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You're in the right place for action steps and take-aways if you're a busy Middle School ELA teacher who prefers personal family time over prepping for class. You want to teach with confidence while also leaving at a very decent time each day. On that note, welcome to the library where I only share the kind of recommendations + advice that'll uplevel your classroom without taking away from your personal life.
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Latest from the Blog
Planning Your Middle School Expository Unit: 6 Types of Expository Reading for Engaging Students
First things first (especially if you’re new to Middle School English) → In middle school ELA classrooms, teachers often incorporate various types of expository reading to engage students and develop their comprehension and critical thinking skills. Some of the most common types of expository reading materials teachers use to round
Planning Middle School Narrative Units: Similarities and Differences in the Common Core State Standards for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade
When designing narrative reading and writing units for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), there are distinct differences (and some similarities, of course) tailored to the developmental progression and academic expectations of each grade level. I crafted a quick “cheat sheet” of sorts
Crafting Compelling Narrative Units: A Middle School ELA Teacher’s Guide to Dynamic Reading & Writing Instruction
Welcome, Middle School ELA teachers! 📚✨ I’m assuming you’re here because you’re looking to simplify the process of planning a narrative reading and writing unit. Welp, you’re in the right place! Let’s navigate this journey together, armed with practical strategies to streamline your planning process, saving you time and reducing
Top 10 Year-End Essentials for Teachers From Amazon
LEARNING GAME NECESSITIES The first three essentials in my year-end toolkit are games I love using in my classroom across pretty much all grade levels. They save my sanity when we have weird schedule issues at the end of the year, like when half the class is gone for a
How to Teach Students to Write A Constructed Response (Short Answer Version)
For Middle School Writing Teachers: Whether you’re prepping your students for an upcoming test, or simply looking for hands-on examples to use all year long that teach the constructed response, I’ve got you covered. When it comes to standards that require students to use text evidence to write a “short
3 Test Taking Steps for Middle School Reading & Writing Teachers to Help Their Students
“But I’m stuck!” “They’re trying to trick us!” “I have, like, NO idea!” “None of the answer choices makes sense!” “I think all the answer choices could be the right one.” Do any of those^ frustrating comments from students sound familiar? They’re the complaints that come from students when they
Two No-Prep Reading Strategies for Struggling Students >> Middle School Test Review Edition!
As middle school reading teachers, we’re often told to “meet them where they are” and to “close the gaps” regarding students who read (sometimes far) below grade level. When middle school students struggle with reading comprehension—which limits their ability to analyze, build connections, and develop their own thoughts about what
The Top 3 Reading Test Review Skills for Middle School ELA Teachers
Whether you’re crunched for time, or you just want to focus on a few high-impact test review skills without overwhelming yourself or your students, I’ve got you covered. In fact, the three skills I’m sharing with you are wildly helpful to implement all throughout the year—-not just for test prep
A Real-Life Formal Observation that Went SO Wrong (and what I did about it) – Middle School ELA
I’ll share a personal situation that was a TERRIBLE formal observation (and what I did about it and how I shifted my mindset). It was my first year at a new middle school and the principal at the time kept scheduling my observation and then unscheduling it multiple times… Or
5 Easy Ways to Grade or Assess Writing without Selling Your Soul – Middle School Reading and Writing
Before we jump into the five methods, here’s the foundational thinking of each of the five strategies: Don’t grade every “thing” on every assignment. Choose one or two key focus areas to actually grade instead. In fact, don’t grade every assignment, either! Sometimes a quick check mark, stamp, or verbal
8 Ways to Engage Your Students – Middle School Reading and Writing
(1) Using PearDeck with Google Slides… Game changer! You get to see what everyone knows, not just the only two kids willing to answer. → It’s an add-on that lets you add a variety of questions (multiple choice, short answer, “drawing”, etc). Students login to the presentation on a computer
You’ve reached your breaking point as a Middle School ELA Teacher. Now what?
Does this sound familiar? Could this be you right now? It’s Sunday night, and my teacher breaking point has ruined my whole weekend because last week was awful, and I’ve spent the weekend so upset while also dreading Monday. Self-sabotage, self-care, self-esteem, self-doubt, all piled up on stress over personal
6 Skills You Must Review for Your State Test – Middle School Reading and Writing
Nope, I don’t LOVE test prep, nor do I advocate promoting lots of “worry” or concern about it with students. → But!! I also know that many teachers are feeling pressured by outside forces to “get the kids ready” and to “start prepping now” . . . Even though you’ve
What to Teach in January: New Year Growth Mindset Lesson Plan Ideas for Middle School ELA/R Teachers
January is kind of a sluggish part of the year for Middle School ELA/R teachers and students since we’re all coming back from break. . . I know for me, it’s sometimes hard to get back into my flow as a teacher because on one hand, I do feel really
What to Teach in December: Community-Building Lesson Ideas for Middle School ELA/R Teachers
December is a super high-energy time for Middle School ELA/R teachers (and students!) due to the impending weeks of time off that are about to be here. We need extra special help to keep students engaged, and if you’re like me, it’s probably been a hot second since you’ve even
