Simple Systems with Sam: Recent Episodes
Samantha Holcomb
Simple Systems with Sam knows that you don’t have time for your to-do list, let alone figuring out how to maximize the crazy schedule of teacher-moms. Instead, you need a friend who can help with quick and actionable steps, has made (and learned from) all the mistakes, and reads all the personal development books for you. Sam Holcomb delivers bite size simple steps to put systems, productivity, and efficiency into every part of your life without the drama. Learning all about lean manufacturing and engineered projects in school felt worlds apart from the career change to teaching high school science while raising 3 kids under 5…or was it? From the factory floor to your home and classroom, Sam will show you how to utilize the same ideas that help corporations cut millions of lost hours to save your own sanity. Follow Samantha on social media and YouTube @EngineerDoesEducation and don’t forget to head to www.engineerdoeseducation.com to get connected to the email list where you can get bonus Simple Steps.
Join Sam as she shares essential tips for teachers and busy parents preparing for the new school year. Discover effective strategies to maximize your time, including starting small, utilizing block scheduling, and leveraging help from students or family members. Simplify your to-do list and reduce overwhelm with practical advice on maintaining décor, organizing your spaces, and delegating tasks. Perfect for those looking to find peace and efficiency before the hectic school term begins.
Welcome back to the Simple Systems with Sam podcast! After a brief hiatus, Sam returns with fresh insights and practical steps to simplify various aspects of life for busy teachers and moms. Kicking off Season 2, this episode dives into 15 simple systems geared towards making the school year and home life more efficient. From restructuring classroom policies and organizing supplies to personal habits like healthier snacks and dedicated Kindle time, Sam shares actionable strategies to reduce overwhelm and optimize time and energy. Tune in for tips on creating a more organized and balanced life, both in and out of the classroom!
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Want simple and flexible secondary science assignments?
Batching is such a "trendy" productivity tip... but it doesn't work for me. Instead, I take the idea of batching and turn it into something that works for the everyday teacher, mom, and busy woman.
When you're an overachiever or a perfectionist, you are putting so much stress onto your life, when really, a B- lifestyle is the cure.
Simple Systems Newsletter
YouTube Video
Check out the Simple Systems with Sam Episode on YouTube
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Time Management for Students
EngineerDoesEducation Teachers Pay Teachers Store
EngineerDoesEducation YouTube
SURVEY
Scientific Method Lab Template + Rubric
Engineering Design Project Template + Rubric
Editable Unit Planning Kit
EngineerDoesEducation YouTube
Classroom Startup Guide
Day 1:
Fast Facts Survey
Hexagons
Day 4:
Polar Bear and Fish Dice Game
Spaghetti and Marshmallow Challenge
Day 5 +
Color Study Tips
WonderWall Presentations
Template Sub Plans
LINKS:
FREE Unit Planning Template Page
Unit Planning Kit
Sub Template Assignments
New Science Teachers Essentials Bundle
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Check out the YouTube version
Ready to tackle planning a new course?! I've been there... 16 times. So let's take it step by step together with part 1 of our New Course Planning series!
Digital Declutter Episode
Get your Free Classroom Setup Guide here!
Watch the Video on Youtube!
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Check out the free Classroom Essentials Checklist here
Get on the Syllabus Creation Guide list here to receive the emails when it's all set!
Check out the YouTube video here!
Discover some simple questions to ask and make sure you're creating a domino effect in your productivity!
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In our Summer of Systems, we need to address those units you dread. The topics that just aren't your favorite and you struggle bus your way through each year. Teachers don't have to love everything in the standards, but these units make the year feel stretched out even longer. In this episode, inspired by my guest episode on the Secondary Science Simplified podcast, we discuss 5 tips for getting excited about those dreaded units.
Show notes, links, and transcript
In our Summer of Systems, let's take a minute to talk about strategies to force us to focus. Focus strategies are going to give us the long term benefit of more time earned back once we decide what strategy works best. Before the next school year rolls around, let's dive into 3 Strategies to Force your Focus.
Shownotes and Resources Mentioned
In this episode Sam gives you ideas for creating templates in your life and how the simple act of simplifying these tasks can reduce your stress.
Get your free Block Schedule Template here
Full Block Schedule Planner here (use code ENGDOESEDU for a discount!)
Watch the episode on YOUTUBE
Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers Store
Shop Etsy here
Check out the podcast on YouTube!
Classroom Essentials Checklist
New SCIENCE Teacher Toolkit
New Teacher Toolkit
Teacher Appreciation Week is here, but let's not wait for the students to make it special, let's take charge and make sure that we make the most of it with these 3 simple step ideas!
