When You’re The Adult in the Room
Adding to your classroom confidence
BY DR ANDREW WAKE
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This book will be both useful and interesting to prospective and experienced teachers—deepening their knowledge and understanding as the basis for the development of some important skills.
Professor Viv Ellis, Dean of Education, Monash University
So often when I was teaching, I’d wonder: why is this child behaving in this way? Dr Wake’s book no only explains why but offers practical support, guidance and solutions. This is a great resource for teachers.
Gabbie Stroud, Author of Teacher
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Using attachment theories, grief and disappointment concepts, neuroscience insights, and moral development ideas, he provides a variety of simple strategies that work to deal with unwanted events and help to change unwanted patterns. With easy-to-understand language, simple to remember approaches, and examples from real classrooms, When You’re the Adult in the Room is essential reading for all new teachers, and will benefit experienced educators who want to add to their understanding and confidence.
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This is a fine book written for busy real-world teachers who want to develop their confidence and capacity in today’s classrooms. It offers immensely readable explanations of what is behind student behaviour that interferes with learning and is full of methods, tips and examples that will reward reading and re-reading.
Dr Ric Haslam, Director Mental Health, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
A great look at what might be happening within a student’s head, by way of better understanding behaviour. Theory put into practice through many real-life examples that really help bring meaning and relevance to the text. When You’re the Adult in the Room reminds to lead by example… by building a relationship, staying calm, and appealing to established shared values and agreed consequences.
Gabrielle Phelan, Teacher

Chapter 1: Attachment, Getting Enough – Part 1: Attachment Basics
Unlock access to all chapter videos for only $20!
For $20 gain access to 30+ more videos from Andrew that complement his book chapter by chapter, and explore his parenting strategies further.
Feb 1 2024


How to bring calm to chaotic classrooms – as published in “The Australian” November 2023
Mar 13 2021


Obsessions: do they fill, or fulfill
“My child does nothing all day except…” Obsessions are a common concern among parents. How do you discern whether it is a healthy or unhealthy obsession for your child? In a previous post I looked at the difference between whether
Aug 8 2020


The freedom of boundaries
We all want freedom. Few people want to be made to do something they don’t want. Our children are no different…but their ability to use their logical brain to weigh up the various sides of a given choice is more
Mar 9 2020


Stay On Target
Have you tried to address a problem with one of your kids, and somehow you end up arguing about something else entirely, and the issue was not resolved? One way of avoiding being parented is to go off on a
Jul 26 2019


4W’s: watch, wait, wonder, “one-down”
I’ve been playing with a new idea when emotions get high…the 4W’s. It can be used as a way of remembering what to do when you are feeling provoked, and you want to be helpful and not take the problem
Jun 21 2019


“I need a break”
When you have a child whose behaviour concerns you it feels like you never get a break from watching and worrying about what they are doing. The constant wondering whether you should step in can be utterly exhausting. So how