Teaching Middle School ELA

In this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Caitlin, Megan, and Jessica continue their Science of Reading series by tackling phonological awareness, a key component of the Word Recognition section of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. Join your hosts as they demystify phonological awareness for middle school teachers, explaining why it's vital for older students and how it can tie int...

Let’s take a moment to revisit one of our favorite Monday Mindset episodes! In this episode, Can listening transform your teaching? Discover "compassionate emptiness," a concept from former Starbucks president Howard Baer, in this week's Monday Mindset podcast. Learn how shifting from problem-solving to truly hearing your students, colleagues, and administrators can revolutionize yo...

In this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Caitlin, Megan, and Jessica continue their journey through the Reading Rope with a focus on literacy knowledge. Discover how understanding text features is key to comprehension, and why it’s crucial to teach these skills explicitly—even to older students. Your hosts will walk you through a cross-disciplinary Text Features Scavenger Hunt th...

Decision-making can be very difficult as a teacher. We are constantly making decisions that will ultimately affect our students’ success. The constant stress of decision-making can be exhausting. Here’s an easy framework for you to consider to help with decision fatigue. Always come back to your “why” and your values. Don’t make decisions when you’re emotional. Ask yourself questions. What is my i...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica, and Megan dive into the fourth strand of the Reading Rope: verbal reasoning. They’ll explore how this strand plays a crucial role in understanding and interpreting texts and offer a dynamic activity to help students sharpen their inference skills. After listening, you'll have a clear strategy for guiding students through the...

Today’s Monday Mindset is one of our listeners’ favorite past episodes all about discipline. I highlight the value of discipline in both our work and personal lives, discussing how our future selves will thank us when it comes to practicing discipline. I challenge listeners to identify areas in their own lives where discipline may be lacking, and I encourage you to make a commitment to yourself. B...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica and Megan continue their series to help you navigate the essential strands of the Reading Rope. This episode focuses on language structures, exploring why they are crucial and sharing effective ways to teach them. After listening, you'll know a fun and adaptable activity that uses drawing and writing to teach grammar concepts....

Today we’re airing a past Monday Mindset episode where I discuss the concept of going above and beyond in our relationships and connections with others. Giving, not just in terms of time, but also in offering kindness, compassion, and support to others, is a powerful tool. When we give without expecting anything in return, we can positively impact our lives, experiencing deeper connections and mea...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica, and Megan continue their series to help you navigate the essential strands of the Reading Rope. This episode is all about vocabulary, why it's important, and a few ways to teach it. After listening, you'll be able to implement a fun and engaging prediction activity focused on Tier 2 vocabulary words. This activity will n...

In another re-air episode of one of Monday Mindset Favorites, I explore the transformative power of the CTFAR method by life coach Neil Williams. Learn how Circumstances, Thoughts, Feelings, Actions, and Results can help you shift your mindset and approach teaching with renewed purpose. I also dive into the concept of "quiet quitting" and how, inspired by Ed Mylett and Dean Graziosi, tea...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica and Megan kick off a series to help you navigate important concepts in reading comprehension. You'll learn a little about the Science of Reading and how Dr. Hollis Scarborough's Reading Rope can help you understand the skills necessary for reading comprehension. Your hosts will guide you through the importance of Backgrou...

Let’s take a moment to revisit one of our favorite Monday Mindset episodes! In this episode, I dive into the powerful impact our surroundings have on our mindset and overall happiness. I explore how intentionally surrounding ourselves with “A+ players” can lead to personal growth and a more fulfilling life. By carefully choosing the company we keep and fostering a positive environment for ourselve...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Caitlin, Jessica, and Megan are breaking down how a well-defined learning target can actually move your classroom from confusion and chaos to clarity and engagement. You'll learn from many of their personal journeys and impactful experiences, illustrating how setting clear and specific goals will boost student growth and your teaching...

Do you believe you can do hard things? The simple belief that you are capable has more power than you may realize.  In this Monday Mindset episode, I explore how self-belief can reshape your entire journey. I'll spend a little time recounting personal experiences, hoping to showcase how believing in yourself is the foundation of resilience and courage, helping you face life's challenges...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast your hosts Caitlin, Jessica, and Megan are sharing insights on turning mundane review sessions into exhilarating and interactive learning moments! You'll learn three low-prep, high-engagement games that are perfect for reviewing any concept in any subject time and time again. They begin by discussing the exhaustion from stale repetitiv...

What if every challenge you faced was actually a hidden opportunity for growth? In this Monday Mindset episode, I uncover how adopting a transformative mindset can turn any experience—whether uplifting or daunting—into a valuable lesson. By shifting your perspective and asking, "What is this trying to teach me?" you can build resilience, take control of your reactions, and master your jo...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, your hosts Caitlin, Jessica, and Megan are outlining a lengthy list of creative activities that go beyond the usual icebreaker first day of school activities. They explore innovative ways to set a positive and interactive class culture from day one, helping you quickly learn about your students' unique interests and personalities. Tun...

What if you could transform your life simply by choosing love over fear or anger? In this Monday Mindset episode, let's explore the power of a love-focused perspective. Embracing love as your guiding principle can reduce stress, enhance relationships, and bring more joy to your daily life. I’ll share personal stories showing how small acts of love and kindness can create a ripple effect, impa...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, join host Megan Wyant and special guest, EB Team Member, Sarah Lang for an exciting jump start to our Back-to-School Mini-Series. They're unveiling a unique, collaborative puzzle challenge perfect for fostering communication, teamwork, and excitement among students on those first days back in your middle school ELA classroom. It'...

Have you ever wondered how adopting a solution-focused mindset could change your teaching experience? Imagine tackling daily challenges with the belief that "everything is figureoutable." This simple yet powerful philosophy has the potential to empower you in ways you may not have considered before. In this Monday Mindset , I share my personal journey with problem-solving and the importa...

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast Megan breaks down an EB Teacher favorite that will have your students strategizing, debating, and writing with justification on a deserted island! (Don't worry, there's no plane crash involved!) Megan shares all the details of this engaging back-to-school activity in this episode, so that you can easily recreate this experience wi...

In today's Monday Mindset episode, I'm exploring how a positive attitude can transform setbacks into comebacks. Considering Winston Churchill's wisdom on attitude, I'll share a personal story about teaching my son resilience through a football loss, and draw inspiration from Steph Curry's optimism. You'll learn how a positive outlook can enrich relationships, attract...

On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Caitlin is revealing four terms that you can begin incorporating inside your ELA classroom that will directly impact your students' test scores. Yes - this is a HUGE promise to make, and she's not shying away from keeping it. Caitlin will break down this promise with confidence because she isn't only speaking from her person...

In today's Monday Mindset episode, I discuss how important it is to conquer self-doubt and embrace a mindset where anything is possible. Inspired by the book "10X is Easier Than 2X," I explore the power of setting bold, audacious goals and reflect on how fear or external discouragement can stifle our ambitions. I'll consider personal experiences and even share a few stories tha...

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, Caitlin focuses on best practices to actually "fit it all in" when planning your ELA lessons this year. She prefaces this episode with a message about the variations in class time length we often see across middle schools. Some ELA teachers have 40-minute class periods to work around while others might find themselves with 90-min...