All Star Planning Podcast for Teachers
108 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago -The All Star Planning Podcast for teachers is hosted by Kelsey Reavy gives all of my tips for writing your curriculum and lesson plans. Using the All Star Planning method you can get a better handle on your lessons plans so aren't writing them as your students are walking in your classroom door.
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
066 Honestly Answering the Question "Why Are We Learning This?"
September 28, 2021 10:00 - 8 minutes - 8.12 MBWhat you teach likely doesn't actually matter. I mean, sure, some of what we teach matters, but most of it can be found within a few minutes and a Google search. Our job isn't to teach content anymore. It's to use our content to get the kids to build skills. Skills like: analyzing data, reading subtext, literacy, problem solving, spatial thinking and so much more! There's really no point in lying to the kids, and you'll get a lot more respect if you're straight up and honest with the...
065 Why I Keep the Same Interactive Notebook that My Students Do
September 21, 2021 10:00 - 9 minutes - 8.98 MBThere are so many reasons you should be taking the notes that your students do. It is 100% worth the amount of time it takes you, I pinky promise. It will make your lesson plans easier, both this year and next year. Listen to this episode and learn how! For more on saving time on your lesson plans, check out episode 49 or the All Star Planning Masterclass!
064 Tips for Teacher Parent Communication
September 14, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBParents are an asset! Make sure you are using them! There are so many ways to stay in contact with parents, and a bunch of reasons to do so! In this episode I will also share my tips for what to say and do while and after talking with parents and families. Learn more about Parent Teacher Conferences in episode 38! Grab the positive postcards! Check out the All Star Planning Masterclass!
063 The Routines that Get me Out the Door on Time Each Day
September 07, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBGetting these few things in place has definitely helped me to get out the door each day right around the bell. For years I've been getting out within 30 minutes of the bell, usually sooner. And I don't work at all at home. Everything that gets done needs to get done on the clock - and that's my goal for you too. Implementing these few things really helped me to get ahead of my plans and STAY ahead of my plans each week. And even though I've been at this for five years, each year...
062 Getting to Know Your Students Makes All The Difference
August 31, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBGetting to know your students makes all the difference in your classroom and in your planning. Here's how I recommend you get to know your students. Let the kids get to know you. Get to know you questions. Grab your copy of my 180 questions of the day. Take an interest in what the kids do. Attend school events. Get to know the families and the community. Reasons getting to know the students is beneficial to you: It's not miserable. Parent contact is easier. Kids care ...
061 Things I Wish I Knew as a First Year Teacher
August 24, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBEvery year for my first five years of teaching have had some kind of a curveball that made me feel like a first year teacher all over again. So to help you with that (very steep) learning curve, I've collected the things I wish I had known into a list of first year teacher tips for you! Get the Pinterest and Instagram classroom off to do list. You need a solid syllabus. (Episode 57) You teach humans. Be firm but fair. You need a lesson planning method. (Episode 50) Call paren...
060 Setting Up a Classroom
August 17, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBThere's no correct way to set up a classroom, but there are some things that simply aren't worth the time. Whether you're setting up for the first time or the fifth, these tips will help you to set up a FUNCTIONAL classroom. Grab the Printable Periodic Table. Grab the shopping list of classroom materials I recommend!
059 How to Approach Updating Your Curriculum
August 10, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBUpdating your curriculum can feel like taming a beast, but it's not so bad. I promise! Check on these few things and I'm sure you'll quickly figure out what to adjust and how: I'm a big proponent of lesson reflection. Listen to that episode to learn more about lesson reflection. Don't forget to reflect on final exam data. Check out the End of the Year Student Survey. Check on the unit order. Check on the lesson order. Check on your observations. Get the unit order plann...
058 Planning Your New Curriculum from Scratch
August 03, 2021 10:00 - 18 minutes - 17 MBPlanning your curriculum from scratch is both a blessing and a curse. You have a lot on your plate, because you have to plan it all, but, you also have the ability to make this course exactly what you feel is right. But planning with no input from the students and how they're doing and the adjustments that need to be made makes it tough. I have some places you can go to get at least a starting point for your new curriculum: Other Teachers Textbooks: Table of Contents Free Resour...
