Secondary Science Simplified™

We are kicking off our Summer Podcast PD with a topic I get asked about most - LABS! There is so much to cover when it comes to labs and how to simplify them.  But let’s be honest, you likely aren’t in the headspace at this point of the school year to strategize about how to simplify your lab days. So today, I am sharing the one thing you can do NOW to help simplify every future lab day. In today’s episode, I am walking you through, step by step, how to audit your current labs so you have all the information you need to improve your labs and ensure you are doing the right labs! Be sure to grab the FREE lab audit sheet to help you audit your labs.  Do you know a secondary science teacher friend who you want to join you in the FREE Podcast PD? Get your teacher friends together, hold each other accountable, and take action on these bite sized PD episodes all summer!Resources Mentioned:Grab the FREE Lab Audit HereSign up for the Summer Podcast PD SeriesJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.For all resources mentioned, head to the show notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode74 

Happy teacher appreciation week, my friend! I truly hope that you are being celebrated and shown how much you are appreciated this week! Unfortunately, I know that Teacher Appreciation Week doesn’t always go the way that we hope it would. Sometimes, how we are shown “appreciation” is simply unbelievable and today, we are hearing some stories from listeners about their ridiculous teacher appreciation gifts.I want you to know that you ARE appreciated for all your efforts! So to show my appreciation, I am offering 10% off the It’s Not Rocket Science resource shop for the month of May using code MAYPOD10. This code is stackable so you can use it in addition to any other codes! PLUS, I am doing FREE PD all summer on the podcast! Each week, I’ll be sharing practical, actionable, and specific PD on the Secondary Science Simplified podcast so you can take the information to prepare for next year. I am so excited to share this with you starting next week!Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode73 Resources Mentioned: Grab your calendar and notes sheet for the FREE Summer PD on the podcastShop the It’s Not Rocket Science Shop with code MAYPOD10 Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: Rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge!Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.

The end of the year is fast approaching which means that benchmark and EOC exams will be here soon. If you’re anything like me, you HATE reviewing! If you dread review days as much as I do, I have some ideas and tips to help make them a little less painful for you. Today, I am sharing 4 tips for review strategies for your upcoming EOC and benchmark exams. End of the year exams can be incredibly stressful for students and for teachers as student performance can impact your job. I want to help reduce the stress of preparing your students for these exams by sharing tips to simplify this year’s test prep and review. In this episode, I am sharing 2 tips for if you are working on a team and 2 tips for all secondary science teachers. We are diving into how to divide and conquer review topics, the benefits of rotating teachers/students, why you should prepare with as many practice problems as possible, and how to effectively use review stations.Let me know if you’ll be using any of the tips I shared today. I love it and feel so encouraged when you send me a DM on Instagram and share the podcast with others!Resources Mentioned:Giant Sticky Notes to use in review stationsBiology Vocabulary Review GameAnatomy and Physiology Vocabulary Review GamePhysical Science Vocabulary Review GameJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode72 

Working with difficult admin or difficult coworkers can make or break a teaching position. Last episode, my high school chemistry teacher Zach Matson joined us to talk all about dealing with difficult parents. He is joining us again today to share all about his experience and insight into dealing with difficult admin and coworkers. Talking with Zach is always so incredible, entertaining, and helpful! In his 20+ years of teaching, he has experienced some difficult situations that he is sharing to help other teachers who may be working with challenging admin or coworkers. In this episode, we are discussing, working with difficult coworkers and in PLCs, advice for how to know when it’s time to move on because of difficult admin, tips for what to look for in admin when interviewing, and his advice for new teachers. We covered so much information in this episode and I know you are going to love this conversation as much as I did!Resources Mentioned:Check out Zach’s YouTube Channel, Matson ChemistryJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode71

Dealing with difficult parents can be one of the worst things about teaching secondary science. So many of us would love advice on how to handle challenging situations, what to say when issues arise, or how to stop taking things personally from teachers who have been there and figured it out. That is one of the reasons I brought my high school chemistry teacher, Zach Matson, back on the podcast!Zach is a 20 year teaching veteran who is full of amazing insight and advice for high school science teachers and today, he is talking all about dealing with difficult parents. He has had his share of difficult parents over the course of his career and he is sharing some great advice and tips for handling these situations. In this episode, we are talking about how to handle emails from difficult parents, setting boundaries, how to deal with a potentially failing student, and what he has done in cheating situations.Zach will be back again next week talking about admin and coworkers. Be sure to follow or subscribe to the Secondary Science Simplified podcast wherever you listen so you don’t miss it!Resources Mentioned:Check out Zach’s YouTube Channel, Matson ChemistrySend me a voice recording for the “Teacher Appreciation Week Gone Wrong” episodeJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode70 

