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

January 16, 2024 Ep 189: The Ultimate Guide for Overcoming Planning Stress as a Secondary Multiple Prep Teacher
Hey there, secondary teachers!
Are you constantly feeling stressed out by the demands of planning multiple preps?
Join me, Khristen, on this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, where I share the ultimate guide for overcoming planning stress as a secondary multiple prep teacher.
I'll be diving into strategies for creating a flexible planning framework, delegating tasks to students, and incorporating mental health practices to combat stress.
If you're ready to reduce overwhelm and thrive in your teaching role, this episode is a must-listen!
Tune in for practical tips and time-saving techniques that will help you prioritize relationships without sacrificing effectiveness in the classroom.
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
13 min
January 09, 2024 Ep 188: Conquering the Planning Nightmare: How to Stop Spending Countless Hours on Lesson Prep
Are you tired of the Sunday scaries and the 2nd period planning panic?
In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, we're tackling the planning nightmare and sharing strategies to streamline your lesson prep.
I'll be sharing practical tips on creating curriculum maps, trusting your ideas, utilizing templates, and making the most of online resources to save time and reduce overwhelm.
Join me as we conquer the planning nightmare and take back control of our teaching lives. Don't miss out on these game-changing strategies 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
14 min
January 02, 2024 Ep 187: Last Minute Strategies to Reset Your Classroom for the Best Second Semester
Hey there, fellow secondary teachers!
If you're feeling the need to hit the reset button on your classroom after the holiday break, then buckle up for this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast.
Join me as we dive into last-minute strategies to get your classroom back on track for the best second semester ever.
We'll discuss reflections on what worked and what didn't, pinpoint that one crucial thing to focus on, and revamp routines and procedures just like it's the first week of school.
It's time to set realistic goals and make necessary adjustments to set ourselves and our students up for success. Whether you're just starting or gearing up for the new semester, let's make this reset count and thrive as multiple prep teachers!
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
Classroom Procedures and Routines Planner https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Procedures-and-Routines-Planner-Middle-School-and-High-School-8417054
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
December 28, 2023 [Best of 2023] Ep 161: How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed with this Simple Trick- Applying Manufacturing Methods to the Classroom
Hey there, secondary teachers with a million preps!
I've got a simple trick that will help you tackle the chaos and find your sanity again.
Join me in this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast as I reveal how to apply manufacturing methods to your classroom and stop feeling overwhelmed. We'll explore the concept of Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and how it can revolutionize your approach to assessment.
Plus, I'll share tips on using the lean 4S system to streamline your classroom management.
So, hit play, and let's simplify and take control of your teaching life together!
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
December 26, 2023 [Best of 2023] Ep 178: Boosting Productivity: Common Mistakes Teachers Make and How to Fix Them
Hey there, fellow secondary teachers!
In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I'll be sharing the three common mistakes that teachers make when it comes to productivity and how you can avoid them.
From not having a clear curriculum plan to wasting your precious planning period, I've been there and I've learned a few tricks along the way.
So, join me as I dive into practical strategies and time-saving tips that will help you thrive as a multiple prep teacher. Trust me, you don't want to miss this!
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
December 19, 2023 [Best of 2023] Ep 164: Finding Balance as a Secondary Teacher: Tips and Strategies for Overcoming the Challenges of Multiple Preps
In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I'm diving deep into finding balance as a multiple prep teacher.
From setting boundaries to simplifying your school day, I'll be sharing tips and strategies that will help you not only survive, but thrive in your role.
So, if you're ready to reclaim control of your schedule and prioritize your well-being, this episode is a must-listen.
Let's tackle those multiple preps together and make this school year your best one yet!
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
- Episode 145: Planning and Preparing for a New Course
- Episode 1: Using Marie Kondo to Determine Essential Standards
- Episode 155: Four Mistakes Multiple Prep Teachers Make When Starting a New School Year
- Episode 157: The Truths About Creating Systems
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
13 min
December 12, 2023 Ep 183: Simple Feedback Questions for Teacher Self-Reflection and Student Input
Hey there, secondary teachers!
In this episode, we're diving into the world of student feedback surveys.
As a former high school engineering teacher and middle school assistant principal, I've learned the value of hearing directly from our students.
I'm sharing self-reflection questions you can use to improve your teaching, along with tweaks to ask your students for valuable feedback.
We'll go through open-ended questions that get to the heart of what's working well, what could be improved, and how to make your class better for your students.
So grab your favorite podcast player, get ready to reduce overwhelm, and tune in to discover the strategies to thrive as a multiple prep teacher. Let's dive in and make the next semester even better!
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
9 min
December 05, 2023 Ep 182: Multi Prep Insider Secrets: Time-Saving Strategies to Overcome Overwhelm
Hey secondary multiple prep teachers! In this podcast episode, I reveal unconventional time-saving strategies that saved my sanity as a multiple prep teacher.
From eliminating late work policies to empowering students to report their own grades, these game-changing insights will help you navigate the holiday chaos and beyond.
Join me as we explore these classroom-saving secrets together.
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
17 min
November 28, 2023 Ep 181: Overcoming the Planning Paralysis- Step-by-Step Strategies for Multiple Prep Teachers
It's not your fault. No one taught you how to teach multiple preps.
In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, join me, Khristen, as we dive into step-by-step strategies to help you overcome planning paralysis.
I'll share practical tips and insights on prioritizing, time management and finding support as a multiple prep teacher.
Don't let the fear of multiple preps hold you back. Tune in and thrive in your teaching journey.
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
November 21, 2023 Ep 180: The 3 Keys to Success as a Multiple Prep Teacher: Strategic Planning and Systems
Hey there, secondary teachers!
Are you feeling overwhelmed and stressed juggling multiple preps?
Don't worry, you're not alone. In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I share my personal journey of finally figuring out how to not just survive, but thrive as a multiple prep teacher.
I'll be discussing the three essential strategies that helped me find success, from creating a curriculum map to implementing classroom systems and making the most of your planning time.
Whether you're a seasoned teacher or just starting out, these strategies will help you reduce overwhelm and prioritize important relationships.
Tune in now and take the first step towards a more manageable and fulfilling teaching experience.
Get the Ultimate Secondary Teaching Toolkit: https://khristenmassic.com/ultimate
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
13 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)