In this video I’m sharing real in-class footage from a recent GoGoKid lesson where a student came in HOT—angry, frustrated, and not interested in playing along. Instead of pushing harder (which usually makes it worse), I lean into one of my favorite tools from my circus-performer-and-teacher toolbox: puppetry. You’ll see how I use a puppet to shift the energy in the room, lower the pressure, and give the student a new “safe” way to engage without feeling like they’re losing face. My big takeaway is simple: when a kid is upset, I don’t try to “win” with more volume or more corrections. I try to change the mood. Puppets help me do that because they add humor, curiosity, and a little bit of distance—sometimes a student will talk to the puppet way before they’ll talk to me. I also talk through what I’m doing so you can copy-paste the approach into your own online classes, whether you teach GoGoKid, VIPKid, Magic Ears, or anywhere else.