Teaching Middle School ELA

Today, on the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, Caitlin breaks down exactly why writing feels overwhelming — and how the problem isn’t you , it’s the system .  You’ll discover three simple, teacher-tested frameworks that will help you:  ✅ Simplify writing instruction without reinventing the wheel  ✅ Give faster, more meaningful feedback  ✅ Bring fun (and confidence!) back into your students’...

When we think of courage, we often picture grand, dramatic moments — standing up to someone, taking a huge leap, or making a bold change. But in today’s Monday Mindset episode, we’re exploring a different kind of courage — the quiet, everyday kind that often goes unseen. Caitlin shares her own story of rebuilding confidence and identity after a long recovery, and how real courage sometimes looks l...

Ready to turn ordinary review time into pure excitement? In today’s episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast , we’re bringing you another hit from our Classroom Games Series: Mystery Baskets 🧺✨ This activity works with any ELA concept—grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, root words, you name it—and adds just the right amount of suspense and competition to get your students hooked. They’l...

Your classroom culture starts with you. 💛 In this week’s episode, Caitlin shares three powerful mindset shifts that can completely transform how you show up—for yourself and your students. Tune in to discover how small inner changes can create big outer results.  From Mark Traver's article: A Psychologist Shares The ‘90-Second Rule’ To Survive Emotional Waves https://www.forbes.com/sites/tra...

Welcome back to our Games Series! Today, we’re bringing the energy with one of the most exciting review games you’ll ever play in your ELA classroom— Knockout. This game transforms any concept—whether it’s text structures, grammar, or figurative language—into a high-stakes, fast-paced classroom battle. Students aren’t just answering questions; they’re defending their spaces, protecting their wins,...

Halloween week in middle school can feel like complete chaos—costumes, candy, and zero focus. But what if you could channel that energy into something productive and fun ? In this special bonus episode, Caitlin shares a free, done-for-you Haunted Forest Escape Room that keeps your students engaged, practicing key ELA skills, and (miraculously!) on task during one of the wildest weeks of the year....

Welcome back to our Games Series! Today’s episode is all about Digging for Treasure — a review game that brings all the excitement of Battleship straight into your ELA classroom. With every correct answer, students get to “dig” for hidden treasures on their grids, turning grammar, vocabulary, and figurative language practice into a fast-paced, strategy-packed adventure. This game is fun, competiti...

In this episode, we’re tackling something every teacher faces — comparison. Whether it’s classroom decor, lesson ideas, or student success stories, it’s so easy to look at others and feel like we’re falling short. But here’s the truth: your classroom doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. Your journey doesn’t have to match another teacher’s path. Join me as we unpack how comparison quietly steal...

In this episode, Caitlin breaks down exactly how to bring this hilarious, energy-packed game into your ELA classroom — from simple icebreakers and vocabulary swaps to full-on academic reviews. You’ll learn creative ways to adapt the rules, sneak in rigorous practice, and keep your students begging for “just one more round.” So if you’re looking for a way to make learning stick — and have your stud...

Feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate—lesson planning, grading, or just making it through the week? You’re not alone. In this Tuesday episode, Caitlin shares a powerful mindset shift that can completely change how you approach both teaching and life: the power of micro-wins . Instead of staring at the mountain in front of you and feeling stuck, learn how to take small, meaningful steps t...

Today on the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, we’re bringing you one of our favorite high-energy classroom activities: The Bluff Game – Language Arts Edition ! 🙌 This fast-paced game is perfect for practicing vocabulary, grammar, reading skills, and more—all while keeping your students on their feet (literally!) and fully engaged. Whether they truly know the answer or are just bluffing, your k...

