The Secondary Teacher | Elective Teacher Resources, Secondary Teacher Strategies, and Teacher Planning

By Khristen Massic | Elective Teacher Resources, Secondary Teacher Strategies, Teacher PlanningEducation How To Courses

The Secondary Teacher | Elective Teacher Resources, Secondary Teacher Strategies, and Teacher Planning episodes

June 04, 2024 Ep 209: Summer Break Strategies for Teachers: How to Plan, Manage Tasks, and Focus on Relaxation
Hey secondary teachers! Ready to tackle your summer prep without feeling overwhelmed?
Join me in this episode as I share practical strategies for breaking down tasks, estimating time needed, and finding pockets of time in your day to get things done while still enjoying your break.
Let's make the most of our summer prep!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
11 min
May 28, 2024 Ep 208: Strategies for Summer: Balancing Teacher Planning, Downtime, and Curriculum Innovation
Calling all secondary teachers with multiple preps!
Join me in this episode as reflect on finding balance between revamping curriculum and taking time to recharge.
Discover valuable tips on preparing for the next school year without overwhelming yourself.
Tune in for practical advice on creating space for inspiration and organizing resources efficiently.
Press play now to supercharge your summer planning!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
12 min
May 21, 2024 Ep 207: Unpacking the School Year: Self-Reflection Questions for Educators
Navigating the ups and downs of being a secondary teacher can feel like a rollercoaster, especially when managing multiple preps and student dynamics.
In this week's episode, we're delving into the power of reflection in improving your teaching practice. Join me as I share effective reflection questions that can help you celebrate your accomplishments, identify what's working, and make necessary adjustments for the next school year.
From recognizing what you've achieved to assessing what you could stop doing, we'll explore ways to make your classes work better for you and your students.
So find a quiet spot, and tune in to discover how a little introspection can go a long way in enhancing your teaching approach.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
12 min
May 14, 2024 Ep 206: The Final Stretch: End-of-Year Survival Tips for Teachers
As the school year winds down, I understand the struggle to juggle it all – teaching, grading, and trying to have a personal life too.
In this episode, I share 6 practical strategies to help you not just survive, but thrive, as you navigate the end of the school year.
From taking the time you need for your family to being okay with not getting everything done, these tips will help you find balance and sanity in the midst of the chaos.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
10 min
May 07, 2024 Ep 205: Teacher Appreciation Beyond Gifts: Celebrating Ourselves During Teacher Appreciation Week
Feeling underappreciated as a teacher during Teacher Appreciation Week?
Join me on this week's episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast as I share my tips for celebrating yourself and staying motivated, even when the appreciation falls short.
With simple, budget-friendly ideas like writing notes to colleagues, treating yourself to a special snack, and carving out time for self-care, you can make it through the school year feeling valued and appreciated—by yourself.
Listen in for a boost of inspiration and practical strategies to honor and reward yourself, whether it's Teacher Appreciation Week or any other time.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
11 min
April 30, 2024 Ep 204: Engaging Secondary Students: Low-Prep Ideas to Keep Them Active Until Year-End
Hey there secondary teachers! Feeling the pressure as the school year wraps up? I get it.
But what if I told you there are ways to keep your students engaged without piling on the prep? In this episode, I'm sharing three low-to-no-prep ideas that kept my secondary students engaged right up until the last day of school.
From playing with toys and games to reading aloud, I've got you covered.
Stay tuned to learn some time-saving strategies to keep your classroom buzzing right through the end of the school year (and beyond!) without burning out.
Trust me, after 16 years in education, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. Let's make the end of the school year a blast without the stress!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
11 min
April 23, 2024 Ep 203: Practical Strategies for Secondary Teachers to Prepare for Summer and the Next Year
Hey there, multiple prep teachers!
Get ready to wrap up the school year and prepare for summer with my practical strategies.
Join me as I share tips on delegating tasks to students, reflecting on the past school year, and getting your curriculum maps in place.
Let's set you up for success in the next academic turn so that you can thrive and enjoy your well-deserved break.
Tune in now and make your summer transition a breeze!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
12 min
April 16, 2024 Ep 202: Navigating End-of-Year Stress: Teacher Self-Care and Planning Ahead
I know how overwhelming it can be to juggle multiple preps as a middle or high school teacher, especially when it comes to balancing work and self-care.
In this episode, I'm sharing some practical strategies to help you finish the school year strong and gear up for the next one.
From utilizing downtime in class for reflection and planning to setting and maintaining boundaries with your students, I've got you covered. Plus, I'll share some self-care tips to help you recharge during the summer break.
So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and let's dive into some teacher talk that's sure to help you thrive as a multiple prep teacher.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
10 min
April 09, 2024 Ep 201: Leveraging AI for Curriculum Mapping
Ready to revolutionize your curriculum planning game with some AI magic?
I've been in the teaching trenches for over 15 years, and let me tell you, I've cracked the code on leveraging AI for curriculum mapping.
In this episode, I'm spilling all the secrets on how AI can translate EduSpeak, pinpoint student knowledge gaps, and align content with curriculum objectives, all while saving you precious time.
Plus, I'll dish out some super helpful tips on using AI without over-relying on it. If you're a multitasking teacher looking to up your curriculum planning game, this episode is your secret weapon.
Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this game-changer!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
14 min
April 02, 2024 Ep 200: Avoiding Common Mistakes in Teaching A New Course
Teaching multiple preps can be overwhelming, but after 10 years in the classroom, I've learned from my mistakes and adapted to the workload.
Every year, adding a new prep seemed daunting, but now I've come up with strategies to thrive rather than merely survive.
In this episode, I'll share the biggest mistakes I made—diving in without a plan, not understanding the curriculum, and underestimating the workload—so that you can avoid the same pitfalls.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Planning for the next school year? If your day is organized by class period, your planning calendar should be too. Grab my Editable Class Period Calendar here: https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod
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
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Mentioned in this episode:
Simplify Your Preps Collective
Join us in the free community of multi-prep teachers, the Simplify Your Preps Collective www.khristenmassic.com/collective
11 min