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Check out the transcript
Prefer to watch? YouTube videos of the podcast can be found here
In this final episode of our Spring CLEANing series we talk about the importance of Naming what matters, what to name, and how it will reduce your workload and increase your free time!
In this episode we are talking all about simple steps to make your spring meal planning faster and less stressful!
Celebrating 50 Episodes with brain nuggets, tips and modifications to clean counters, teaching tactics, and more!
Podcast Summary
75Simple Trackers here!
Welcome to the Spring Cleaning Series that will be full of small, actionable tips to help you clean up, declutter, clarify, and organize every area of your life. From the classroom, to your home, your personal life, devices, and even your car. We will be discussing the acronym CLEAN to help you get through this. Today's episode focuses on the letter "c" with clear, classify, and categorize.
Let's create simple steps towards our goals in the midst of all the end-of-year craziness! The #75Simple challenge was created from messages of people overtired and overworked from the school day and behaviors and needing a way to still feel in control of ourselves and take effective steps towards our goals. Here we are.
Sign up to get your trackers here!
In the final part of the book summary of Essentialism by Greg McKeown, we break down the execution section. This section is all about systems, routines, and all of the things you need to think about when you are trying to plan a day...but with little friction as possible.
Essentialism by Greg McEwan.
50 episode survey here!
We continue with part three of the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown. This section of the book discusses how we need to be eliminating the things in our lives that are not bringing us joy. What things are not making the cut with the values and interest we decided make us happiest.
With ChatGPT, Notion AI, and Google Bard coming onto the scene teachers are concerned with how students will use these AI Chat Bots in the classroom...but maybe we should be more excited about how ChatGPT can simplify our own systems and lives in the classroom.
We continue the discussion of Essentialism by Greg McKeown today in a jam-packed episode of ways we stop our own exploration short of what will truly help us to decide what is valuable to our own happiness and contributions!
When it comes to feeling overwhelmed, the simplest of productivity tips is to think about what value is added. Companies and factories use these ideas to regularly cut the excess, save time, save money, and up production... so, let's get into the value added mindset too!
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The book Essentialism from Greg McKeown (affiliate link to purchase here) has been a top productivity book, but if you don't have the time to read it or want a fresh perspective, here are my top takeaways from part 1!
What if I told you that you could set up a sub binder once that would last the next 5-10 years and emergency sub plans would be as simple as picking a number? Listen for more information!
Essential Sub Binder Kit
Science Sub Plans
ANY Course Sub Plans (not just science)
Let's explore the different organization styles that can help you realize it's not one-size-fits-all.
Episode 14: Thrive-Day
Unit Planning Kit (PDF + Digital)
Secondary Sub Binder + Full Lesson Plans for Any Topic
Root Cause analysis allows us to narrow in on the smallest issues that are causing the bigger problem on the surface. The smaller problem you can find, the smaller step to fixing the problem!
Don't feel like you need to cancel it all, but let's remove the stress from all of the events coming up this year!
Things I think we should all focus on (and forget focusing on) for the new year! (Plus some rapid fire FAQ answers at the end)
It's that week between holidays and a new year where nobody knows what day it is, but we all know that we need a little help picking up from all of the new things and celebrations.
Here is a quick set of steps to help get you a head start to a cleaner home in the new year.
Let's chat why New Years Resolutions are NOT what we will be taking on this year, and what you should try instead.
5-8 Goal Setting Worksheet
9-12 Focus Worksheet
Let's take a look at how we can complete a SWOT analysis and reflect on our year.
FREE SWOT ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
Unit Plan Kit
Here's a quick step to help you get back a little pep in your step when it comes to school: time yourself.
Let me tell you more in the episode
Winter break is coming and it's a unique stress to want to get everything done while also needing to...not do everything.
Let's create a special block schedule together to help you stay on track!
5 Steps to Simplify your To Do List
Focus Block Schedule Page
Productivity Planner: Use code EngDoesEdu for 20% off!
This Extra Credit Episode is about preparing your home for the holidays. If you have a direct line to Santa and know what's coming your way, let's prepare for those items NOW!
This Extra Credit Episode is about preparing your home for the holidays. If you have a direct line to Santa and know what's coming your way, let's prepare for those items NOW!
Teachers have too much on their plate and this episode was inspired by my own struggle with the "too much to do and so little time" this time of year.
Let's take a deep breath and tackle 5 small steps to simplify your to-do list: classroom edition.
Free Download
Welcome to our first Extra Credit episode! These episodes will give you a short task/challenge to complete and simplify your systems.
Today we talk about giving your classroom a pre-holiday check up.
With major holidays right around the corner, this episode gives you a few simple steps to achieving a manageable and reduced stress Thanksgiving meal.
5 Steps to Simplify Your To-Do List
Teacher focused- creating lesson plan templates where you can modify one of 4 "add ons" for variation. Templates are key, and students thrive with template assignments, so why not template lesson plans?!
Template Sub Plans Here
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Getting a little nerdy with space and different ways we can shift our perspective to keep us out of a funk and moving in the positive (badumchhhhhh) direction.
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Wet Erase Multi Pack
Basics Laminator
Block Schedule Freebie Here
Productivity Planner *Code: ENGDOESEDU for 10% off
Visual Timer
Raycon Wireless Earbuds
*The links above are affiliate links meaning I may earn the tiniest of commission if you purchase, but it is at no additional cost to you :)
Using the time you have to build habits and make the most of your time.
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As seasons of the world and our own lives shift, let's take a look at how to navigate setting main priorities. This might seem a little different than our normal podcast, so I'd love to know what you think!
It's not just for real estate, but it can be real important for your sanity and saving you some time! Let's talk about how to evaluate and adjust locations.
Episode 12- Decide Once
Episode 8- Simple Classroom Setup part 3
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Try this simple switch to get rid of your Sunday Scaries and begin to thrive instead of just survive.
Episode 3: Block Schedule and printable found here!
If you want something done right, then do it yourself...I mean writing the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) so that you can pass it off to someone else!
Let's chat about simple ways to create a way to always feel confident in passing on the work that doesn't have to be ours.
Links and Transcript here!
Decision fatigue is such a literally exhausting problem for moms and teachers, but if we can spend more time "deciding once" then we can free up our own mental stress and time.
Links:
The Lazy Genius Podcast
Color coding is more than just rainbow bookcases, it's also a simple way to cut down on the way your brain sees the world, tasks, and collection of things. Let's chat about a few ways to color code your life!
Links, Transcript, and more!
There are 5 templates that I believe every teacher needs to start the school year strong. Why? Well, because almost every teacher says they started using them around year 3/4 and they were life changing, so let's start changing your life NOW.
Links, Transcript, and More!
Stuff is telling your brain to do a million things...so let's take a look at how we can look at our things for a change in our physical spaces and mental health.
Links, Transcript, and More
Classroom setup is the most exciting part of a new classroom, but there are some things to keep in mind when setting these spaces up. How can we make your classroom an effective space for learning and teaching? Here are a few tips you probably haven’t heard.
Links, Transcript, and more
Understanding the pieces of the system equation to help them be productive and personalized for the best results. Knowing the pieces of the systems equation means you can also evaluate where a system isn’t truly working for you and how you might be able to get it back on track.
Links, Transcript, and More!
The backbone of how your classroom runs on a day-to-day basis are the classroom routines you establish. Today we will walk through the pieces of routines you may have never expected, but will be key to feeling confident and in control.
Links, Transcript, and More!
Today we are going to tackle the first step in setting up your classroom, without even stepping foot into your classroom. Let’s extend that summer feeling a little bit longer while getting your confidence up and running for the first day of school.
Hey guys, Sam here with our special series all about simple classroom setup. If you're a new teacher, or one who's made a transition, these episodes are going to help you come through the millions of thoughts and ideas in your head. And get you started setting up an effective and simple classroom, where we take away the decision fatigue and walk you through classroom essentials to start now, so you can feel competent and prepared on day one of school and beyond.
Show Notes can be found here
A block schedule will change how you look at your day and productivity, so let’s start setting one up, one step at a time.Transcript and Links found here
Key Moments:
Block Schedule Basics 1:58
Types of Block Schedules 4:44
Simple Step 5:54
The Challenge 7:47
Cut down your to-do list with this one eye-opening step.Transcript and Links Here
Key Moments:
Delegating 101 1:49
Simple Step 3:58
Challenge 7:58
Together let's discuss the importance of simple systems and how we can set simple systems up in our own life: starting with the simplest step.
Transcript and Show Note links here
Key Moments:
The systems mindset: 1:58
Simple Step 5:45
Challenge 8:16
Hey there! So happy you're joining this journey to make your life more productive, efficient, and simplified. Each week we will talk about one small step you can tackle to add up to big results.
Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplesystemswithsam
And sign up to get all the free things: http://www.engineerdoeseducation.com