The Educator Toolkit for Behaviour 2026
A practical, self-paced course featuring new videos with Sandi Phoenix. Learn to support children’s behaviour and wellbeing using the Phoenix Cups Framework and guidance-based approaches.
Educator Toolkit for Behaviour
A complete, contemporary framework for children's behaviour - built for educators, by educators.
If you've ever felt stuck between managing behaviour and truly understanding it, this course was made for you.
Through engaging video content, thoughtfully designed on-screen readings, and practical tools you can use straight away, this course invites you - and your whole team - to reframe the way you think about children's behaviour. Grounded in humanistic and positive psychology, it's a transformative approach that works in real classrooms and care settings, every single day. You'll finish with a shared language, a practical framework, and the confidence to lead meaningful conversations about behaviour support with your team.
76
Lessons across 6 chapters
1 hr
Of video content
Free
Self-paced access for a full year
Completely Updated for 2025
Our most popular course - now packed with fresh, practical content
Our most-loved course since 2016 has had a complete makeover. With over 15,000 new words, fresh resources, and over an hour of face-to-camera video with Sandi Phoenix, this updated version goes deeper into psychology and practical strategies than ever before. We've restructured everything into short, focused video segments - easy to revisit, perfect for sparking team discussions.
✅ When you enrol, you'll receive immediate, self-paced access to all content for a full year. Work through it at your own pace, dip back in to revisit key ideas, or share it with your whole teaching team.
This course covers
Understanding children's behaviour
Move beyond traditional 'behaviour management' approaches. You'll build a practical framework to better understand and plan for children's social and emotional learning - with thoughtfully designed templates and tools to support real, lasting change.
The Phoenix Cups® framework
Discover the foundations of the Phoenix Cups® - a powerful, humanistic framework for understanding human behaviour through the lens of five basic life needs. Essential for both early childhood and school-aged educators building a shared team philosophy.
A common language for your team
Excite and inspire your team to try something new - something that works. This course gives your whole team a shared language to communicate ideas and strategies, shifting the focus from managing behaviours to meeting needs.
What you'll be doing
Throughout this course you'll be actively engaging with ideas, reflecting on your practice, and building skills you can use immediately in your setting.
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Identifying behavioural challenges and barriers to learning
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Reframing language to support positive behaviour guidance
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Exploring strategies to intentionally facilitate social and emotional learning
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Starting inclusive, strengths-based conversations with your team
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Understanding the five basic human life needs through the Phoenix Cups® Framework
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Completing your own Phoenix Cups® Profile to deepen self-awareness
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Creating a personalised wellbeing plan for sustainable practice
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Developing practical plans to support children's behavioural and social learning
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Identifying moments of flow to enhance engagement and regulation
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Using tools and templates to guide critical reflection and continuous improvement
A complete professional development resource
Whether you're working independently or leading a team, this course provides everything you need to approach behaviour support with confidence, compassion, and clarity.
Inside, you'll find practical templates, downloadable resources, and fresh video content - including new insights from Sandi Phoenix - all designed to spark reflection, inspire critical thinking, and drive meaningful change across your whole setting.
The Phoenix Cups® Framework gives your team a shared language and philosophy that helps everyone understand human behaviour and guide children's social and emotional development with consistency and care.
Why educators love this course
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It works in the real world - not just in theory. Every strategy is grounded in genuine early childhood and school-aged care settings.
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It supports the whole team - not just individual practice. Build a consistent, shared approach across your service.
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It's self-paced and flexible - dip in and out, revisit key lessons, or work through it together as a professional learning team.
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It's been trusted since 2016 - and it just got even better. This isn't a brand-new experiment; it's a proven framework with a fresh new coat of paint.
Not sure yet? No problem.
Try before you enrol - explore a free sample of the course
We know committing to professional development is a big decision - so we'd love to let the course speak for itself. Sign up for our free trial and get immediate access to a selection of sample lessons, plus a few bonus downloadable resources, so you can see exactly what's inside before you decide.
🎬 Sample video lessons 📄 Bonus downloadable resources ✨ No credit card required
Start your free trial →
Ready to transform how your team understands behaviour?
Join thousands of educators across Australia who are already using the Phoenix Cups® Framework to create calmer, more connected settings for children and educators alike.
Enrol now
Course curriculum
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Introduction
FREE PREVIEW -
Finding your way around
FREE PREVIEW -
Acknowledgement of Country
FREE PREVIEW -
A quick check-in
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Copyright & your agreement
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Preface: How the Phoenix Cups came to be
FREE PREVIEW -
About the author - Sandi Phoenix
FREE PREVIEW -
Activity booklet
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Critical reflection book download
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Activity 1 - What is challenging you?
