Skip to content
Artwork for The Teaching Toolbox - A Podcast for Middle School Teachers
The Teaching Toolbox - A Podcast for Middle School Teachers · Jun 10, 2025 · 21 min

88. Management Tips (and More) for Teachers Moving to Middle School

Is your teaching assignment moving to middle school for the first time? Don't panic! Today we're talking about what you need, like mental tools, physical tools, and all the in-between to not just survive but thrive during this season of transition. Topics Discussed Mindset Shifts – “You’re Not Starting Over” The Practical Toolbox Emotional & Social Tools Expect Chaos... and Embrace It Ellie’s blog posts about routine: Routines during 1st week: https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/teaching-classroom-routines-the-first-week-of-school/ Beginning of class routines: https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/middle-school-classroom-routines-to-begin-class/ End of class routines: https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/middle-school-classroom-routines-to-end-class/ Related Episodes Episode 10: https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/show-notes/classroom-transition-ideas/ Episode 12: https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/show-notes/classroom-economy-systems/ Episode 14: https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/show-notes/effective-morning-routines-and-classroom-greetings/ Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did. This episode may contain affiliate links. Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links. Let’s Connect To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram. Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook. Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook. Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT. Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT. Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website. https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/ Mentioned in this episode: Back to School Support If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-colorado-classroom/category-back-to-school-1441616

0:00-21:43

transcript

No transcript — this publisher did not publish one.

show notes

Is your teaching assignment moving to middle school for the first time? Don't panic! Today we're talking about what you need, like mental tools, physical tools, and all the in-between to not just survive but thrive during this season of transition.

Topics Discussed

  • Mindset Shifts – “You’re Not Starting Over”
  • The Practical Toolbox
  • Emotional & Social Tools
  • Expect Chaos... and Embrace It


Ellie’s blog posts about routine:

Routines during 1st week: https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/teaching-classroom-routines-the-first-week-of-school/

Beginning of class routines: https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/middle-school-classroom-routines-to-begin-class/

End of class routines: https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/middle-school-classroom-routines-to-end-class/


Related Episodes

Episode 10: https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/show-notes/classroom-transition-ideas/

Episode 12: https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/show-notes/classroom-economy-systems/

Episode 14: https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/show-notes/effective-morning-routines-and-classroom-greetings/


Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s SpotifyApple PodcastsGoogle Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.


This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.


Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-colorado-classroom/category-back-to-school-1441616

links18

more episodes

All episodes