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

November 14, 2023 Ep 179: Finding Balance: A Pep Talk for Secondary Teachers Dealing with Life's Curveballs
Hey there, secondary teachers!
Feeling overwhelmed and in need of a pep talk?
Well, you're in luck because on this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I've got you covered.
Join me, Khristen, as I share some strategies for navigating the challenges of being a multiple prep teacher.
From embracing Parkinson's Law to trusting your own ideas, we'll explore ways to reduce overwhelm and prioritize what really matters.
So, sit back, relax, and let's kick that survival mode to the curb. Get ready to thrive, my friends!
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
November 07, 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
11 min
October 31, 2023 Ep 177: Surviving School Day Holidays: Keeping Your Sanity as a Secondary Teacher
Ever wondered how to keep your sanity when a holiday falls on a school day?
In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I'm sharing my top 5 tips for surviving holidays as a multiple prep teacher.
From staying consistent to staying on schedule, I've got you covered.
Plus, I'll show you how to keep it educational while still embracing the holiday spirit. If you're ready to reduce overwhelm and prioritize important relationships, tune in now and discover how to thrive during those crazy holiday days.
It's time to take control and make the most of your time 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
10 min
October 24, 2023 Ep 176: The Planning Fallacy and Teachers: Why We Underestimate Our Planning Time
Hey there, busy secondary teachers!
Feeling overwhelmed with your never-ending to-do list?
Well, this week's episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast is here to save the day.
Join me as we dive into the infamous planning fallacy and how it sneaks its way into our lives, causing us to underestimate our planning time.
Discover practical strategies to combat this issue and finally regain control of your planning periods.
Let's tackle this planning challenge together. It's time to 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
Start conquering your overwhelm today with the Ultimate Task Tracker for Busy Teachers: https://khristenmassic.com/tracker
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
October 17, 2023 Ep 175: Lesson Plans Made Easy: How to Thrive in October and Beat the Overwhelm
Hey there, secondary teachers! Feeling overwhelmed with lesson planning this month?
Trust me, I've been there too.
In this week's episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, we dive into strategies to beat the October blues and make lesson planning a breeze.
Join me as we discuss tips to reduce overwhelm, find what works for you, trust your instincts, and even borrow lesson plans from other teachers.
Plus, I'll share a handy resource to help you map out your course. Don't miss out on this episode filled with time-saving tips and tricks. Tune in now and thrive in October!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you. Hop into the Unit Planning Lab here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/augustlab/?ref=podcast
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
8 min
October 10, 2023 Ep 174: 3 Things I Wish I Had Known about Supporting ELLs in the CTE Classroom
Are you struggling to support English language learners in your CTE classroom?
My first experience was an epic fail!
But in this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I share 3 game-changing things I wish I had known back when I started teaching ELLs.
From leveraging cognates and visuals to understanding language scores and differentiating assignments, these strategies will help you thrive as a multiple prep teacher, without sacrificing important relationships.
So grab your headphones and join me as we dive into the world of supporting ELLs in the CTE classroom. You've got this!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you. Hop into the Unit Planning Lab here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/augustlab/?ref=podcast
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
October 03, 2023 Ep 173: Navigating Teacher Overwhelm: Optimizing Your Capacity and Well-being
Hey there, fellow secondary teachers! Are you juggling multiple preps and feeling overwhelmed?
Trust me, I've been there.
But guess what? In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, we're diving deep into the topic of capacity and self-care.
We'll discuss how being realistic about how much you can do is a form of self-care and share strategies to help you set boundaries, maintain them, and reduce overwhelm.
Plus, I'll give you some tips on recognizing when you're reaching your max and how to prevent burnout.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you. Hop into the Unit Planning Lab here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/augustlab/?ref=podcast
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
Listen to Ep 161: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/605587cb-c535-4226-be36-9d3a23d0d21e
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
September 26, 2023 Ep 172: 3 Ways to Create Engaging Lesson Plans for Multiple Preps
Hey there, fellow secondary teachers juggling multiple preps!
Are you struggling to engage your students and create captivating lesson plans?
Well, in this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I've got you covered.
Join me as I share 3 game-changing strategies that will help you create engaging lessons for all your different classes.
From using your students' interests to getting them moving in the classroom, I'll give you practical tips that will have your students excited to learn.
Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret: repeating what works is key!
So grab your headphones and get ready to take your teaching to the next level.
This episode is a must-listen for every secondary teacher looking to reduce overwhelm and prioritize important relationships in the classroom.
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you. Hop into the Unit Planning Lab here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/augustlab/?ref=podcast
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
September 19, 2023 Ep 171: Building on Success: Embracing What's Already Working in Your Teaching
Hey there, secondary teachers! Feeling overwhelmed as the school year kicks into high gear?
Don't worry, I've got you covered. In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I share a huge mistake I made in the classroom (and one that many of us still make) - always needing to do something new instead of focusing on what's already working.
I'll give you a pep talk and share strategies to help you thrive as a multiple prep teacher.
Join me as I discuss the concept of "more better new" and how it can revolutionize your teaching approach.
Let's ditch the overwhelm and prioritize what truly matters. Tune in now and get ready to become the best at what's already working!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you. Hop into the Unit Planning Lab here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/augustlab/?ref=podcast
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
September 12, 2023 Ep 170: Discover Exciting Career Paths in Education for Teacher Moms
Hey there, busy teacher moms!
In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I share my personal journey and exciting career paths that I discovered as an educator.
Whether it's mentoring student teachers, becoming a new teacher mentor, or stepping into the role of an instructional coach or administrator, I'll broaden your horizon and show you alternative paths that can save your sanity and give you the flexibility you need.
Tune in to discover how you can thrive as a secondary teacher and explore new possibilities outside the classroom. Let's navigate this journey together!
Grab the Secondary Teacher Systems Toolkit here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/systemstoolkit/?ref=pod
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you. Hop into the Unit Planning Lab here: https://khristenmassic.thrivecart.com/augustlab/?ref=podcast
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

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)