FREE PREVIEW -
Jacob - the advocate for childhood
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Activity 2 - How do children learn?
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What does being storm ready and inclusion readiness have in common?
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Activity 3 - Watch your language
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Perspectives
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Activity 4 - Starting the inclusion conversation with your team
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Behaviour management - What is it?
FREE PREVIEW -
Behaviourism - where has it come from and how do we use it now?
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Fun break 1 - Behaviourism timeline
FREE PREVIEW -
Case study - Behaviourism; the only tool in Emily’s toolkit
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Activity 5 - Emily’s toolkit
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Activity 6 - Separate the child from the behaviour
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Beliefs about children’s behaviour
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Activity 7 - The influence of the behaviourist movement
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An alternative to 'Behaviour Management'
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A timeline of psychology that focuses on human potential and strenghts
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Activity 8 - Maslow and Glasser’s theories about basic human life needs
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Activity 9 - Understanding your understanding of human behaviour
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The need for a framework
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Introduction to The Phoenix Cups with Sandi Phoenix
FREE PREVIEW -
Cup filling behavioural choices
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Your Cups Profile (Big Cups and Small Cups)
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Activity 10 - Draw your profile
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Fulfilment (Full and Empty Cups), Will, and Skill
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Nature Vs Nurture
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Activity 11 - Your Wellbeing Plan
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Activity 12 - The Phoenix Cups pop quiz
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Children are efficient Cup fillers
FREE PREVIEW -
Noticing Children's Cups - Hope's Story
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Recognising and responding to empty Cups - Seth's Story
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Meet Jayden
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Meet Sally
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Jayden's Story
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Sally's Story
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"It's not Fair"
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Activity 13 - Develop Cup filling plans for children
FREE PREVIEW -
Activity 14 - A solution-focused conversation framework for discussing children’s behaviour
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Activity 15 - Reflecting on your team meeting
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Activity 16 - Cup filling strategies in practice
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Activity 17 - Case study - Josie's behaviour
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Connection seeking
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Case study - Josie's Connection Plan
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Activity 18 - Connection Plan
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A magic ratio
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Activity 19 - Your interaction ratio
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Say what you see, ask a question
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Activity 20 - Say what you see, ask a question
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So what are they seeking?
FREE PREVIEW
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About this course
- $198.00
- 74 lessons
- 1 hour of video content
Is This Course for You?
Early Childhood Educators
Whether you work in long day care, family day care, kindergarten, or preschool - this course was built with you in mind. No prior knowledge of the Phoenix Cups® Framework required.
School-Aged Care Educators & Teachers
The Phoenix Cups® Framework translates beautifully into school settings. If you're supporting children's behaviour and social development, this is for you.
Educational Leaders & Directors
Looking for a whole-team PD resource that builds a shared language and consistent approach? This course is designed to be used individually or as a collaborative team professional learning journey.
Working independently or with a whole team? Both are warmly welcome here. Many educators complete this course solo and then share key ideas with their colleagues. Others enrol their entire service and work through it together. There's no wrong way to do it.
Meet Your Course Author
Course Author & Facilitator
Sandi Phoenix
Founder, Phoenix Support for Educators
Sandi Phoenix is the founder of Phoenix Support for Educators and the creator of the Phoenix Cups® Framework - a humanistic, needs-based approach to understanding human behaviour that has been transforming early childhood and school-aged care settings across Australia since 2016.
With a background spanning education, psychology, and leadership coaching, Sandi is passionate about supporting educators to see behaviour through a compassionate lens - and to build working environments where everyone can thrive. Her warm, engaging teaching style and deep expertise make complex psychological concepts genuinely accessible and immediately practical.
In this updated course, Sandi brings brand-new face-to-camera insights, fresh perspectives on wellbeing and behaviour, and the same unwavering commitment to advocating for the delight of childhood that has made this course Australia's most trusted professional development resource for children's behaviour.
See why other educators love this course!
A fresh approach
Nancy Green
This course provides a fresh perspective of understanding children's needs to understand and guide behaviour rather than bunch of strategies to redirect beha...
Read MoreThis course provides a fresh perspective of understanding children's needs to understand and guide behaviour rather than bunch of strategies to redirect behaviour. All based on theory, evidence and science with links to our frameworks makes it easy to relate to and apply in practice. Love the Phoenix Cups framework analogy and relatable stories. Several things to reflect on with educators and teams. Thank you :)
Read LessEducator Toolkit for Behaviour 2025
Dina Frost
I loved this training and have learned so much I am going to reflect on myself and see how I can change to help children full fill their cup and mine and wil...
