Secondary Science Simplified™

In the past, I’ve always chosen a word of the year to help guide what I want for myself, my family, and my career in the upcoming year. However, this year, I chose a mental mindset for the year, which was “no rules.” I was so used to finding efficient ways to run my business and classroom when I was in it that I wanted to make a change and make decisions through a different lens. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing four ways having “no rules” has changed my life and how it could change your school year, too. As a disclaimer, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have any rules in your life or classroom. Instead, by adopting this concept, you’re learning to be more flexible, fun, and free and slow down with your responses. This requires you to think about the “why” behind everything you do and determine if there’s a true purpose for it or if you’re able to bend the rules and try something different. To help provide further understanding, I’m sharing life examples and how to apply this “no rules” concept in your classroom. Learning not to be as rigid and structured was a challenge I wanted to tackle this year. After seeing the positive changes having “no rules” impacted my life, I wanted to share my experience and challenge you to break free of some of the rules established in your classroom and try a new way of thinking or approach to changing your entire classroom culture. So join me in this new mental mindset shift and see how it impacts your thought process and classroom! Resources Mentioned: Virtual PD Courses for Science TeachersDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode144

Whether you’ve been in school mode for a while or are still enjoying your summer, I always try to spend August helping teachers prepare for the upcoming school year. We all know how stressful and demanding the year can be, so I wanted to really be intentional about finding ways that were super helpful and simplify your life as a secondary science teacher. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing my top 5 favorite teacher hacks for the new school year. Each of my 5 teacher hacks is a personal thing that I have done during my teaching career. They cover different aspects of teaching but also have a focus on behavior management and building relationships. With each teacher hack, I go into detail explaining what it is, how it was implemented in my classroom, and how it directly benefits not only yourself as the teacher but also your students. While I could talk about hundreds of ways that would simplify your teaching life, I wanted to only choose 5 that are super simple and easy to implement no matter where you are in your back-to-school season. By finding a few teacher hacks that will work for you, you’re able to decrease behavior challenges, build relationships, get support from parents, spend less time grading, and stagger your workload for each of your courses. Who wouldn’t want all that at the beginning of a new school year!? Resources Mentioned: Virtual PD Courses for Science TeachersIt’s Not Rocket Science Prime TimesAcademic Desk CalendarDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode143

I’ve talked many times about my experience teaching AP science courses before, and I even did an entire series talking to teachers who teach various AP science disciplines, so y’all know how challenging it can be. However, think about if you’re still a beginning teacher and being thrown into teaching an AP course. That’s what happened to my guest on today’s episode, Laura Tice. Laura is sharing her reflections as a first-year AP teacher, including how her students did on the exam, her highs and lows from the year, and how she’s already revamping her curriculum for the upcoming school year. Teaching any AP course is no joke, but as Laura describes, it’s absolutely worth it. She loved working with AP level students and talked about how their work ethic and drive gave her the confidence to teach the course, but also with some humility throughout the year. While Laura discloses the things that didn’t go her way, she’s taking those challenges and making a point to make the necessary changes to fix them to help her students be successful in those areas. Laura even had two weeks left to review before the exam, in which she shared her one piece of advice for making that possible. After my conversation with Laura, I was so impressed by her wisdom, enthusiasm, and humility as a first-year AP teacher. She encountered a few challenges and struggles throughout the year, which is to be expected, but she is using her reflections as room for improvement for the upcoming school year. Laura shares a lot of strategies and advice as a first-year AP teacher that I know you all will want to take and implement in your own classrooms this school year. Resources Mentioned: Download your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode142

