The Unit Planning Mistake 90% of Teachers Make (+ The Simple Fix)
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
07/21/25
•14m
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Transform your teaching with strategic summer unit planning!
🌟 Stop the last-minute Sunday night scramble and walk into September feeling confident, organized, and excited about your lessons.
In this episode of I share my game-changing 3-pillar framework for effective teaching and lesson planning that will revolutionize your classroom management and boost student engagement. Learn how thoughtful summer planning creates better learning experiences and saves you countless hours during the school year.
What You'll Learn:
✅ The 3-pillar framework: Clear learning targets, authentic assessments, and engaging tasks
✅ Step-by-step summer planning process that actually works
✅ How to create flexible unit plans without perfectionist overwhelm
✅ Practical tools and templates for instructional strategies
✅ Why December/January units should be your summer priority
Perfect for teachers, education coaches, instructional leaders, new teachers, mentor teachers, and anyone focused on student success and education transformation. Whether you're implementing innovative teaching methods, working on inclusive teaching approaches, or seeking professional development, this episode provides teaching tips that support the whole child and create thriving students.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction - End the Sunday Night Planning Panic
1:00 The Secret of Strategic Summer Planning
2:00 Welcome to Summer Series - Your Teaching Reset
3:00 Why Summer is Perfect for Unit Planning
4:00 The Problem with Survival Mode Planning
5:00 Three-Pillar Framework Introduction
6:00 Pillar 1: Clear Learning Targets & Objectives (Bloom’s Taxonomy of Measurable Verbs)
7:00 Pillar 2: Authentic Assessments That Matter
8:00 Pillar 3: Engaging Tasks That Bridge Learning
8:30 Step-by-Step Summer Planning Process
9:00 Assessment Design - Start with the End
10:00 Why Start with December/January Units
11:00 Building Flexibility Into Your Plans
12:00 Practical Tools for Summer Planning
13:00 Wrap-Up - Your Foundation for Success
14:00 Closing & Connect with Olivia
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
🎧 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast New episodes every Monday & Friday this summer!
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 👍LIKE this video if it helped you, 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!
https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/
#TeachingStrategies #LessonPlanning #UnitPlanning #ClassroomManagement #StudentEngagement #TeacherPlanning #SummerPlanning #EducationStrategies #TeachingTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherCoaching #InstructionalStrategies #StudentSuccess #EffectiveTeaching #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolLeadership #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #EmpoweredEducators #InspiredTeaching #ThrivingStudents #ActiveLearning #StudentMotivation #InnovativeTeaching #SchoolImprovement #InstructionalLeadership #TeacherSupport #EducationCoaches
& 👉Follow Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast on social:
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When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
The Summer Reading Strategy That Changes Everything
July 18, 2025
•9m
Transform your teaching practice this summer with strategic professional reading! Join me as I reveal why most educators approach summer reading completely wrong and the simple strategy that turns overwhelming book lists into genuine classroom breakthroughs.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
➡️The strategic approach to choosing 2-3 books that create real impact
➡️Essential reading categories: classroom management, student engagement, subject-specific pedagogy, and educational technology
➡️How to bridge theory and practice with active reading strategies
➡️Creating sustainable reading habits that fit your summer schedule
Perfect for: teachers, education coaches, school administrators, instructional leaders, teacher mentors, new teachers, and anyone committed to professional development and student success.
Key Topics Covered:
✅ Classroom management and student engagement strategies
✅ Effective teaching and instructional strategies
✅ Professional development through intentional reading
✅ Teacher coaching and mentor teachers support
✅ Inspiring students and student motivation techniques
✅ Education strategies that transform practice
✅ Empowered educators and teacher impact
Stop drowning in endless reading lists and start making your summer professional development count! Your students deserve a teacher who never stops learning and growing.
Chapter Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction: Why Most Summer Reading Fails
1:00 - The Strategic Approach to Educational Reading
2:00 - Welcome to Solutions Teaching Strategies
3:00 - Three Essential Reading Categories
4:00 - Making Research Practical and Digestible
5:00 - Creating Your Summer Reading Plan
6:00 - Bridging Theory and Practice
7:00 - The Power of Professional Learning Communities
8:00 - Investing in Your Teaching Journey
9:00 - Closing & Next Steps
#TeacherReading #ProfessionalDevelopment #SummerReading #EducationStrategies #TeacherGrowth #ClassroomManagement #StudentEngagement #EffectiveTeaching #InstructionalStrategies #TeacherCoaching #EmpoweredEducators #TeacherImpact #StudentSuccess #ThrivingStudents #NewTeachers #MentorTeachers #InstructionalLeaders #TeacherSupport #InnovativeTeaching #StudentMotivation #ActiveLearning #InspiringStudents #LessonPlanning #TeachingTips #EducationalResearch #TeacherMentors #EducationCoaches #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolLeadership #EducationLeadership #WholeChild
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to never miss an episode of Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/
& 👉Follow Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast on social:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-wahl-4300811a/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoolutionspodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schoolutionspodcast/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/olivia-wahl.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@schoolutionspodcast
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
The Preassessment Strategy That Boosts Student Achievement
July 25, 2025
•13m
Stop scrambling in September and start the school year with confidence!
In this episode of Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Summer Series, discover how strategic preassessment design during your summer planning can transform your classroom from day one. Learn the research-backed approach that increases student achievement through targeted, responsive instruction.
What You'll Learn:
✅ 3 essential types of preassessments every teacher needs
✅ How to identify students' background knowledge before you start teaching
✅ Practical tools and workflows for efficient assessment creation
✅ Digital solutions including Google Forms, Flipgrid, and Padlet
✅ Common mistakes to avoid (and how to fix them)
✅ Flexible grouping strategies based on student readiness
Perfect for teachers, education coaches, instructional leaders, new teachers, teacher mentors, and school administrators looking to improve student engagement, lesson planning, teaching tips, effective teaching, instructional strategies, student success, professional development, and education strategies.
Whether you're dealing with low engagement, student motivation challenges, or need better classroom management approaches, this summer planning strategy will help you meet every student where they are so you can take them where they need to go.
00:00 Introduction - The September Scramble Problem
00:47 Why Preassessment Matters (30% Achievement Boost!)
01:51 Summer: The Perfect Planning Time
02:46 3 Essential Types of Preassessments
04:08 Setting Up Low-Stakes Success
05:41 Practical Design Workflow
06:54 Using Data Strategically
07:53 Digital Tools That Work
08:36 Common Mistakes to Avoid
09:27 Building Long-Term Resources
10:47 Your Summer Challenge
11:13 Wrap-Up & Next Steps
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
🎧 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast New episodes every Monday & Friday this summer!
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 👍LIKE this video if it helped you, 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators!
https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/
#TeachingTips #LessonPlanning #StudentEngagement #EducationStrategies #TeacherCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalStrategies #StudentSuccess #EffectiveTeaching #NewTeachers #EducationCoaches #InstructionalLeaders #TeacherSupport #StudentMotivation #ClassroomManagement #EmpoweredEducators #InspiredTeaching #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #ThrivingStudents
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
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