About The Secondary Teacher | Elective Teacher Resources, Secondary Teacher Strategies, and Teacher Planning

From the publisher's feed

**Are you looking for secondary teacher strategies, elective teacher resources, and teacher planning systems that actually work when you're juggling multiple preps?**

Are you drowning in lesson planning and still taking work home every night?

Wondering if managing your workload is even possible when every class needs something different?

Let's be honest… your planning period disappears fast.

If that sounds like you, you're in the right place.

This podcast is for overwhelmed secondary teachers—especially elective teachers, CTE teachers, and any multiple prep teacher—who are tired of feeling behind and need practical secondary teacher strategies built for the reality of teaching multiple courses.

You'll learn how to simplify teacher planning, build classroom routines that reduce your workload, and find elective teacher resources that help you keep students engaged without creating everything from scratch.

Because you don't need a better planner.

You need systems that fit the reality of your secondary classroom.

Hi, I'm Khristen Massic.

I'm a former high school teacher in career technical education who spent 10 years teaching courses like engineering, drafting, robotics, digital media, and more—and at one point, I taught **nine preps in a single school year**.

I've also worked as a middle school assistant principal and now support teachers at the district level, so I've seen the teacher workload from multiple angles.

And here's what I learned the hard way:

It's not that you're bad at teacher planning.

It's that most planning systems were never built for teachers juggling this many different classes.

I used to overplan, rebuild everything from scratch, and try to make every lesson perfect—until it became completely unsustainable.

What changed?

I stopped chasing perfect plans and started building simple, repeatable systems.

Now I help secondary teachers simplify teacher planning, reuse what already works, and actually finish something during their prep period.

Inside this podcast, you'll find:

* Secondary teacher strategies for managing multiple preps without constant overwhelm

* Teacher planning systems that help you decide what to work on first and actually finish it

* Elective teacher resources that save time without sacrificing meaningful learning

* Classroom routines that reduce decision fatigue and keep your day running without constant effort

* Low-prep classroom games and engaging lessons that support student engagement without hours of prep

* Secondary teacher tips for protecting your planning period and getting more work done during the school day

* Systems for repurposing lessons across career technical education, electives, and other courses

* Practical strategies for CTE teachers, elective teachers, and any multiple prep teacher constantly switching between courses

* Teacher productivity strategies that help you reduce your Teacher workload and protect your time

* Practical ways to use AI to support teacher planning without turning it into one more thing you have to learn

You don't need to do it all.

You need systems that work.

If you're ready to spend less time reinventing lessons, feel more in control of your planning, protect your evenings, and still show up for your students…

**Hit play.**

### Next Steps

Grab your free resources to start simplifying your teacher planning right away:

🎯 **2026–2027 Secondary Teacher Editable Unit/Lesson Planning Calendar**

https://khristenmassic.com/secondarycalendarpod

🎯 **Planning Period Reset Toolkit**

https://khristenmassic.com/reset

Find more ready-to-use elective teacher resources in my Teachers Pay Teachers store:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/khristen-massic-cte-teacher-coach

Learn more at:

[www.khristenmassic.com](http://www.khristenmassic.com)