Description

Today we welcome back occupational therapist, educator advocate, and all-round legend Dave Jereb to dive deep into understanding and responding to challenging classroom behaviours.

Dave shares practical, teacher-friendly strategies to better connect with students, support regulation, and ultimately create more inclusive and calm classrooms. From quick connection anchors to brain-based regulation tools, Dave reminds us that meaningful change often starts with the simplest actions.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why connection changes the brain—and what happens in just 10 seconds
• Reframing “challenging behaviour” and what’s really going on beneath the surface
• A breakdown of Dave’s ABCIDEAS model for understanding student needs holistically
• Practical co-regulation tools teachers can implement immediately
• Why supporting the adults who support the kids is essential for long-term success
• The “Connected Caregiver Model” and what it looks like in action
• Using rhythm, breath, and music as tools for regulation and attention
• Making lessons meaningful by tapping into student interests

“Everything is downstream from regulation and connection.” – Dave Jereb

Key Takeaways:

• Connection comes first: A simple 10-second moment of eye-level, intentional connection can dramatically impact behaviour and learning readiness.
• Environment matters: You don’t need to “fix the child”—adjusting the activity or environment is often the fastest way to success.
• Behaviours are communication: Looking at what’s behind attention-seeking, oppositional, or sensitive behaviours helps us support rather than react.
• Support the supporters: Dave champions the idea that when we support teachers and caregivers, everyone wins.

Whether you're just kicking off the school year in Australia or you're mid-term elsewhere in the world, this episode is packed with real-life examples, refreshing reframes, and game-changing strategies you can try today, especially with those students who can make or break the energy of your day.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Check out Dave’s Book: Challenging the Story
• Dave’s Online Course: Challenging the Story of Behaviour
• Other courses offered by Move About OT linked here
• Connect with Dave on Instagram
• Say G’Day on Spotify (Dave’s sister Genevieve Jereb) 
• Episode 19 - Our first interview with Dave Jereb

APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY  | AMAZON

About Today’s Guest: Dave Jereb is a paediatric occupational therapist, author, and co-founder of MoveAbout Therapy Services. With over 20 years of experience, Dave is passionate about helping families and professionals rethink how we understand and respond to challenging behaviours. Dave is also the founder of The OT Sanctuary, a community for OT and allied health professionals.

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