057 The Importance of a Thorough Syllabus
July 27, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBIf you've ever had a student like me, then you know how brutal it is to have your syllabus picked apart for loopholes for grades and policies. Now being on the other side of the syllabus situation, I know exactly how important it is to start off the year with everyone, teacher, students and parents, having a complete understanding of what to expect during the year. Get the free syllabus template.
056 Save Yourself Time with Multiple Lesson Plan Templates
July 20, 2021 10:00 - 8 minutes - 7.58 MBLearn about the multiple lesson plan templates I have and how I use them in this episode. The templates are really how this all works. Make a specific template for each activity you use in your classroom and see how fast your lesson plans are finished. I can get mine done in around five minutes. Get the list of templates I recommend. Check out the All Star Planning Masterclass.
055 How to Deal with Recurring Standards
July 13, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBWhat about those standards that need to be taught again, and again, and again. How do you deal with those? In this episode I tell you about the two types of recurring standards and how to teach them in your school year. Get the standards sorting pages. Check out the All Star Planning Masterclass.
054 Taking a Thematic Approach to Your Standards
July 07, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBWhen I rearranged my units, I found that my course was actually being taught thematically. And when I really leaned into that idea, I realized that my students were learning things more easily. It was much easier for them to see the connections between each of my lessons and units. The course had a type of flow that made it predictable and easy to learn. Grab the free thematic sorting pages. Check out the All Star Planning Masterclass.
053 Do Students Need to Know the Standards?
June 30, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.07 MBUhhh, in short, no. The standards are made for teachers. This episode is my hot take on whether or not kids need to know the standards. Check out the All Star Planning Masterclass.
052 Evaluating The Order of Your Units
June 22, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBDoes your unit order actually serve you and your students? When I rearranged my units, I went from having 5 days of final exam review, to 5 WEEKS of final exam review. The sequence of my course units gave my course so much flow that my students were able to learn more efficiently. Check out episode 6 on lesson sequencing. Check out episode 48 on evaluating final exam data. Get the question list and tips for unit sequencing.
051 My Mistakes as a Teacher
June 15, 2021 10:00 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBLive and learn, right? These are the mistakes that I made in my early years as a teacher. I still have plenty of things I could work on, but these things were mostly ironed out when I fixed just one thing. See the full show notes. Check out the All Star Planning Masterclass!
050 Save Time on Lesson Plans Using the All Star Planning Method
June 08, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBLearn the true breeze over of the All Star Planning Method in this episode. Learn it in a bit more detail in the All Star Planning Masterclass. Get the show notes here. Learn more about how I code my lessons here. Learn more about how I sequence my lessons here.
049 What Teachers Deserve
June 01, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBTeachers deserve a life. You deserve a life. You should not be working and working for hours on end. You should not be staying up all night working until the sun comes up. You deserve more. Learn more about the All Star Planning Method in the masterclass.
048 Reflecting on Your Final Exam Data
May 25, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBOne of the most important part of being a teacher is being a model for learning and growth. One of the primary ways I do that, is by using the hard data that I get back from my students. What are they learning? Where are they struggling? I can do a little of this each day and throughout the school year, but the final exam data is really like a teacher report card? How did the kids do, and what can be done better next year? Learn my test reflection tips here, and feel free to get a test r...
047 You Need An End of the Year Student Survey
May 18, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBGetting the opinions of your students does a few things. First, it lets your students have their voice heard and second it gives you the exact information you need to grow as a teacher. Plus it's a lot of fun. Learn how I implement my end of the year student surveys in this episode. Grab your free copy of my student survey here!
046 Packing Up Your Classroom - Especially if You're Moving Out
May 11, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBEvery single school year I've had to move out of my classroom. It's a huge pain, but over the years I've gotten better at moving out. These are my tips for getting your classroom packed up so that you aren't pulling your hair out at back to school time. Get a copy of the moving label for your boxes here!
