Ep 302: Why October Always Feels Like Drowning (and 3 Ways to Catch Your Breath)

Ever feel like October is when the wheels start falling off as a secondary teacher with multiple preps?

I get it—grading stacks up, your email never ends, and the pressure to do it all leaves you feeling underwater. In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing three simple, practical strategies to help you breathe again: time-tracking tips, boundary-setting scripts, and ways to trim the extras that don’t actually boost student learning.

If you’re overwhelmed, always behind, or just plain tired, come join me for real talk and actionable advice to help you get through October and beyond—without losing your sanity or your spark!

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