Click below to hear from Sam Holcomb of Engineer Does Education:
This month we’ve been talking about how to manage multiple preps. If you are struggling to keep up with multiple preps and looking for ways to simplify your teaching life, you’ve got to check out episodes 8, 9, and 10 where I talked about where to focus your energy, how to lesson plan, and how to manage grading.
I am so excited to introduce today’s guest, Sam Holcomb of Engineer Does Education. Sam is sharing tips and strategies from her own experience balancing up to seven preps at a time! She struggled during her first year trying to do it all, but soon, she began to implement the strategies she talks about today to simplify her life. Now she enjoys helping other teachers eliminate the overwhelm and stress that so many face.
Sam Holcomb was an engineer who specialized in lean, efficient systems and project management until jumping headfirst into a lifelong goal of teaching science. After an overwhelming first year as a department of 1 with 7 preps and no education background, she was exhausted.
Realizing this overwhelm was extremely common, she knew something had to change. Now, Sam takes her engineering background and helps secondary science teachers create efficient systems, templates, and freedom to enjoy science again.
If you enjoy this conversation, take a quick screenshot and tag Sam and I on Instagram @engineerdoeseducation and @its.not.rocket.science!
Topics Discussed with Sam Holcomb of Engineer Does Education:
- Sam’s journey from being an engineer to becoming a certified science teacher and how she incorporates tools from the corporate business world to reduce burnout
- The lessons Sam learned during her first year by making all the mistakes and getting herself in so deep she couldn’t get her head above water
- Tips for using Teachers Pay Teachers and Facebook groups to source ideas and how that can save you time and overwhelm when planning
- Things Sam has had to say no to and let go of in order to balance multiple preps
- Why Sam chose to take a lower mark on her evaluation
- How to show yourself the delicacy and grace that you show your students and why this is key to being a great teacher
Resources Mentioned:
- Angela Watson’s 40-Hour Teacher Workweek
- Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!
Connect with Sam Holcomb of Engineer Does Education:
Related Episodes and Blog Posts:
- Episode 8, Balancing Multiple Preps: Where to Focus Your Energy
- Episode 9, Balancing Multiple Preps: How to Lesson Plan
- Episode 10, Balancing Multiple Preps: How to Manage Grading
Connect with Rebecca:
- Join the list
- Follow me on Instagram
- Like us on Facebook
- Join the Secondary Science Simplified Course Waitlist
- Shop my TpT Store
More about Secondary Science Simplified:
Secondary Science Simplified is a podcast specifically for high school science teachers that will help you to engage your students AND simplify your life as a secondary science educator. Each week Rebecca, from It’s Not Rocket Science, and her guests will share practical and easy-to-implement strategies for decreasing your workload so that you can stop working overtime and start focusing your energy doing what you love – actually teaching!
Teaching doesn’t have to be rocket science, and you’ll learn exactly what you need to do to simplify your secondary science teaching life so that you can enjoy your life outside of school even more. Head to itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/challenge to grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
