Why “Be More Assertive” Is Bad Advice – And What Actually Works in Classrooms

About this episode

This episode discusses the misconceptions of assertiveness in teaching and offers practical insights for effective classroom management.

Teachers are often told they need to be “more assertive” in the classroom. But what does that actually mean when behaviour starts to wobble, pressure rises, and everyone’s watching? In this episode of School Behaviour Secrets, you’ll learn what assertiveness really looks like in practice - and why it isn’t about being louder, stricter, or more dominant. Instead, it’s about clarity, calm and making better decisions before you even open your mouth. You’ll explore why many behaviour confrontatio...

People in this episode

Hosts: Simon Currigan, Emma Shackleton

Topics covered

• assertiveness
• classroom management
• teacher behavior
• decision making
• student engagement

Keywords

• assertiveness
• classroom
• teacher advice
• behavior management
• effective teaching

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