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
I’m sharing my tried-and-true low-stress way to wrap up the school Year in my Middle School ELA class ✏️📚🎉 Listen, we all know the last few weeks of school can feel like you’re starring in a weird spin-off of Survivor: Middle School Edition — supplies are running low, attention spans
Writing is hard—especially when you’re teaching middle schoolers with a million distractions (the group chat! the snacks! the existential crisis over which hoodie to wear!). As AI becomes more and more embedded in our lives as adults (I mean, I can’t even run a quick Google search of local dog
If you’re anything like most middle school ELA teachers in May, you’re basically running on caffeine, countdowns, and sheer willpower. 🏃♀️✨ Students are distracted, the summer buzz is real, and you’re out here trying to teach literally anything without resorting to bribing them with snacks (again). 🍫 That’s why these
There’s a shift in the air, y’all. I’m not hearing a whole lot in the way of, “How do we catch AI usage / How do we stop it / How do we keep it out of our classrooms?” Rather, I’m hearing a lot MORE of this: “How do we
Getting right to it: April 28 each year is “National Superhero Day” which allows me to leverage the magic and intrigue of fictional superheroes all month long.… And THIS time of year? Anything to capture the 5-second goldfish attention span of my Middle School ELA/R students is welcome. To run
Middle School ELA/R Test Prep Review Games (No Tech Required!) Can we please take a break from red-eye device zombie screen time? Yes. Yes, we can. Look, I’m not anti-tech. It’s just that since we use digital tools SO much, I’ve found it actually enhances engagement when we put them
March ELA Stations: Fresh Reads & No-Prep Fun for Middle Schoolers Ahh, March. The month where students have just enough spring fever to make them antsy, but there’s still too much school year left to go full-on summer mode. The solution? Engaging, low-prep stations that keep them busy and boost
It’s tough when you’re a teacher and realize that the usual tricks of the trade just aren’t cutting it. Teaching in the trenches, especially when students are in that “too cool for middle school” phase, can feel like trying to herd caffeinated cats… Especially when they suddenly lose all their
Blending digital tools into Middle School ELA stations for enhanced learning and student engagement. Want to keep your students on task and engaged at every station? Let’s plug in some digital tools that do some of the heavy lifting for you, while reducing the amount of paper and clutter that
How to manage student behavior effectively in ELA stations, so they can confidently run stations without chaos. “Ever feel like you’re running a zoo instead of a classroom during station time? Start with these simple management strategies, and you’ll have students rotating through centers like clockwork.” Section 1: Set Clear