045 End of the Year Back to School Prep You Will Thank Yourself For
May 04, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBUh, yes, you should be thinking about back to school right now. Reason? If you do it now and get it over with, you can truly relax over the summer and know that your first week or so back won't be so crazy (It'll always be crazy - the goal is reduction, not elimination). So get that BTS prep going now with the tips outlined in this episode. Want to grab the end of the year BTS prep checklist? Get it here! Unpopular Opinions on Interactive Notebooks Blog Post My fave wireless handheld...
044 Teacher Time Management Using To Do Ist
April 27, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBI've been a paper and pencil planner for all of my life, and I still use it for most things. I have found that between all of my preps, teacher responsibilities and being an adult human with responsibilities, I sometimes drop the ball and totally forget stuff. By using the app ToDoIst, I find myself much more put together, less frazzled, and feeling good about what needs to get done. Having ToDoIst help me to prioritize my tasks, when I finally have the time to sit and get things done, ...
043 Spiral Reviewing Content Throughout Your School Year
April 20, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22 MBSpiral review can be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. In this episode I outline some of my super easy and slightly less easy ways to implement spiral review in your classroom. I like to do a little every day, but you decide what you and your students need. Get your list of spiral review techniques here!
042 Reteaching Strategies that You Can Easily Implement
April 13, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBSometimes the kids don't get it the first time around and you need to spend time literally reteaching. Well there's usually not enough time to dedicate a whole lesson to this topic again. In this episode, I have some strategies for you to quickly reteach, and get to the specifics of what ACTUALLY needs to be retaught. Get your list of reteaching strategies here!
041 Deciding What You Need to Review with Your Students for Final Exmas
April 06, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBThere's no luxury of time when it comes to the end of the school year and finally reviewing for your final exam or end of year test. You want to make sure your students are completely prepared, and use your time as effectively as possible. In this episode I give my tips for figuring out EXACTLY what you need to review. Grab the test score tracker here! You'll want it for next school year.
040 Nailing Your Teacher Interview
March 30, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBIn this episode I detail how to answer some of the most common interview questions and how I would attempt to answer them. I also drop a lot of tips for what to do BEFORE your interview. You can get a copy of the questions YOU should ask at the interview.
Putting Together the Perfect Teacher Resume
March 23, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBLooking for a job is stressful, no matter who you are. When teachers look for a new teaching position, it often includes multiple interview with people at various levels within a school district. Showcasing who you are is very important, but the question remains "What exactly should I include?" I have an awesome template for your portfolio that you can snag!
039 Putting Together the Perfect Teacher Resume
March 23, 2021 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBLooking for a job is stressful, no matter who you are. When teachers look for a new teaching position, it often includes multiple interview with people at various levels within a school district. Showcasing who you are is very important, but the question remains "What exactly should I include?" I have an awesome template for your portfolio that you can snag!
Tips for Parent Teacher Conferences
March 16, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBPTCs or parent teacher conferences were super intimidating when I first started teaching. Now that I feel pretty good about them, I wanted to share my parent teacher conference strategies for helping them to run smoothly. Get your copy of the PTC survey for parents.
038 Tips for Parent Teacher Conferences
March 16, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBPTCs or parent teacher conferences were super intimidating when I first started teaching. Now that I feel pretty good about them, I wanted to share my parent teacher conference strategies for helping them to run smoothly. Get your copy of the PTC survey for parents.
