Beyond the Paragraph: Teaching Writing in Middle School with Structure

🏀 What does Steph Curry’s pregame warm-up have to do with writing instruction? Everything. In this episode, I'm comparing the basketball legend’s unpredictable, skill-building practice routine with the way we should be preparing students to write. You’ll hear two stories...one courtside, and one from a humid gym in 1986... that illustrate exactly why rigid acronyms and overstructured templat...

Many teachers are abandoning writing workshop… but not because it failed. It’s because the structure was missing . In this episode of Beyond the Paragraph , I’m sharing how you can reclaim the power of workshop with simple, transformative shifts that bring clarity, consistency, and calm to your writing block. Whether you’re a former fan of Calkins-style instruction or just tired of chaotic, unprod...

🎯 In this episode, I’m walking you through the daily structure that keeps students engaged and independent without constant redirection. You’ll hear exactly how I: ✅ Use student-led routines to minimize off-task behavior ✅ Reinforce expectations without micromanaging ✅ Turn workshop into a powerful classroom management tool ✅ Build a classroom culture where students lead, collaborate, and sta...

In this episode of Beyond the Paragraph , I’m pulling back the curtain on what real writers do and how we can finally start teaching like that. As a middle school ELA teacher and children’s book author with Disney, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin, I’ve lived both worlds.  You’ll learn: What real authors actually do (and what we don’t) 4 things writers do that students should too A simple shift...

In this first episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why traditional writing instruction isn’t working and what you can do instead. I’ll walk you through the simple shift I made that completely transformed my classroom (and made teaching writing way more fun for everyone involved). I’m sharing: Why most students sound like robots when they write (and how to fix it) What “structured writing” real...

Meet your host, Robin Mellom, middle school ELA teacher and author of ten children’s books with Disney, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin . In this quick trailer, you’ll hear why she rebuilt her entire approach to writing instruction and how this podcast will help you do the same.  🎙️ Beyond the Paragraph is for teachers and homeschool educators who are ready to:  Move past rigid, formulaic writ...