Read MoreI loved this training and have learned so much I am going to reflect on myself and see how I can change to help children full fill their cup and mine and will most definitely take this training ideas to my team. Will mention this training to anyone in the near future.
Read LessHelpful, practical, relatable
Rory Kaatz
I didn't think this online course would be helpful when I started. "Just another round of theory which I can't apply practically. Not when you have the kids ...
Read MoreI didn't think this online course would be helpful when I started. "Just another round of theory which I can't apply practically. Not when you have the kids I work with!" But, this course has actually been helpful for my day-to-day practice with the kids I work with, yes even with the kids that feel the most challenging. It's been a change of perspective now, understanding that the kids are just trying to meet their needs. You build that relationship with them, and you can help them meet their needs in a more appropriate (respectful to others) way.
Read LessJet pack man
Cindy Mikolic
I really enjoyed this toolkit and a special mention to jet pack man’s story. I can relate this to quite a few children and the story made me emotional. I lov...
Read MoreI really enjoyed this toolkit and a special mention to jet pack man’s story. I can relate this to quite a few children and the story made me emotional. I love this theory!
Read LessMind blown!
Adela Moreno
Not only do I feel validated, I FINALLY have a framework from which to bring my pedagogy together. Thank you.
Not only do I feel validated, I FINALLY have a framework from which to bring my pedagogy together. Thank you.
Read LessPhoenix Cups framework
Mee Choo
Facilitating solutions Provides common language to communicate ideas and strategies Provides templates for team to collect useful data as professional con...
Read MoreFacilitating solutions Provides common language to communicate ideas and strategies Provides templates for team to collect useful data as professional conversations Facilitates reflections, critical thinking and changes to support children’s behaviour and social learning Lead educators and team new ways of thinking about children’s behaviour.
Read LessAmazing!
Kayla McLachlan
The video 'Jayden and Sally story' was very helpful and interesting! The phoenix cups has already started to help me within myself and my practice at work.
The video 'Jayden and Sally story' was very helpful and interesting! The phoenix cups has already started to help me within myself and my practice at work.
Read LessA Practical and Insightful Toolkit for Educators
Sapna Gupta
This course gave me useful strategies to understand and manage children's behaviour in a positive way. The examples and tools were easy to follow and apply i...
Read MoreThis course gave me useful strategies to understand and manage children's behaviour in a positive way. The examples and tools were easy to follow and apply in real-life situations. A great resource for educators!
Read LessPhoenix Cups
Bianca Hillbrick
Thank you for some amazing tips. This has really made me question the way I approach dealing with the children I educate and has allowed me to look at the b...
Read MoreThank you for some amazing tips. This has really made me question the way I approach dealing with the children I educate and has allowed me to look at the behaviours they exhibit in a completely different light.
Read LessIt can lead educators to new ways of thinking about children
Anna Haddara
Helped me to understand to meet most important life needs for children.
Helped me to understand to meet most important life needs for children.
Read LessIncredible!
Melea Oakden
As always, the course is amazingly informative and exceptionally presented!
As always, the course is amazingly informative and exceptionally presented!
Read LessEducator Toolkit for Behaviour 2021
Jennifer De Bruyn
Chapter 7 a brilliant flow of the Phoenix Cups Framework essence
Chapter 7 a brilliant flow of the Phoenix Cups Framework essence
Read LessA Brilliant Tool for Supporting Children's
Chandani Chandani
As an educator, I now feel more confident in supporting emotional regulation, fostering stronger relationships, and creating a more balanced and empathetic a...
Read MoreAs an educator, I now feel more confident in supporting emotional regulation, fostering stronger relationships, and creating a more balanced and empathetic atmosphere. The course is thoughtfully structured, engaging, and backed by research. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve personal or professional relationships through a lens of compassion and self-awareness.
Read LessComprehensive and Practical Behaviour Support Resource
Zarna Amin
The Educator Toolkit for Behaviour offers a clear, well-structured approach to understanding and supporting children’s behaviour. I appreciated how it integr...
Read MoreThe Educator Toolkit for Behaviour offers a clear, well-structured approach to understanding and supporting children’s behaviour. I appreciated how it integrates evidence-based frameworks like Positive Behaviour Support and the Phoenix Cups, making complex theories accessible and applicable in everyday early childhood settings. The practical strategies, especially around building authentic connections and tailoring responses to individual children’s needs, are very helpful. This toolkit has definitely deepened my understanding of the “why” behind behaviours and provided me with tools to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively. It’s a valuable resource for both new and experienced educators aiming to create supportive, inclusive learning environments.
Read LessSocial and Emotional Learning
Myrna Stoddard
Five basic and human need's
Five basic and human need's
Read Less