Admin support can completely make or break your job as a secondary science teacher. As high school science teachers, we have so much on our plates already - planning, prepping labs, grading, teaching how many preps, pressure from parents, etc. Without support from admin, this job can be even more challenging. So how can you get support from admin? ASK! That’s right, you need to actually ask for what you need and ask in an effective way.I spent my first few years struggling because I was afraid to ask my admin for what I needed to effectively teach my classes. I learned the hard way that I needed help and I needed to ask my admin for that help. I also learned a few things along the way about asking for support from admin and I’m sharing those lessons with you so you can confidently ask your admin for support. In this episode, we are covering why you need to ask for help, my best tips for how to ask your admin, and ways admin can support you that do not cost money. As always, if something is holding you back from asking your admin for help, reach out to me and I’d LOVE to empower you to ask for the support and resources you need!There is still time to submit your stories for the Teacher Appreciation Week gone wrong episode!. Please DM or send me a voice recording about a time when you received a “gift” or “treat” for Teacher Appreciation Week that we just wouldn’t believe. I’ll be giving away five $10 TpT gift cards to people who share with us. I can’t wait to hear all your stories!Resources Mentioned:Send me a voice recording for the “Teacher Appreciation Week Gone Wrong” episodeOverview of It’s Not Rocket Science Biology Curriculum for AdminOverview of It’s Not Rocket Science Anatomy Curriculum for AdminOverview It’s Not Rocket Science Physical Science Curriculum for AdminJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode69

It’s contract season! Have you received your teacher contract for next year yet? If not, it will likely be coming soon and regardless of if you are staying or not, you may be feeling a lot of emotions. If you are on the fence about staying in your current position or leaving, I strongly suggest you think through it in a neutral way without letting fear or exhaustion make the decision for you. One way to do this is to look closely through your teacher contract and determine if it best serves you in this season.Being a teacher these past few years has been incredibly challenging which has led many teachers to question whether they should return to teaching next year, stay in their current position, or try switching schools. When I left teaching in early 2020, I too had to make tough decisions and one thing that helped to make my decision to leave was looking through my contract. If you are unsure what to do next year, I want to help you by talking you through four things to consider when evaluating your teacher contract. Today, we are taking a close look at requirements vs. expectations, school and district culture, financial implications, and considering where you are in your current season of life.We have been covering some hard topics lately and I would love to be able to give us all a much-needed laugh, but I need YOUR help! For Teacher Appreciation Week, I would love to do an episode on Teacher Appreciation Week gone wrong. Please DM or send me a voice recording about a time when you received a “gift” or “treat” for Teacher Appreciation Week that we just wouldn’t believe. I’ll be giving away five $10 TpT gift cards to people who share with us. I can’t wait to hear all your stories!Resources Mentioned:Send me a voice recording for the “Teacher Appreciation Week Gone Wrong episodeJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode68 

You know I am always here to support you and want to see you thrive in the classroom! I know, however, that even with all the tips, advice, and resources I share, you may still be considering whether or not being in the classroom is the best choice for you. If that’s where you currently find yourself, I want you to feel supported, too. That’s why I am so excited that our guest today, Teacher Career Coach, Daphne Gomez, is here to share some amazing advice for you.It’s that time of year when contracts start coming out and you are deciding what your plans are for next year. You may be set on staying in your current role or you may be considering other options. If you are thinking of exiting the classroom but are unsure where to start, Daphne’s got you! She is sharing what led her to leave the classroom, specific indicators of if it is time to make a shift, examples of types of careers teachers can transition into, advice for what to do if you are ready to leave or starting to consider it, and how she helps teachers who are looking to transition out of teaching. Resources:Free Career QuizTeacher Career Coach CourseFree Month Trial of LinkedIn LearningBuilding a Second Brain BookJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode67 

Are you unsure if you want to teach in a public school or a private school next year? In my experience, there are definitely differences between the two and pros and cons to both and finding which school is the best fit for you is so important. So today, I am sharing tips that I have learned from my experience in both public and private schools to help you wherever you end up next year.I want to help you THRIVE and not just survive in whatever school you teach at so I am sharing my best advice for teaching at private schools and public schools. In this episode, I am giving you 10 tips for teaching in a private school, 10 quick tips for teaching in a public school, and how these tips helped me while teaching at different schools.No matter where you end up teaching next year, I truly believe the most important thing about your happiness and job satisfaction is the support you receive. I hope you find a school that you have good support from your admin, parents, and coworkers and that fits well with your current season of life!Be sure to follow the Secondary Science Simplified podcast on your favorite podcast player! We have some amazing episodes coming up that you do not want to miss!Resources:FREE Parent Communication LogJoin the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram:@its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your Classroom Reset ChallengeFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode66 

Contract season is quickly approaching, meaning soon, you’ll have to decide if you will return to the same school next year or look for someplace new. If you’re unsure if you will sign or not, I want to help you make this decision. I am sharing 10 things to take into consideration when you are deciding whether to stay at your current school or look for a new school.We are all aware that every school has its issues and that no school is perfect. We also know that every school is very different. That is why I think it’s important to reevaluate whether to stay or move on every couple of years so you can decide if where you’re at is serving you and what’s most important to you in your current season.All schools have their downfalls but I think it’s so important to find a place where you feel supported in your current season of life. That means it may be time to look at your family and priorities and weigh the positives and negatives of staying or leaving your school. If you have any specific questions about this conversation or need support in this decision-making process, PLEASE REACH OUT on Instagram or by email! I am here for you!  Resources Mentioned:Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlistSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com Grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge!Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode65