Episode 22: Small Tweaks I'm Making to My Chemistry Teaching in 2026

Episode Intro

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing the key systems and teaching practices I’m focusing on in 2026 to help me feel more organized, reduce decision fatigue, and actually enjoy the spring semester with my students. Like many teachers, I’ve felt overwhelmed this year — new responsibilities, new classes, and the constant pressure to keep up with curriculum pacing.

Instead of trying to do everything, I’m intentionally focusing on a few core systems that support both student learning and teacher sustainability. If you’re feeling stretched thin right now, this episode is meant to remind you that you’re not alone — and that small, intentional shifts can make a big difference.

Key Takeaways

By the end of this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How creating structured weekly routines can reduce decision fatigue and improve student behavior
• Why I’m committing to a monthly checklist system to stay organized and prepared
• How modeling expectations more intentionally leads to smoother lessons and labs
• Why being intentionally positive with students matters — especially during challenging semesters

Teaching Systems & Practices Featured 🧪

1. Structured Weeks

I’m moving toward a more predictable weekly structure: Monday: Notes and light practice Tuesday & Wednesday: Activities or labs Thursday: Review, notebook organization, and practice test work Friday: Quiz or test This structure helps me prioritize essential content, reduces planning stress, and gives students clear expectations. 📋

2. Using a Monthly Checklist To manage everything on my plate, I’m leaning into a monthly checklist broken into four sections. Instead of trying to do everything at once, I focus on one section per week and use staff development days strategically. I’ve also committed to staying one extra afternoon a week (Thursdays) for focused planning, grading, and lab prep — so work doesn’t spill into every evening or weekend. 🎯

3. Modeling More for Students This semester, I’m being more intentional about: Modeling procedures Modeling lab techniques Modeling notebook setup If students don’t do something correctly, I’m having them go back and repeat it. I’ve learned that when I’m frustrated later, it’s usually because I skipped modeling earlier. 🌱

4. Being Intentionally Positive I’m working on using more positive language and recognition in my classroom, including: Verbal praise for effort and growth Calling out groups who are working well Stickers on assessments Small academic rewards

The goal is to help students build confidence so that external motivation can eventually turn into internal motivation.

What’s Coming Next on the Podcast

As the year continues, I’ll be sharing:

• How I plan chemistry units using these systems
• Deeper explanations of why I structure lessons the way I do
• Episodes on labs like my dry ice root beer lab, gas laws activities, and other high-engagement chemistry experiences

My goal is to help you adapt strategies — even if you don’t teach the exact same labs or units.

Final Encouragement

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember: You don’t need to do a thousand new things You don’t need a complete overhaul. One intentional system can make a big difference

Closing

As always, thank you for listening to today’s episode. Teaching chemistry can feel overwhelming, but I hope this episode gave you one idea, one strategy, or one small shift you can take back to your classroom. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with another chemistry teacher who might need some encouragement. And until next time — keep inspiring, keep experimenting, and keep being awesome in your chemistry classroom. Happy teaching.