Tired of spending endless hours planning, grading, and creating materials? In today’s episode, Caitlin shares three powerful ways to use ChatGPT to cut prep time in half—without sacrificing quality or your unique teaching style. From drafting discussion questions to batch-prepping warm-ups, you’ll walk away with practical shortcuts you can start using right away. Tune in and reclaim your time 

Narrative writing is such an important skill for middle schoolers—but let’s be honest, it often feels like it takes forever to teach. Before you know it, weeks (or even months!) are gone, and you’re scrambling to fit in argument and informational writing. In this episode, I discussed how to make narrative writing powerful and effective —without letting it hijack your calendar. You’ll learn: ✅ Why...

Differentiation doesn’t have to mean staying up late making three different versions of the same lesson. In this week’s Teaching Middle School episode, I shared how you can use ChatGPT to quickly create scaffolds, extensions, and tiered questions—so every student has a way into the learning without you doubling your workload. From rewriting texts at multiple levels, to generating leveled questions...

How do we strike the right balance between fun, engaging creative writing and the academic writing skills our students need to succeed? In this episode, let's dive into why both matter, how to weave them together, and practical strategies you can start using right away. Tune in to discover how creativity and rigor can go hand in hand to help your students grow into confident writers. 

Emails, newsletters, behavior documentation… oh my! Communication and admin tasks can easily eat up hours of your week—but they don’t have to. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA , I shared how ChatGPT can act like your personal assistant for the behind-the-scenes work of teaching. From drafting parent emails to organizing class newsletters, you’ll learn practical ways to save time wi...

Ever had a student pick a random quote just because it “sounded good”? 😅 You’re not alone! In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA , I talked about practical scaffolds to help students go beyond guessing and actually choose evidence that supports their claims. From curated quote banks to our powerful Evidence Tracker, color-coding strategies, and the simple “Evidence Test,” you’ll walk a...

Planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA , I am sharing how ChatGPT can be your planning partner—helping you brainstorm, differentiate, and save hours each week without sacrificing quality. Whether you’re an EB teacher already using the Portal or just looking for ways to cut down on prep time, this episode will show you how to plan smarter, not h...

Today’s episode tackles a challenge every ELA teacher knows well: getting students to move beyond simply summarizing a text and into true analysis. This episode, From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious , is all about helping students answer the big “So what?”—why their evidence matters, how to justify their thinking, and what it takes to turn plot retellings into...

Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA ! Today, we’re continuing our ChatGPT Series with an episode called Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your planner, wondering how to start a lesson in a way that actually captures your students’ attention—or if you’re just tired of running out of creative ideas week after week—this episode is going to f...

Have you ever taught a grammar skill on Friday, only to watch your students completely forget it by Monday? You’re not alone. Grammar taught in isolation rarely sticks—but when it’s woven into the flow of writing instruction, everything changes. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the EB Grammar Framework, a simple 3-pillar approach that makes grammar instruction clear, memorable, and connected to rea...

Grading doesn’t have to steal your weekends anymore! 🎉 In this brand-new series, I’m showing you how to train ChatGPT to become your teaching assistant—saving you time, reducing stress, and giving you space to focus on what matters most: your students. In this first episode, we’re tackling the grading struggle head-on. You’ll learn how to train ChatGPT to:  ✅ Create clear, student-friendly rubri...

So many teachers want to build a strong reading culture in their classrooms—but the truth is, you’re probably already doing one of the most important things without even realizing it! In today’s episode, I pull back the curtain on the “secret” to fostering a love of reading and shows you how to amplify what you’re already doing to make an even bigger impact. Whether you’re working with reluctant r...

What if your classroom didn’t run on a long list of rules, but on a few powerful core values that shape how everyone shows up each day? In this episode, let's explore why core values inspire more ownership than rules, how to choose the right ones for your students, and simple ways to bring them to life daily. You’ll walk away with a clear framework for creating a classroom culture rooted in r...

If you’ve ever tried a Socratic seminar and ended up with just a handful of students dominating the conversation while the rest stayed silent, you’re not alone. In this episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I’m sharing my favorite twist on the classic format—Mini Socratic Seminars—that get every student engaged, thinking deeply, and building real discussion skills. You’ll learn:  ✅ How to set up...