It’s hard to believe that the start of another school year is just around the corner, which means that planning for the first day of school and your first units is starting to take place. The first day of school can sometimes feel chaotic, and teachers are often unsure what they should even be covering on that day. So, to help those teachers out, I’m sharing the four things I always do on the first day of school and an overview of my first units for each science discipline. With so many things to cover in the first few days of school, it can be difficult to know what you should spend those days doing. However, it’s important to go back to what you care about most, which will help you and your students have a successful school year. So, if you’re looking for ideas on structuring your first day of school and first units of study in your science courses, this episode is for you! Resources Mentioned:  Virtual PD Courses for Science TeachersIt’s Not Rocket Science Biology Basics UnitIt’s Not Rocket Science Introduction to Anatomy UnitIt’s Not Rocket Science Introduction to Chemistry UnitIt’s Not Rocket Science Scientific Method UnitAll It’s Not Rocket Science Complete UnitsFree Characteristics of Life Inquiry ActivityFlinn ScientificCarolina Biological Supply Download your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode141

With the school year quickly approaching, many teachers are getting their jobs and starting to figure out what science courses they’ll be teaching. And if you see chemistry on your course list, you might be hitting the freak-out button! Especially as a new teacher, chemistry can be intimidating to teach, but it also gives a lot of fun and freedom to add some creativity into your lessons. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing five chemistry tips to help you find success teaching this course this year. Since I taught chemistry, I wanted to share my advice and add my own personal experience to it as well. Chemistry is a science discipline that can intimidate a lot of students, which is why I always found it beneficial to teach students why it matters and use tools, models, and visuals to make it more relatable and approachable for them. This helps them find a real connection to the course and enjoy the class that much more. I also provide examples of my scope and sequence and a few classic labs and activities I incorporated throughout the year. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginning teacher, teaching chemistry has its challenges. But by keeping my five tips in mind, you will have success teaching this course this year, which is always the goal when a new school year begins again. Resources Mentioned: Virtual PD Courses for Science TeachersFree Chemistry Curriculum Pacing GuideChemistry Curriculum - Full Year BundleIt’s Not Rocket Science Chemistry ResourcesDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode140

These days, I'm all about doing things now that serve my future self. In last week's episode, I shared five principles I do in my business that serve my future self and how they can translate to the classroom. However, since those principles might serve you next month, quarter, or even school year, I wanted to share an immediate benefit for your future self. In today's episode, I'm sharing how Friday planning can be used to prevent Sunday scaries. If you are anything like I was in the classroom, I couldn't wait for my weekend to start and then felt the dread and overwhelm creep up on Sunday when I realized all I needed to do for the upcoming week. I hated this feeling so much that I created a process to prevent Sunday scaries from ever happening. Although you don't have to choose Friday to be the day you plan out your next week, make copies, and stay a little later, I'm going to share why I think it's the best day for it, how it'll make you feel, and my process for what it looks like and how to do it to maximize the prevention of Sunday scaries. Nothing dampens your Sunday like the realization of the papers you need to grade, copies you need to make for the lab the next day, or the number of emails you have to respond to sitting in your inbox. But by taking some time on Friday to plan your upcoming week, you will have eliminated the Sunday scaries and can enjoy your weekend without thinking about work!Resources Mentioned: Virtual PD Courses for Science Teachers WaitlistDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode139

I frequently think about how much the principles I've learned from running a business (and parenting) have changed my perspective on teaching. This got me thinking about what I would implement based on what I know now if I ever return to the classroom. And whenever I realize something useful and helpful, I want to share it with y'all! So, in today's episode, I'm sharing five ways you can serve future you with what I've learned in business that would apply to the classroom. As teachers, we all live busy lives. We're constantly doing everything we can for our students while also having a busy personal life. So one way to work smarter and not harder is by doing things to serve future you. Each of the five ways includes performing tasks with a strategic plan, grouping similar items together, and being diligent about doing things correctly the first time. I also provide examples of how I'd use these ideas in the classroom. One of the best things you can do to save time in the long run is to give a gift to your future self. With key ideas I've learned from working on my business, I wanted to share how these tactics can be applied in your classroom to be more efficient and effective. So be sure to take a listen on ways to save time with five ways to serve future you! Resources Mentioned: It’s Not Rocket Science PD WaitlistDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode138

As teachers, we know how hard it is to manage and balance our work and personal lives. But when you add being a new mom and an AP teacher to the mix, it makes that even harder. We’re always looking for tips and secrets to find that balance. My guest on today’s episode, Kimberly Leary, just might have figured it out! In today’s episode, Kimberly is sharing her knowledge and experience on a variety of topics, including how to prepare for maternity leave as an AP teacher, advice for teaching AP Environmental Science, and how to achieve a work/life balance as a new mom. Being an AP teacher, especially in the discipline of Environmental Science, which covers a wide variety of topics, has its challenges, and Kimberly has faced them all. She credits her detailed personality for keeping pace and not deviating while teaching and how she handled substitute plans during her maternity leave. Teaching a discipline that most people aren’t familiar with required her to be thoughtful, intentional, and detailed with the plans she left while she was on leave. She shares how this helped the many teachers covering her classes and how that impacted her students once she returned. Once Kimberly became a mom, she knew setting boundaries that created a better work/life balance was necessary. Even though this required her to change her mindset and set realistic expectations for herself as it pertained to her workload and grading, she eventually found the right balance. She shares how she did it and the priority shift she had to make. It’s very natural to want to be the best mom you can be while still being passionate about your teaching career. That’s why creating a work/life balance the best you can is critical to your success at both. So take a listen and get advice from Kimberly, a first-time mom and AP teacher, on how to have it all! Resources Mentioned: National APES teachers Facebook groupAPES Teachers Unleashed Facebook groupMr. Smedes - APESvsEVERYBODYDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode137

When I was a classroom teacher without any kids, I had no idea of the correlation or commonality that being a parent and a teacher would have. Now, being a parent, I would do some things differently and have a different lens on, which is why I’ve loved doing this series on things I’ve learned from parenting that can apply to teaching. In this episode, we’re wrapping up this series on ways to build a team mindset into your classroom culture. Classrooms and families are very similar in that they’re both run as a community or unit. Even though each person has individual roles, everyone needs to function as a whole. I know that building a positive and inclusive classroom culture is so important, but I’m also discussing ways you can build a team mindset, get your students involved, and have them get to know each other. Being the leader of your classroom, you will show them how and explain why it’s essential in building a classroom culture. Managing your classroom isn’t just about disruptive behaviors or challenging students. It’s also about how your classroom functions and the feelings students have within your four walls. Personally, I want my classroom and home to be a safe place with positivity and inclusion. So, if you want to create the same in your classroom, make sure you build a team mindset into your classroom culture! Resources Mentioned: Virtual PD Courses by It’s Not Rocket Science WaitlistDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode136

If you’ve been listening each week, you know that this month, I’ve been doing a special series where I’ve reflected on things I’ve done and learned as a parent and how they can transfer to the classroom. I’ve been surprised by how much is transferable and have loved hearing your responses to these ideas as well. Today’s topic is something I’ve talked about with another friend relating to parenting but practiced while in the classroom. That is anticipatory conversations. So, in this episode, I’m sharing what anticipatory conversations are, what they can look like, and how to use them in the classroom. I’ve always been a fan of finding ways to be proactive rather than reactive, and that’s exactly what anticipatory conversations do. They help lay the guidelines, expectations, and potential consequences before an event or activity takes place. This helps diffuse any potential chaos that could arise since students or kids already know what’s expected of them. I share examples of how I’ve used this with my own kids and ways I used it in the classroom before labs, tests, or any other activity where chaos could happen. In using anticipatory conversations in my life, I’ve found that repetition is key, along with other key tips that help make this strategy more effective. Providing expectation reminders helps you be proactive in certain situations rather than reactive during the heat of the moment. Likewise, students and kids know what’s expected of them ahead of time. So be sure to use anticipatory conversations to alleviate potential chaos in your personal and work life!  Resources Mentioned: Virtual PD Courses by It’s Not Rocket Science WaitlistIt’s Not Rocket Science Complete UnitsCall BellsDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsShow Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode135