Secondary Science Simplified™

No matter what subject or grade you teach or how long you’ve been teaching, you have been behind schedule at least at one point in your career. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it is stressful! Especially if you have an end-of-year test that you’re preparing for. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, in today’s episode, I’m sharing ways to assess why you’re behind schedule and providing practical ways to prevent it from happening in the future. When we start to get behind schedule, our natural reaction is to either rush students or cut instructional resources. However, I caution you to do either of those, for it can bring down student enthusiasm and change your demeanor as a teacher. Instead, I give you four questions to ask yourself where you can begin to assess why you’re behind, which can be eye-opening to what you find important and how much instructional time you actually have. Then, after assessing, I share practical ways you can get back on track or prevent you from being behind schedule in the future. It’s natural to get behind schedule when you have so much science content to teach, but it’s so important to learn where it’s coming from and how to fix it. So, if you’re struggling to fit all of your content in before a big test or the end of the year, this episode is for you! Resources Mentioned: Free Lab AuditAnatomy of a Class PeriodDownload 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/episode116

If you’re a beginning teacher or teaching a new prep for the first time, everyone’s advice is always to fake it till you make it! We’re conditioned to believe that you need to project confidence to show your students that you’re qualified to be their teacher. But is that narrative what’s best for your students? I’ve had many conversations with teachers about how to act confident when you don’t feel that way, and my answer may surprise you. It’s normal to want to display a sense of confidence towards your students when you’re in charge of the classroom. But I want you to think about the benefits of being honest and humble with your students instead. Being able to humanize yourself, show your flaws, and share your mistakes with them lets them know it’s okay for them to do so as well. However, I do share the two things you should feel confident about and how to stay firm in those beliefs. It can be intimidating to stand in front of students for the first time and act like you’ve been there before. Although my answer on how to project confidence when that’s not how you feel may not be the answer you were looking for, I promise it’s exactly what you’ll need to be confident for your students. 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/episode115 

Have you ever made a mistake in your classroom? Or handled a situation differently that caused more problems or regretted how you handled it? I am raising my hand high in the air! Even though it feels like you’re the only teacher something like this has ever happened to, in reality, you’re not alone. I received an email a few months back that resonated with me, and I knew it would resonate with y’all as well. It was from a second career teacher who shared her struggle with this exact topic. But how can you bounce back? Since I knew this was something every teacher could relate to, I wanted to make it a podcast episode to share some encouragement. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing my advice for when you make a mistake in the classroom and some ways to be proactive in the future. Even though we try everything to avoid it, making a mistake in the classroom is inevitable, but it’s how you bounce back that makes all the difference. While I offer words of encouragement and share my own mistakes from when I was in the classroom, I also provide advice. This advice includes a three-step process on ways to admit when you’re wrong, identify ways it could’ve been prevented, how to make it right, and, most importantly, move on and learn from it. It can be a defeating feeling when you’ve made a mistake, or a negative situation has happened in your classroom. Trust me, I’ve been there. However, it shows more about who you are as a teacher on how you bounce back than the actual mistake. So I’m here to remind you that trials and mistakes will happen, but use them as an opportunity to grow and learn from them to be better as an educator.  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/episode114

If you are anything like I was in the classroom, this time of year is when I often felt the most drained, with little energy. The excitement of break seems so far away; it’s dark, and the days seem never-ending. And while I can’t change any of those things for you, I can give you some encouragement to make it through. Similar to last week’s episode, where I shared five systems for the home, in today’s episode, I’m sharing five truths for the classroom. Y’all know how much I thrive off a routine or system, which is exactly what I was going to share today. However, knowing the level of energy you possibly have, I decided on disclosing truths for the classroom instead. In seasons where you are the most drained, you actually need support the most. In the five truths I share, each gives you permission to be yourself, allows you grace, and focuses on what’s important, such as the connection you have with your students. Sometimes, hearing the truth can be difficult. It’s usually the things we don’t want to hear that we need to hear. In this case, these truths give you an opportunity to breathe until you regain your energy. So, if you’re struggling and need support during this season of your life, make sure you take to heart the five truths for the classroom. 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/episode113

With the demands of teaching, we often come home with no energy but are faced with the demands of our home life as well. And just like we have routines put in place to make things easier at school, we can do the same when we’re at home. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing my best systems for the home that will help you maximize your energy from the day. Each of the systems for the home that I share helps you manage the daily tasks of running a home, how to build in more time for yourself, and ways to relax and boundaries for a better mindset. Even though each of the five systems might not work for everyone, I encourage you to take what serves you, particularly depending on where you are in your season of life. I know this is a deviation from the normal topics we discuss on this podcast, but I believe it’s something that’s going to help you optimize your time at home. So, if you didn’t have enough time to recharge or get that energy boost over break like you had wished, implementing these systems for the home (and systems for school in next week’s episode) will help transform your life! Resources Mentioned: Meal Planning NotepadDownload 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/episode112 

