I'm delighted to share that the replay of my conversation with Laura McGahey, "How can I help my students become truly ready to learn before the lesson even begins?", is now available in the InTA Professional Learning Hub.
https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/discussions-with-educators
This conversation really stayed with me.
Like many teachers, I've often focused on planning the best possible lesson, choosing engaging activities, and thinking about how to help students understand new concepts. But Laura reminded me of something even more fundamental:
Before students can learn, they first need to be ready to learn.
During our conversation, we explored how a few intentional moments of regulation can completely change the way a lesson begins. Instead of asking students to instantly switch from the playground, a disagreement with a friend, or an exciting conversation to focused learning, we can give them the tools they need to make that transition successfully.
Some of the ideas we discuss include:
Why the first few minutes after recess or any transition can shape the rest of your lesson.
How dysregulation affects attention, participation, decision-making, and learning.
Why "cognitive switching" is so important, and how teachers can support it.
Simple regulation strategies that take less than a minute but can make a real difference.
Why these approaches are valuable for every classroom, not just for outdoor learning.
One moment that particularly resonated with me was when Laura admitted that even she sometimes forgets to help students regulate before jumping into a lesson. It was such an honest reminder that this isn't about being a perfect teacher. It is about becoming more aware and gradually building better habits for ourselves and for our students.
I genuinely believe this is a conversation every educator should hear.
Interview Outline
3:10 – What was the moment that made you rethink teaching indoors?
5:21 – What was your biggest early mistake?
8:05 – Tell us about a student whose learning changed outdoors.
9:51 – What surprised you most?
11:44 – How did outdoor learning change student relationships?
15:02 – Were there particular groups of students who seemed to benefit most from outdoor learning?
17:12 – How does regulation connect to learning, attention, and participation?
23:38 – How did outdoors become the classroom rather than simply a reward?
26:07 – Can you give an example of a lesson that worked particularly well outdoors?
28:13 – What would you say to teachers who think they don't have access to nature?
30:55 – What's the biggest misconception teachers have about outdoor learning?
35:57 – What's the smallest first step a teacher could take tomorrow?38:45 – How has outdoor learning impacted you personally as a teacher?
42:16 – What do you wish every educator understood about learning in nature?
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I'd love to hear from you!
During our conversation, Laura raised a question that I thought would make a wonderful discussion for our community:
Could helping students regulate before learning also strengthen our relationships with them and with one another?
For those of you who intentionally use regulation strategies before lessons or during transitions, whether indoors or outdoors:
Have you noticed any changes in your relationships with students, student interactions, or the overall classroom climate?
I'd love to hear your stories, observations, and practical examples. Your experience may be exactly what another teacher in our community needs to read today.
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Ready to go further?
If this conversation resonates with you, I highly recommend Laura's asynchronous course, Regulate Before We Educate.
This isn't simply a course about outdoor learning. It's a course about transforming the way we begin learning.
You'll discover how to:
✅ Help students transition calmly between activities.
✅ Support attention, focus, and participation before teaching begins.
✅ Understand why some students struggle to settle, and what you can do about it.
✅ Build simple, sustainable regulation routines that fit naturally into your school day.
✅ Create classrooms where students feel calmer, safer, and more available for learning.
The transformation isn't only for your students.
As Laura explains in our conversation, these strategies also change the way WE teach. Instead of feeling frustrated when students aren't ready, you'll have practical tools to meet them where they are and guide them into a state where learning becomes possible. The result is often calmer lessons, stronger relationships, and a classroom climate where both teachers and students can thrive.
👉 You can explore the course here:
@Laura McGahey
