Ever feel like the first 10 days of school are a wild juggling act—especially when you’re teaching multiple preps? Trust me, I’ve been there!

In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing my top strategies for creating smoother starts and lowering overwhelm, from using “accordion activities” you can flex across any subject, to teaching routines just in time instead of all at once.

If you’re a middle or high school teacher looking for practical ways to save time, build relationships, and set up routines that actually stick (without burning out before Labor Day), this episode is your roadmap to making those chaotic first days feel calm and doable.

Let’s kick off the year together with less stress and more confidence!

Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.

Get the Planning Period Reset Toolkit—a free set of quick-start tools to help you protect your time, focus faster, and finally finish something… even during chaotic school days. https://khristenmassic.com/reset 

Ready to stop doing it all yourself? Grab the free Make AI Your Teaching Assistant PD and see how AI can actually help. https://khristenmassic.com/ta

Take the overwhelm out of multi-prep teaching—your free support system, the Simplify Your Preps Collective, is waiting: https://khristenmassic.com/collective

Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach