If grading has taken over your life, this final episode in the True Life Teacher Confession series is here to help. I’m unpacking the hidden costs of grading everything, challenging the belief that every assignment needs a grade, and sharing mindset shifts and practical strategies to help you reclaim your time. From setting clear grading boundaries to building a classroom culture where students stay accountable without constant grading, this episode is your first step toward a more sustainable teaching life!

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode189

Resources:

• Culture Mini-Course
• Secondary Science Simplified Bundle
• 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 145, How to Build Resilience in Students Post-Pandemic
• Episode 155, How to Create Active and Accountable Learners in Your Secondary Science Classroom
• Episode 160, 4 Proven Tips to INSTANTLY Decrease Your Grading Time
• Episode 187, True Life: I’m Drowning

“Help! I teach a course with a high-stakes test that I do not care about at all, but I need to care about it. How can I make myself care?” If you've ever felt this way, this episode is for you. In this True Life: Teacher Confessions episode, I'm sharing what to do when you're stuck teaching a test-heavy course but feel totally unmotivated by the exam itself. I’ll give you permission to care less and practical strategies to help you care more if you need to—like embedding test prep into your weekly rhythms with FRQ Fridays, bellringer questions, review days, and more.

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode188

Resources Mentioned:

• 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 and Blog Posts:

• Episode 60, Teaching with Packets - What They Are, Why I Love Them, and How to Use Them
• Episode 72, Review Strategies for EOC, Benchmark, and AP Exams
• Episode 185, When is Preparation Worth It, and When Is It a Pipe Dream?
• Episode 186, True Life: I’m a Science Teacher Who Hates Labs
• Episode 187, True Life: I’m Drowning

Are you juggling multiple preps across several grade levels, trying to run labs every week, and still show up for your family? Feeling overwhelmed by unrealistic admin expectations and a lack of student accountability? If it all feels like too much, that’s because it is too much. In this "true life" episode, I’m talking about what it really means to teach inside a broken system, why so many teachers are feeling burned out, and practical ways to keep showing up—without losing yourself in the process.

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode187

Resources Mentioned:

• Balancing Multiple Preps Podcast Playlist
• Secondary Science Simplified course
• Labs When Limited Free Mini-Course
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
• 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 and Blog Posts:

• Episode 69, Admin Support - WHY You Need to Ask, HOW to Ask, and WHAT to Ask For
• Episode 123, What to Do When You Care More Than Your Students Do
• Episode 155, How to Create Active and Accountable Learners in Your Secondary Science Classroom
• Episode 156, What to Do When You Are Micromanaged by Your Admin or District
• Episode 185, When Is Preparation Worth It, and When Is It a Pipe Dream?
• Episode 186, True Life: I Am a Science Teacher Who Hates Labs