203. Who Makes up the Deficit? How to Respond When Students Are Behind

One of the toughest realities for teachers is realizing that your students are already behind before the year even begins. That’s exactly what we’re tackling in this episode. Last week, we talked about how to handle things when students fail a test at the end of a unit, but this week, I’m flipping the script (thanks to another great listener question!) and asking: what do you do when you realize that your students don’t have the background knowledge or skills they need to be successful in your class? I share how to respond when you realize students are starting the year behind, how to decide what’s your responsibility versus theirs, ways to get practical support from colleagues and tools like AI, and more.

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode203

Resources Mentioned:

• INRS Complete Units 
• Balance PD Course 
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
• Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD course
• Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com  
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.

Related Episodes and Blog Posts:

• Episode 69, Admin Support - WHY You Need to Ask, HOW to Ask, and WHAT to Ask For
• Episode 123, What to Do When You Care More Than Your Students
• Episode 145, How to Build Resilience in Students Post-Pandemic
• Episode 155, How to Create Active and Accountable Learners in Your Secondary Science Classroom

4 FREE Halloween-themed resources specifically for high school science - 1 for biology, 1 for chemistry, 1 for anatomy, and 1 for physics.  Be sure to grab them at https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/halloween/