About this episode

This episode discusses common mistakes new social studies teachers make and offers practical solutions to enhance their teaching experience.

Teaching social studies for the first time? You're not alone, and you definitely don't have to figure it all out by yourself. In this episode, I'm sharing the five biggest mistakes I made as a new social studies teacher (and the same mistakes I see many teachers make today). More importantly, I'll show you simple, practical solutions that you can implement before the first day of school. Whether you've been assigned a new grade level, don't have a curriculum, or simply want to feel more confident planning your year, these tips will help you build a social studies block that is engaging, organized, and sustainable. In This Video Why passage-only instruction often leads to disengagement How planning by unit saves time all year long Why consistency matters more than long social studies blocks The classroom routines every social studies teacher should establish How to save time by using quality, ready-to-use resources Simple strategies to build an engaging and sustainable social studies routine If you're preparing for back-to-school, these five mindset shifts can help you avoid burnout and spend more time focusing on what matters most...your students. Resources Mentioned Social…

People in this episode

Host: Kirsten Hammond

Topics covered

• new social studies teachers
• teaching mistakes
• classroom routines
• engagement strategies
• curriculum planning

Keywords

• social studies
• teaching tips
• classroom management
• curriculum development
• teacher burnout

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Southern Teach LLC

Products: Social Studies Bootcamp, Back to School Social Studies Pack

More episodes of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast

• 10 Must-Have Teacher Supplies for the Upper Elementary Classroom · July 15, 2026 · 21 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 5: How to Teach Economics Skills · June 19, 2026 · 19 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 4: How to Teach Government/Civics Skills · June 18, 2026 · 17 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 3: How to Teach Culture and Society Skills · June 17, 2026 · 18 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 2: How to Teach History Skills · June 16, 2026 · 14 min
• Social Studies Summer Series Day 1: How to Teach Geography Skills · June 15, 2026 · 20 min

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