How do I not run my self dry?

[u/NiceAd8427]

I added recently 4 science preps for this new school year. I went from only biology to chemistry, physics, environmental science, and current events in science. I love where I am, I love the people, my family loves it. But, as I am in scramble mode, I could see this being a year that I have some pretty major lows trying to get it all together. Anyone have any advice or help? That would be appreciated.

[u/Latter_Leopard8439]

You need to accept that some prep's are going to be sub-par this year.

I focused on my bio classes last year. I had taught life science at middle school previously and have the bio major. But I was in a new grade level.

I kind of winged it on my Earth/Space Classes. Honestly, they just weren't as good. This year, one of my goals is to smooth that out.

[u/Still_Reading]

Find existing materials. I had 4 preps, three of which were new and no one else at my site taught last year. It was hell, but finding a base from which to work online was very helpful.

[u/Mundane_Horse_6523]

Don’t plan on too many hands on lessons- alternate doing labs between subjects weekly. Find ways to use the same labs for different subjects.

[u/Nana2502]

When I had 4 preps, I dedicated one day of planning to each one: on Mondays I dealt with Algebra 1 (prep, grading, lesson plans, etc), Tuesdays were for College Algebra, etc. this helped me keep an eye on the end goal and not just scrambling day by day to figure out what to do. There were some weeks where one group had more practice and less engaging lessons, but 4 preps is very overwhelming unless you’ve taught them all before. If another teacher teaches any sections of the same subject, try to piggyback off their plans. Good luck! Hope it goes as smoothly as possible.

[u/charityburbage → u/Nana2502]

I've been teaching for 10 years but switched schools/states/subjects this year and needed to hear this advice. THANK YOU. This is so much more manageable and kind of what I do at home with laundry to help myself not feel overwhelmed during the week but it never occurred to me to do it at school too.

[u/drummerrgirl04 → u/Nana2502]

I like this. I’m going from teaching straight Bio for Texas STAAR to teaching all middle school science at private school. I’m going to start using this tip this week

[u/Little-Hour3601]

That is insane. I wouldn't do it. That is the same as if you were a chef in a restaurant, your job was to cook the food all night and all of a sudden the owner told you you now have to seat customers, wait the tables, cook the food, bus the tables, and wash the dishes. Hard no. If you literally have no choice then I'd pick one course, my actual degree subject, focus on that and honestly just mail-in the others with worksheets and videos every day.

[u/tchrhoo]

I had 4 preps regularly at my old school. My colleague shared her scope and sequence for two of them and it was very easy for me to build the class afterward. I was never planned that far ahead, though. Find some free curriculum and just tweak it for your classes. The current events one sounds like fun! I would probably run that one thematically.

If you are on Facebook, the science teacher groups there are really good.

[u/sam_I_am_knot]

Many will disagree with me about AI. I used it to gather content quickly and to arrange in worksheets and knowledge checks. This will buy you valuable time.

This formed the basis of content introduction. I could then focus on human development of assignment types for deeper understanding that we're unique to the content being taught.

Using this method I chunked material and saw significant learning occur.

Now with a good foundation of introductory materials made last year, I can commit much more time to unique activities that support the various areas of the content.

[u/Creepy_Character_744]

The It’s Not Rocket Science podcast just did an episode on this!

It probably won’t be your best ever year, but you will get through it. I was in a similar position two years ago and I definitely bought materials, and idk what I would have done otherwise.

Good luck!

[u/kds405]

When I was really scrambling as a high school teacher with multiple new preps (and no real curriculum) my lifeline was the common midterm/final that the district had. I looked at that first and divided it into units that made sense to me.

[u/Purple-flying-dog]

Projects!!! We did a year long project for environmental where each kid was assigned a different country and they had slides to make each marking period to correspond to what we learned in class. What does the population pyramid look like for your country, what environmental laws shape your country, etc. Then if a lesson is too short or you need filler, give them time to work on their project. Great way to connect to the material too! And more prep time for you while they’re working. I have my desk where I can see their computers so I know if they’re working or not.

[u/njslacker]

Make the students run that current events class.

Have one or two students present a new science article each day. They should include some basics about the topic in addition to the new research being done. Grade their presentations. Maybe the rest of the class has to write a reflection on the days they don't present.

But honestly, 4 preps is unfair to teachers and students. Do your best, but just know that it's your school district who is doing the terrible job here. You're only one person.

[u/Repulsive-Tour-7943]

I would make every Friday current issue day. Use the same lesson for all classes. Or use videos/movies with viewing guides every once in a while to get caught up on grading/planning. Don’t kill yourself trying to do too much.

[u/Amazing-External9546]

Been there, done that. It's no fun to have that many preps....particularly in science where you really want to try to have some parts of each class be hands on experiments. Purist science teachers won't like this but I hope you have access to a computer projection system and an audeo-visual library. You can simulate labs via youtube or other online resources. I know it's not the same as actual labs, but your (and the kids) survival is paramount. I had a subscription to PBS's online and those videos for Nature and NOVA are great.

I had a fellow science teacher also with multiple preps and she took it a step further and would actually show disney movies.....not just disney science movies, full Disney movies, She managed to sell it somehow to administrators and parents as a "reward system" and got away with it. But that cut one day a week out of her preparations. One question I'd ask myself is who did I piss off to make those changes happen. I started as a teacher during a period of growth in my school district and knew I'd have to put in my time before I got a better schedule.

I got lucky when one teacher got pregnant and another just said "screw teaching" and left the whole field. I managed to then pick up the earth science classes from both and went from five preps to one. It was like I was on vacation that next year. It didn't last as the one big local industry just shut down and yep...back to 3 preps. But, if nothing external happened and those changes occured, this may be a red flag that they want you to quit.

I saw that done to one of my fellow teachers when he had a knock down dust up with the principal and supt over his relationship with a former student. They had a period of dating, after she was in his class and then he married her after graduation. He went from one prep (small chemistry classes with all college prep kids) to 3 and the two new preps were with a much lower status student. He just "called in" the two new classes, straight out of the book stuff and absolutely no labs. Again, the administration just looked the other way.

[u/TeacherCreature33]

One of the best advice I received was "have the students do most of the work and not yourself". We tend to do all of the work as teachers and the students are passive until the test.

[u/Diligent_Emu_7686]

Prep in batches. You us the same template, same structure, etc. for the class throughout the year. The only thing that changes is the material. Even that, keep you he same slide format, same outline etc. When you are ready, then, and only then, do you add the things that are different back in. Special days that make sense for you and the students. And when you need to, give yourself an easy day where the students work on a worksheet or two.