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

March 14, 2023Ep 129: What's Saving My Life As a Teacher Mom
We're sharing with you some of the tips and tricks that are currently saving my life as an educator (while also being a mom to 4 littles).
Here are some key points that we'll cover in this episode:
The power of freezer meals: Discover how prepping meals in advance can save you time and reduce stress during the school week.
The joys of French macarons: Learn how indulging in a little treat can help you recharge and stay energized throughout the day.
The benefits of The Lazy Genius podcast: Find out why this podcast is a must-listen for any busy educator looking for practical advice on how to simplify their life.
How to make the most of your planning time: I'll share some of my favorite strategies for maximizing your prep time so that you can get more done in less time.
The importance of self-care: Finally, we'll talk about why taking care of yourself is so important and explore some simple self-care practices that you can incorporate into your daily routine.

So, whether you're a multiple prep teacher or just looking for ways to reduce your workload and increase your productivity, be sure to tune in to this episode of the Secondary Teacher Podcast to discover some game-changing strategies that can help you not only survive but thrive as an educator.
Thriving Teacher Summit (March 23-25) https://thepresentteacher.teachable.com/courses/thriving-first-year-teacher-summit?affcode=1073362_em5dpsuv
Next Level Life Summit (March 27-31)
https://www.faithmariah.com/nextlevel-life-summit?fbclid=IwAR3w1JgaFXb1rZG0GY4abtYijReSVCtNkLGhNA_ZzxxGA0J6cQ-JKhskkjU
Design Your Digital Classroom Spring Break 2023 (April 3-7)
https://www.teachingfromthecouch.com/a/2147526341/LHqJgXex
The Lazy Genius Podcast https://subscribe.acast.com/65728665-4cff-429d-b336-1e34548b49c0
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Unlock 20 time-saving strategies designed to keep your students engaged and your sanity intact with the free Simple Teaching Strategies Toolkit. Each strategy comes with detailed instructions, objectives, and a materials list, all editable in a convenient Google Doc. https://khristenmassic.com/toolbox
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
March 07, 2023 Ep 128: How to Increase Your Connection with Students by "Throwing Out" Grades
Hey there, secondary teachers! Tired of the love-hate relationship that comes with grading and marking?
In this week's episode, we're going to be talking about throwing out grades and looking at it a little bit differently. We'll be discussing how to have students do self-reported grades, and so they are taking ownership of their grades and it's off of you. This method is a great opportunity for your students to learn how to self-assess their work, and it increased my connection with students because we were able to have conferences.
Listen to find out how you can make the shift from teacher-centered to student-centered marking in your classroom.
How to Build Student Relationships Through Student Conferences Blog Post https://khristenmassic.com/how-to-build-student-relationships-through-student-conferences/
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Unlock 20 time-saving strategies designed to keep your students engaged and your sanity intact with the free Simple Teaching Strategies Toolkit. Each strategy comes with detailed instructions, objectives, and a materials list, all editable in a convenient Google Doc. https://khristenmassic.com/toolbox
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
15 min
February 28, 2023 Ep 127: When Classroom Procedures and Routines Fail: How to Get Back on Track
Do you find yourself constantly struggling with procedures and routines that just don't seem to work, no matter how much effort you put into them?
Well, you're not alone.
As a 10-year high school engineering teacher, former middle school assistant principal, and teacher coach, I've been there too.
In this episode of the Secondary Teacher Podcast, we're going to be talking about how to identify and fix those failing procedures and routines in your classroom, so that you can reduce your stress and overwhelm and thrive as a multiple prep teacher.
We'll be discussing common reasons why routines fail, such as relying too much on the teacher or conflicting with the natural flow of the classroom and providing practical tips and strategies for getting back on track.
So if you want to learn how to streamline your classroom procedures and reduce your stress levels, tune in now!
Secondary Classroom Procedures Routines Planner: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Procedures-and-Routines-Planner-Middle-School-and-High-School-8417054
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
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
February 21, 2023 Ep 126: 3 Ways AI Can Save You Time as a Multiple Prep Teacher
Do you ever wish that someone would come in and write all your lesson plans?
Well, with new advances in artificial intelligence writers (AI), we're getting pretty close.
In this episode of the Secondary Teacher Podcast, we talk about 3 ways to save you a ton of time (and reduce decision fatigue) by using AI writers. From parent communication to student-friendly standards, and backward design. Tune in to find out how you can use this tool today!
My Free Parent Communication 101 Course on PopPD: https://poppd.co/courses/parent-communication-101-for-teachers-who-are-scared-to-call-home/
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
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
15 min
