Secondary Science Simplified™

What if I told you it’s possible to end the year strong and prepare for the year ahead so that when you come back in the fall, you can start the year ready and rested rather than overwhelmed and stressed? That’s exactly what we’re talking about in this month’s podcast episodes.This series is designed to equip you with specific and simple things you can do each week in small chunks as you end the school year. These actionable steps will set you up for success next year so you can actually unplug from work this summer and recharge before entering another school year. I’ll share one practical challenge per episode that you can do now to serve “future you” and your students next year. In today’s episode, I challenge you to take some time to reflect on your current year and the procedures you had in place. Whether you have a few weeks or a few months left in this school year, it’s really important to do this now while this school year is fresh in your mind. Join me as I lead you through some thought-provoking reflection questions and give you some tips for brainstorming changes you can make to improve things for next year.Join the waitlist for Secondary Science Simplified Professional Development Course: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/waitlist/Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode20

When I first started this podcast, I knew I would love to interview my dear friend and past co-worker, Jamie Whitlock. I learned so much from Jamie as her coworker and learned even more from her just through doing this interview, and I am so excited to have her on the show. In this episode, you’ll hear about Jamie’s experience in the classroom as a full time teacher and what she has learned from spending the last four years in other teachers’ classrooms observing and supporting them as an instructional coach. We cover her transition into teaching as a second career, teaching a high stakes EOC-based course. We also discuss working on a team of teachers and how to collaborate with coworkers, even difficult ones or those NOT in your subject area.  Jamie provides so much wisdom with regards to whole classroom management strategies as well as garnering respect from students, particularly in the difficult setting of teaching in a post-pandemic classroom.  She shares her experience working on her educational doctorate while teaching full time and raising two children and how earning this additional degree has really opened some amazing doors for her in the field of education. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode19

What do you do with that awkward, random amount of time you have after end-of-year testing is over? Whether you have 3 days or 3 weeks left till the last day of school, energy this time of year is at an all-time low, and senioritis is running rampant, even if you don’t teach seniors! This last year has been especially challenging for so many teachers, and I totally understand if you’re just ready to breathe a sigh of relief that the testing is over and summer break is almost here. You and your students have worked hard to get here, and you all deserve to rest and relax. If you’re not ready to throw in the towel yet and want to maximize every last day of the school year, this episode is for you.Today I’m sharing 4 ideas for meaningful, yet fun things you can do after testing with your students that will keep them engaged and learning right up to summer break. These are simple, no-prep and low-prep ideas that don’t put pressure on you or your students. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode18

For the month of April, I'm doing podcast episodes all based on your questions and requests. I love making episodes that are helpful to you, so if there’s something you want to hear about on the podcast, shoot me a DM on Instagram and let me know! Last week, in episode 16, I covered one of the most requested topics, how to write sub plans for secondary science. Be sure to go back and listen if you missed it! Today's episode is all about celebrating Earth Day in your secondary science class. We’ll cover why you should take time to celebrate with your students and exactly how to do that in simple yet effective ways. Grab your FREE Earth Day resource: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/earthday/ Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode17

Over the next few weeks, I'm doing a series of episodes based on listener requests. I love hearing from you and providing content that is relevant. So…what was the most requested topic? How to best write sub plans for secondary science!  It’s really no surprise. How many jobs do you know of where it is actually so much harder to be out of work than it is to actually just be there? Writing sub plans as a secondary science teacher specifically is almost always worse than just powering through your dreaded seasonal allergies or actually making it to your bi-yearly dentist appointment.  In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing my 5 best strategies with a simple action item for each one that you can take and implement right away to set yourself up for success. I am a huge advocate for using all of your personal days and your sick days as you need them every year, despite the hassle of finding a sub and writing sub plans. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode16

What better way to top off our mini-series on Senioritis than an interview with a teacher who has taught a lot of seniors in her career. I am so excited to welcome my friend, Diana Price, to the show today! In this episode, Diana shares some tips for how she personally handles senioritis with her students. She also talks about her entire teaching experience, from starting out as a floater teaching at the high school she went to, to now teaching mid-pandemic at a small private school as the only teacher who teaches the 5 preps that she has. She shares a wealth of knowledge, especially in relation to her experiences teaching AP biology. Even if you don’t teach AP biology, you’ll walk away from this episode with some practical strategies for simplifying your life as a secondary science teacher. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode15

I’ve saved the best for last! In episode 12 and episode 13 I shared tips for combating senioritis as it creeps up in our classrooms this year. If you missed those episodes, be sure to go back and listen. It is possible to keep your students engaged and keep yourself energized so you can finish the year strong as a high school science teacher.  In today’s episode, I will be sharing my number one strategy for setting yourself up for future success, so senioritis won’t be something you dread every year. Now is the perfect time to reevaluate your core sequence and your pacing guides for next school year to set yourself up for success with combating senioritis and spring fever a year from now and every year after that. Check out the show notes for all the resources in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode14

Fighting students for their attention is the last thing you want to do when combating Senioritis. The more choices we can provide for our students, the better our chances for finishing the year on a positive note and avoiding the symptoms of Senioritis. It is possible to provide choices to students without spending tons of time prepping and exhausting yourself as a teacher. When you shift as many activities as possible to be student-centered, you take most of the prep-work out of your own hands and put the responsibility for learning back on the students.  Whether you teach seniors or not, most students (and teachers) suffer from Senioritis, so it’s important that we find ways to change things up to keep our students engaged and learning through the end of the year. If you missed Part 1 of this series, be sure to check out Episode 12 where I shared my first two strategies for combating Senioritis in your students.  Today, I’m sharing two more strategies that will keep your students engaged and fight off Senioritis. And best of all, these strategies require very little prep on your part. So if you’re feeling tired and dragging at this point in the school year, be encouraged to try these simple ideas with your students to bring some fun and engagement back into the classroom without exhausting yourself. Check out the show notes for all the resources in this episode: itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode13

As the weather starts changing and the days are getting longer, Spring Fever starts to set in. I call it Senioritis, and whether you teach seniors or not, this condition does not discriminate based on student age. To be perfectly honest, Senioritis hits me as well. I get just as antsy as my students do for Spring Break and feel myself longing for summer days where I can escape the four walls of the classroom. This month, I’m doing a 3-part series all about combating Senioritis. I’ll be sharing specific suggestions for keeping your students engaged until the end of the year, despite the weather changing and the countdowns to summer break. In today’s episode, I'm sharing two simple strategies you can implement to shift the mood in your classroom drastically right away. Check out the show notes for all the resources in this episode: itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode12

I am so excited to introduce today’s guest, Sam Holcomb. Sam is sharing tips and strategies from her own experience balancing up to 7 preps at a time! She struggled during her first year trying to do it all, but soon, she began to implement the strategies she talks about today to simplify her life. Now she enjoys helping other teachers eliminate the overwhelm and stress that so many face. Sam Holcomb was an engineer who specialized in lean, efficient systems and project management until jumping headfirst into a lifelong goal of teaching science. After an overwhelming first year as a department of 1 with 7 preps and no education background, she was exhausted. Realizing this overwhelm was extremely common, she knew something had to change. Now, Sam takes her engineering background and helps secondary science teachers create efficient systems, templates, and freedom to enjoy science again! Check out the show notes for all the resources in this episode: itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode11