Ep 279: [AMA] “I’m Already Anxious About Next Year—How Do I Get Ahead?”

If you’re a secondary teacher juggling multiple preps and already feeling anxious about next year—even before this one wraps up—you’re not alone!

In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing my own story of summer burnout, why planning everything now isn’t the answer, and the three practical strategies I use to get ahead without overwhelming myself.

We’ll talk about how to set a clear direction for just one class, use AI as your curriculum assistant for fast mapping (yes, with my favorite prompts!), and finally, how to plan around real-life interruptions rather than your syllabus.

Whether you teach middle or high school and want actionable tips to reduce overwhelm, streamline lesson planning, and make next year less stressful, this episode is for you!

Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.

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 

Ready to stop doing it all yourself? Grab the free Make AI Your Teaching Assistant PD and see how AI can actually help. https://khristenmassic.com/ta

Take the overwhelm out of multi-prep teaching—your free support system, the Simplify Your Preps Collective, is waiting: https://khristenmassic.com/collective

Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach