)