February 14, 2023 Ep 125: How to Effectively Manage Different Teaching Spaces as a Multiple Prep Teacher
Hey fellow multiple prep teachers, you won't want to miss this week's episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast! In this special guest episode, Khristen's husband Jared, who teaches welding, shares his insights and experiences about managing multiple spaces and preps.
As teachers juggling different preps, we all know how overwhelming it can be to manage our time and resources. That's why Kristen and Jared offer some valuable strategies and time-saving tips that can help you not only survive but thrive in a multiple prep teaching environment.
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach
Jared's advice on keeping track of your inventory and consumables, as well as working collaboratively with other teachers in shared spaces, is especially helpful. So tune in to the episode and learn how to prioritize important relationships while being an effective teacher.
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
February 07, 2023 Ep 124: 3 Tips and Strategies for Managing the Demands of Being a Teacher-Mommy
As a mother and a teacher, I understand the struggle of balancing the demands of both roles. The guilt of spending more time with someone else's children and the stress of trying to complete time-sensitive tasks while also spending quality time with my own family can be overwhelming.
In this episode of the Secondary Teacher Podcast, I share my personal tips and strategies for managing the demands of being a teacher-mom. As a 10-year high school engineering teacher, former middle school assistant principal, and teacher coach, I've learned a lot about how to not just survive but thrive as a multiple-prep teacher.
Listen to this episode to learn my top three strategies for reducing overwhelm, including getting time-sensitive tasks completed while at school, simplifying things at home, and prioritizing important relationships. Trust me, these tips will save you a ton of stress and allow you to enjoy your time with your family. So tune in and join the conversation on how to balance the demands of being a teacher and a mother.
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
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
January 31, 2023 Ep 123: How Using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) can Save You Time as a Multiple Prep Teacher
Are you tired of feeling like you're always forgetting how to set up your new term in your student information system or LMS? Well, today's episode is for you!
In this episode, we're diving into the world of SOPs or standard operating procedures. These are things that you do over and over again and can be recorded for future reference to make your life easier.
Join host Khristen Massic, a 10-year high school engineering teacher and former middle school assistant principal, as she shares her tips and tricks for using SOPs to save time and reduce overwhelm in your teaching career. Don't miss out on this valuable episode for secondary teachers! Tune in now!
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
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 28, 2023BONUS: Q and A from Secondary Systems for Success
Check out this bonus answer where Khristen answer's the following questions:
When you're laying out a course, do you have a single spreadsheet and then link your slides, assignment, etc. all for each day?
I have three new classes with no curriculum, where should I start?
I have a coworker that constantly comes to my classroom through my back door just to chat. How do I get them to stop?
Do you have a digital tool or platform that you use for bell ringers?
What are your suggestions for reducing time spent giving kids feedback on projects, and/or smoothing the whole process?
What is your late work policy?
I'm a first-year teacher and I'm hoping to build the STEM program at my high school. How did you start out and what did you struggle with?

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
20 min
January 24, 2023 Ep 122: 5 Strategies for Staying on Top of Your To-Do List
Are you a multiple prep teacher feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list?
In this episode of the Secondary Teacher Podcast, we discuss five strategies for staying on top of your to-do list and how they apply to the secondary teacher world.
We discuss time blocking, prioritizing, and other strategies to help you not only survive but thrive as a multiple prep teacher. Listen now to reduce overwhelm and prioritize important relationships in your life.
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
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 17, 2023 Ep 121: 4 Steps to Building Systems for Success as a Multiple Prep Teacher
Are you feeling overwhelmed as a multiple prep teacher? Do you struggle to balance your workload with your personal and professional relationships?
Look no further! In this episode of the Secondary Teacher Podcast, we share the 4S approach, a modified version of the industry's 5S with lean manufacturing, to help you build systems for success and reduce overwhelm. Listen now to learn how to set boundaries, create plans, and simplify your workload as a multiple prep teacher. Don't miss out on this game-changing strategy!
Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.
Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute
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
Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard
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

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)