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you were able to unplug over this winter break and recharge so you can tackle the last semester of the school year. Since the start of a new year is the perfect time to hit the reset button, I really wanted to start the year off by assessing where you are in life, what your priorities are, and the types of boundaries you should have. During today’s episode, I want to introduce you to what it means to be living in your current season and how to honor that with your priorities and boundaries. Different seasons require different things from us, so it’s important to find ways to make it through based on what your needs are and what matters in your life during your current season. One of the best ways to do that is by naming your priorities and defining boundaries. Your priorities filter through every decision you make during that time, which is why being selective with what matters most is so essential. Additionally, I discuss how to choose certain boundaries that align with your priority and that serve whoever is involved or connected to your priority. I want you to remember that seasons aren’t forever, and it’s going to require you to pick and choose or give and take during certain moments of your life. But by naming your priorities and defining your boundaries, you can make it through your current season. So, I want to encourage you to assess where you’re at so you can have a fresh start in this new year and end the school year strong! Resources Mentioned: The Lazy Genius WebsiteThe Lazy Genius Way BookThe Lazy Genius PodcastThe Lazy Genius on Instagram: @thelazygeniusDownload 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/episode111

It’s officially the last week of 2023, so I wanted to end the year with the most listened to episode from the year. It was no surprise to me that my interview with Casey O’Hearn was the top episode because of his approach to teaching, his philosophies, and his outlook on how to interact and connect with his students. Adapting to teach in a post-pandemic world, Casey shares his approach to classroom management post-COVID and how you can implement his ideas. Post-pandemic, a lot of teachers have had to adapt their management and increase student motivation. These times have presented many challenges for teachers and students, so how can you experience success? My conversation with Casey spans from reaching apathetic students, finding new ways to motivate students, and his effective no-hassle cell phone policy. There’s so much I personally took from our conversation, but the general theme was finding ways to meet students where they’re at in this post-pandemic world. Casey has a great perspective on teaching and classroom management, and I encourage you to reflect on your own philosophies as you jump into 2024! Resources Mentioned: Grab the Anatomy of a Class Period FREEBIEDownload 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/episode110

As I mentioned last week, I’m taking the last weeks of December to replay my top three episodes of the year based on your listens and downloads. I was shocked that this original episode was number two, but so excited because it’s something I’m passionate about, which is curriculum design, specifically strategizing your sequence. This was the first episode in our curriculum design series, which is a great place to start when developing your own curriculum. To get you started, I’m sharing 10 questions to think through when beginning how to strategize your sequence. Since I often get asked about my process for designing a curriculum, I wanted to present to you a series that helped you write your own curriculum for your own classroom. Whether you’re starting from scratch or tweaking the curriculum you’ve already written, after this series, you will be able to walk away with a well-developed curriculum that’s cohesive, aligned, creative, and effective. Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Summer Podcast PDBiology Curriculum - FULL YEAR BundlePhysical Science Curriculum - FULL YEAR BundleAnatomy and Physiology Curriculum FULL YEAR BundleChemistry Curriculum - FULL YEAR BundleDownload 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/episode109

Happy December, y’all! The one word that describes my life right now, which might describe yours as well, is frantic. So, I thought for the rest of the month, we’d revisit episodes from this past year that can either be good reminders for you during this last month of school or ideas you need to think about or reinforce when you return from break in January. In today’s episode, we’re listening to the third most popular episode, which focuses on five classroom management routines and procedures for your secondary classroom. The number of procedures and routines you have set up in your classroom is solely determined by your own teaching philosophies, personality, and style. So before setting up a procedure because “that’s what you should do,” make sure you reflect and ask yourself some questions regarding consistent conflicts, disruptions, and personal preferences.  My constant message when it comes to classroom management is finding ways to be proactive instead of reactive. With each of these five classroom management routines and procedures, they establish an effective work ethic and eliminate distractions and late or incomplete work. Even though you’re in the middle of the year, it’s never too late to reflect and examine your teaching and classroom behaviors to see if they need to be reworked or newly enforced. These are my top five classroom management routines and procedures, so whether you implement these or come up with your own, make sure they’re what you need and best fit your classroom. Resources Mentioned:  Biology Bell Ringers or Exit Slips – Full Year BundlePhysical Science Bell Ringers or Exit Slips – Full Year BundleAnatomy and Physiology Bell Ringers or Exit Slips – Full Year BundleBlue Pocket Charts for Classroom Supplies OrganizerBigLight Push Lights 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/episode108

You all know that I want to bring you as much information and perspectives on a topic as possible. With last week’s episode on standards-based grading being a new idea and way of grading for some of you, I wanted to bring on another teacher who has years of experience implementing this in her classroom. Boni Hamilton, a friend and experienced teacher, is sharing how to integrate NGSS and standards-based grading in both a middle school and high school science classroom. Boni has such a unique perspective, as she simultaneously used both a traditional grade report alongside a standards-based report. While this eased the minds of parents and students who were comfortable with traditional grading, it did bring up challenges. Boni is honest in our conversation, along with her students, as she navigated this type of grading system. She describes why she believes standards-based grading is more accurate, authentic, and honest as it pertains to mastering skills and content. As you listen to this episode, you will see how this conversation, and others involving this topic, has stretched my thinking and will stretch yours as well. Although work ethic, behavior, and responsibility need to be addressed, with standards-based grading, you truly get the best picture of how a student is performing academically in your content-specific classes. 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/episode107