10 Types of Classroom Games my Students Love
March 09, 2021 11:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBTeachers are always told to do more than worksheets, but how exactly are we supposed to do that? Especially when many of us learned on worksheets! In this episode I outline 10 games that my students and I play in class in order to practice the things we learn. Some of these are more complex than others, but many are COMPLETELY doable. Grab the printable game board! Full Show Notes
037 - 10 Types of Classroom Games my Students Love
March 09, 2021 11:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBTeachers are always told to do more than worksheets, but how exactly are we supposed to do that? Especially when many of us learned on worksheets! In this episode I outline 10 games that my students and I play in class in order to practice the things we learn. Some of these are more complex than others, but many are COMPLETELY doable. Grab the printable game board! Full Show Notes
Dealing with Classroom Clutter
March 02, 2021 11:00 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBI'm a messy person by nature, so trying to keep my classroom tidy has always been a struggle for me. In the early years, my prep periods including tidying up, which used up so much of my valuable time. In this episode I outline some tips I think you could use in your classroom to help keep in tidy by doing something with all that clutter in your classroom! Related Episodes: Easy Peasy Sub Plans Don't Grade Everything Your Students Do Resources: Post It Pile (PIP) Template
036 Dealing with Classroom Clutter
March 02, 2021 11:00 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBI'm a messy person by nature, so trying to keep my classroom tidy has always been a struggle for me. In the early years, my prep periods including tidying up, which used up so much of my valuable time. In this episode I outline some tips I think you could use in your classroom to help keep in tidy by doing something with all that clutter in your classroom! Related Episodes: Easy Peasy Sub Plans Don't Grade Everything Your Students Do Resources: Post It Pile (PIP) Template
Asking Questions in the Classroom
February 23, 2021 13:00 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBAsking questions in your classroom is an art. I believe that the more questions you ask, the better your students are learning. In this episode I break down my questioning strategy for you to steal. In my lesson planning, I start with HOT questions (Higher Order Thinking Questions) and get my students there by asking (what feels like a million) probing questions. Episodes Mentioned: Writing Less on Your Lesson Plans: https://youtu.be/uifeJ2RsMvk Masterclass: https://plan.kelseyreavy.com
035 Asking Questions in the Classroom
February 23, 2021 13:00 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBAsking questions in your classroom is an art. I believe that the more questions you ask, the better your students are learning. In this episode I break down my questioning strategy for you to steal. In my lesson planning, I start with HOT questions (Higher Order Thinking Questions) and get my students there by asking (what feels like a million) probing questions. Episodes Mentioned: Writing Less on Your Lesson Plans: https://youtu.be/uifeJ2RsMvk Masterclass: https://plan.kelseyreavy.com
#teachertired Increasing Teacher Energy
February 16, 2021 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MBTeacher energy is super tough to maintain, especially these days! Teacher tired, amirite?! The space between Christmas break and Spring Break can be draining. I find myself a victim to the fewer hours of daylight more than anything else. I have a few strategies for getting your energy back as a teacher, and getting excited about work again. Things Mentioned (affiliate links): Exercise Bike: https://amzn.to/36tvp6V Back Massager: https://amzn.to/2MbVxfZ The One Thing book: https://amz...
034 #teachertired Increasing Teacher Energy
February 16, 2021 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MBTeacher energy is super tough to maintain, especially these days! Teacher tired, amirite?! The space between Christmas break and Spring Break can be draining. I find myself a victim to the fewer hours of daylight more than anything else. I have a few strategies for getting your energy back as a teacher, and getting excited about work again. Things Mentioned (affiliate links): Exercise Bike: https://amzn.to/36tvp6V Back Massager: https://amzn.to/2MbVxfZ The One Thing book: https://amz...
How to Deal with Most of Your Class Being Absent
February 09, 2021 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBWhether it's a field trip or a band rehearsal, sometimes we find ourselves with only a few kids sitting in our classroom. This has happened to me quite a bit, back when I taught in a school where the kids went on field trips ALL THE TIME. Now that I have quite a bit of expertise in this area, I have some tips on what to do when most of your class is absent. Interested in the All Star Planning Introductory Masterclass? Click here.
033 How to Deal with Most of Your Class Being Absent
February 09, 2021 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBWhether it's a field trip or a band rehearsal, sometimes we find ourselves with only a few kids sitting in our classroom. This has happened to me quite a bit, back when I taught in a school where the kids went on field trips ALL THE TIME. Now that I have quite a bit of expertise in this area, I have some tips on what to do when most of your class is absent. Interested in the All Star Planning Introductory Masterclass? Click here.
