There’s something about January that just begs for fresh starts—new planners, new goals, and maybe even a new pack of flair pens. In my Middle School ELA classroom, I like to lean into that energy with “New Beginnings” stations. They give students a chance to practice the same core skills
If you’ve ever scrolled through teacher Instagram and thought, “Wait, she’s doing an entire Dickens-themed escape room with twinkle lights, costumes, AND a hot cocoa bar?!”—pause right there. Listen: You do not have to compete with Pinterest-perfect, five-week-long A Christmas Carol extravaganzas to be a good teacher. You also don’t
Goal: Thematically-linked stations that incorporate fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for engaging ways to review+practice reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and grammar concepts December in middle school ELA has its own special kind of magic. Between holiday concerts, hot chocolate in travel mugs, and students counting down the days until Christmas
You know that weird stretch of school between Thanksgiving and Christmas break? I’m talking about the days when students are either half-asleep from turkey leftovers or wildly sugar-buzzed from non-stop candy canes. At this point, we’re all counting down to Christmas break while wrapping up loose ends so we can
Goal: Thematically-linked stations that incorporate fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for engaging ways to review+practice reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and grammar concepts November always sneaks up fast, doesn’t it? One day it’s pumpkins and spooky stories, and the next we’re talking turkey and gratitude journals. In my classroom, November is
Middle School ELA isn’t exactly known for being the place where students beg to do grammar each day. And I get it! I mean… me, neither! (Or… me, either?). The secret trick that works for me (what I’ve shared time and time again during the lesson plan membership Q+A Zoom
Hands-on, brain-based learning and retention comes most genuinely through the writing process, but “The Writing Process” doesn’t have to be formal or essay-style to meet students’ needs. We process and remember more deeply and more meaningfully when we write about our own thinking or when we refer back to something
October in middle school ELA? Think spooky vibes, cozy sweaters, and students who are way more interested in Halloween candy than commas. That’s why I love bringing my seasonal stations to life this month. Take a peek at how I’m running stations in my classroom. Here’s exactly what’s on deck
I cannot even imagine NOT running stations in my Middle School ELA Classroom, especially since I’ve been using themed-station sets so that the work never feels random or “extra”…. Like never out of place. And the way I do that is through station materials that are thematically linked, tied to
Middle school ELA is not exactly known for being a serene environment all the time. Between the constant chatter, the mystery noises coming from the back, and the random falling out of their chairs (is that just my class?), the vibe can get… loud. And yet—calm is possible. Even in
The beginning of the school year brings with it that “fresh start – fitting in” vibe. We’ll capitalize on that by bringing in three reading pieces that are thematically tied to that exact topic: A fiction piece, a nonfiction piece, and a poem that helps students see that starting over
Every once in a while, someone low-key mentions something that hits you like a perfectly-timed coffee run—it’s that simple lightbulb moment that makes your teacher-life 1000% easier. Your first week of middle school ELA can go two ways: Stations (yes, even during the first week of school!) are definitely a
Every summer, I tell myself this summer, I’m gonna rest. Well… I’m gonna focus on my summer baby, hosting the annual MSELA Summit, but that’s IT… Then I’ll rest. Ha. But by July 5th, in between alphabetizing my classroom library and planning summit interviews with guest expert speakers for the
Summer school teachers, tutoring teachers, and anyone feeling summertime vibes—let’s talk about a summertime solution that hits the sweet spot between student engagement and academic rigor. If you’re staring down a summer school roster or running tutoring sessions that need to review reading and writing skills without sending kids running
Every once in a while, someone low-key mentions something that hits you like a perfectly-timed coffee run—it’s that simple lightbulb moment that makes your teacher-life 1000% easier. I’ve gathered these lightbulb moments a little at a time over 20+ years of teaching, and what I’m sharing here are those golden