It’s September, which means it’s time for your annual pep talk, teacher friend! In this episode, I’m sharing the one message every secondary science teacher needs to hear as the school year kicks off. We’ll talk about the unique challenges you face, why boundaries and clarity matter, and how to model humanity and humility in your classroom. Plus, I’ll walk you through a simple exercise to brain dump your goals, assess your current season, and limit your priorities this year so you can let go of perfection, embrace grace, and actually enjoy teaching!

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode198

Resources:

• Secondary Science Simplified episodes by topic
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
• Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD course
• Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 38, A Beginning of the Year PEP TALK
• Episode 53, School Counselor Partnerships, Life Hacks, and Laughter with Guest Lauren Tingle
• Episode 123, What to Do When You Care More Than Your Students Do
• Episode 165, How Naming What Matters Most Can Change the Rest of Your School Year
• Episode 166, How to Use Your Students to Work Smarter Rather Than Harder

August is wild because some of you are squeezing out those last drops of summer, while others are already knee-deep in grading. Wherever you are on that back-to-school spectrum, one thing is for sure: at some point this year, you’ll be staring down an unmotivated student (or ten!). In this episode, I’m sharing four practical tips to boost engagement, starting with a mindset check to make sure you’re not working harder than your students when it comes to caring. From highlighting course requirements and essential science skills to drawing real-world, cultural, and cross-curricular connections, these strategies will help make your class more relevant and meaningful!

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode197

Resources:

• It’s Not Rocket Science® Complete Units
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
• Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD course
• Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 64, How to Re-Engage Apathetic Students (and Manage Your Own Apathy!)
• Episode 123, What to Do When You Care More Than Your Students Do
• Episode 131, End-of-Year Resource Audit
• Episode 145, How to Build Resilience in Post-Pandemic Students

Grading doesn’t have to take over your nights and weekends! In this episode, I’m sharing six practical grading game changers that helped me simplify my workload without lowering my standards. You’ll learn how to define your grading philosophy, reduce what you collect, give meaningful feedback faster, and keep students engaged, even when you're not grading everything. Plus, I’m breaking down how strategies like Prime Times and constant vigilance can make daily assessment and classroom management easier than ever!

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode196

Resources:

• Prime Times
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
• Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD course
• Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 4, Engaging Students In the First 5 Minutes of Class
• Episode 95, How to STOP Grading Everything
• Episode 96, Why I Stopped Assigning Homework (And 6 Surprising Results)
• Episode 97, 6 Grading Tips That Changed My Life
• Episode 189, True Life: I Grade Everything and Because of It, I Have No Life
• Episode 194, The Importance of Inquiry-Based Learning - And How to Implement it Practically
• Episode 195, A Simple and Effective Process for Parent Communication With Guest Mandy Farrar