Dealing with Students with Bad Behavior
February 02, 2021 13:00 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBThere is no such thing as bad kids, just kids trying to figure it all out. Bad behavior in the classroom can be dealt with in a variety of ways, but I find the best way is to let my students know that I love them. This is on the whole, how I deal with classroom management in my high school classroom. Interested in the masterclass? https://plan.kelseyreavy.com Science Valentine's Blog Post https://kelseyreavy.com/science-valentines/
032 Dealing with Students with Bad Behavior
February 02, 2021 13:00 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBThere is no such thing as bad kids, just kids trying to figure it all out. Bad behavior in the classroom can be dealt with in a variety of ways, but I find the best way is to let my students know that I love them. This is on the whole, how I deal with classroom management in my high school classroom. Interested in the masterclass? https://plan.kelseyreavy.com Science Valentine's Blog Post https://kelseyreavy.com/science-valentines/
Learning to be a Flexible Teacher
January 26, 2021 13:00 - 17 minutes - 16.3 MBIf 2020 taught us anything, I'm sure it was digital technologies and teaching, but second to that I believe is flexibility. In my early years I was so rigid and inflexible in my teaching methods and how my classroom ran. If I had a time machine, I wouldn't think that me then and me now were even the same person. I've learned to be a more flexible teacher and be more relaxed. And all I can say is that it has brought me so much happiness and calmness in the difficulty that is teaching. In...
031 Learning to be a Flexible Teacher
January 26, 2021 13:00 - 17 minutes - 16.3 MBIf 2020 taught us anything, I'm sure it was digital technologies and teaching, but second to that I believe is flexibility. In my early years I was so rigid and inflexible in my teaching methods and how my classroom ran. If I had a time machine, I wouldn't think that me then and me now were even the same person. I've learned to be a more flexible teacher and be more relaxed. And all I can say is that it has brought me so much happiness and calmness in the difficulty that is teaching. In...
030 - 7 Tips for Writing Fair Tests
January 19, 2021 13:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBWriting fair tests is so hard, in fact, I think that writing a fair test is an art. There is a lot of stress in writing a test, especially as your students are preparing for high stakes testing. I have compiled 7 tips that have helped me to make sure the tests I give my students are fair: No surprises! Too many easy or challenging questions Too many or too few questions Having multiple correct ansers Indirect questions that are too open-ended double jeopardy Worth too many or t...
7 Tips for Writing Fair Tests
January 19, 2021 13:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBWriting fair tests is so hard, in fact, I think that writing a fair test is an art. There is a lot of stress in writing a test, especially as your students are preparing for high stakes testing. I have compiled 7 tips that have helped me to make sure the tests I give my students are fair: No surprises! Too many easy or challenging questions Too many or too few questions Having multiple correct ansers Indirect questions that are too open-ended double jeopardy Worth too many or t...
029 - 10 Ways to Create a Growth Mindset Classroom (without saying "Growth Mindset")
January 12, 2021 13:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBThere is so much buzz around growth mindset in the classroom, and it can get to be really overwhelming. I love the idea of growth mindset, but I'm not down with the sometimes cheesy way that it comes off. I have 10 strategies for promoting a growth mindset culture without actually having to explicitly say so: Test Retakes Assignment Redos Optional Homework Extra Credit Opportunities Variety of Activity Types Affirmations Picture Books (blog post here) Teacher Language Conn...
10 Ways to Create a Growth Mindset Classroom (without saying "Growth Mindset")
January 12, 2021 13:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBThere is so much buzz around growth mindset in the classroom, and it can get to be really overwhelming. I love the idea of growth mindset, but I'm not down with the sometimes cheesy way that it comes off. I have 10 strategies for promoting a growth mindset culture without actually having to explicitly say so: Test Retakes Assignment Redos Optional Homework Extra Credit Opportunities Variety of Activity Types Affirmations Picture Books (blog post here) Teacher Language Conn...
028 Changing Teaching Methods Mid Year
January 05, 2021 13:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBWhen I was a new teacher I was under the impression that whatever you put in place in September is what needed to happen for the rest of the school year: the planning method, behavior management, paper flow and so much more. In this episode I outline some of the things that I have successfully changed in the middle of the school year that made me and my classroom much happier. All Star Planning Masterclass can be found here!