Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers

Assessments don’t have to be boring, stressful, or one-size-fits-all - and in this episode, we’re proving why! As we wrap up our Novels in Verse series, we’re diving into fresh, creative ways to assess student learning that go beyond the standard essay. Whether you love assessments or dread them, this conversation will challenge the way you think about measuring student growth. We’re breaking down...

We’re in the middle of our novels in verse series and so far we’ve talked about the possibilities that come with a novels in verse unit , essential questions , and gateway activities .Now it’s time to get into our favorite part…supplemental ideas!  Get ready to hear creative ways to supplement The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. We focus on the essential question: Which is more important, knowing you...

Ever struggled to get students excited about novels in verse? In this episode, we’re sharing creative, low-pressure ways to ease them into poetry analysis without the overwhelm. With engaging, hands-on activities, you’ll learn how to make storytelling through verse feel accessible and fun from day one. As we always say, a good gateway can make or break a unit! 💥 One of the biggest game-changers i...

Last week, we talked about the possibilities for novels in verse and broke down two approaches to teaching these texts. Today, we’re continuing the conversation using Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X as our guide. We’re exploring two distinct essential questions that can shape a thoughtful unit - one that focuses on the craft of language and another that taps into the journey of self-discovery. No m...

Have you ever considered how novels in verse can transform the way you teach poetry and literature? In this episode, we dive into the world of narrative verse and explore how these texts, like The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, can bring poetry to life in your classroom! With their accessible format and rich themes, novels in verse offer endless possibilities for fostering student engagement while c...

Starting a new year in education means facing fresh challenges (and opportunities) with a renewed mindset. In this episode, we’re diving into how ELA teachers can thrive amid changing expectations and pressures. From prioritizing self-care to balancing the demands of teaching, we’re sharing practical strategies to help you navigate today’s complex classroom dynamics. We’re also unpacking how setti...

A new year brings new opportunities to refresh and refocus in the classroom! In this episode, we’re sharing strategies to help you simplify your teaching and make a big impact, from encouraging critical thinking to refining routines that work. Let’s start with critical thinking—it’s the foundation for preparing students to navigate today’s fast-paced, information-packed world. We’re talking about...

We're two weeks into 2025, and as part of our New Year's series, we're diving into the world of tech. But before we get started, if you missed last week’s episode on new books, be sure to check it out—we left you with a bit of a cliffhanger that we’ll resolve at the beginning of this episode! Technology is constantly evolving and is everywhere around us, so if it feels overwhelming...

Happy New Year, Brave New Teachers! 🎉 In this episode of the "Brave New Teaching" podcast, hosts Marie and Amanda chat about their reading goals for 2025, highlighting how literature can really boost both personal and professional growth. They toss around some great book recommendations like "The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang, and they’re super excited about discovering new authors...

Teachers, it’s the home stretch to winter break and we hope you’re hanging in there! It’s hard to believe, but this is the LAST Brave New Teaching episode of 2024. It’s been quite a year, and we want to take a moment to reflect on the challenges and triumphs from the year.  You’ll hear about our favorite podcast highlights and personal highlights from 2024, including interviewing incredible author...

Grab our Sub Plan FREEBIE here! We’ve all had those days. The days when something happens and you just can’t go to work. You caught the stomach bug, your child is sick, or you have an emergency. Whatever the reason, the only thing worse is knowing that you have to scramble to put sub plans together! You don’t want your students to have a waste of a day, but you also don’t have the time to whip som...

As we approach the end of 2024, it’s the perfect time for an updated book recommendation episode. At the time of this recording, one of us is in a bit of a reading rut and the other is absolutely killing it! Whether you’re struggling to pick up a book in this season or can’t get through them fast enough, you’re in the right place. Today we’re sharing our favorite books of 2024 - and there’s someth...

Join us for a quick minisode as we chat about harnessing our gratitude even when the semester at school has been challenging.  We're here for you and thankful for you -- always! "Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!" Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University! Support the show 📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVEL...

In this episode of Brave New Teaching, Amanda finishes a three-part series on teaching different types of analysis, this time focusing on scenario-based and game-based teaching methods. Amanda, a former English teacher from Illinois, leads the discussion, sharing three specific lesson ideas: Rhetoric Roll-the-Dice and The Spare Change Gameshow . The episode contains a full walk through of implemen...

In this episode of Brave New Teaching, Amanda continues a three-part series on teaching different types of analysis, this time focusing on visual teaching strategies to help students break apart a text. Amanda, a former English teacher from Illinois, leads the discussion, sharing three specific lesson ideas:  Map it Out, One Pager Quote, and the Literary Polaroid. The episode contains a full walk...

In this episode of Brave New Teaching, Amanda and Marie launch a three-part series on teaching literary analysis, focusing on close reading and personification. Amanda, a former English teacher from Illinois, leads the discussion, sharing insights from a summer training session. She emphasizes the importance of breaking down texts to understand how authors use personification to convey deeper mean...

Today's episode is a re-run of one of our MOST DOWNLOADED EPISODES of all time.  We know there are still many of you that haven't heard it yet and we KNOW that this is one of the most difficult and common ELA teacher struggles:  getting kids to read at home. There is without a doubt a universal fact amongst all students throughout elementary and high school. That fact is that students do...

Let’s be honest…teaching writing can be a struggle. We know that so many of you are seeing challenges with student engagement, confidence, and skills when it comes to writing, and let’s not even get started with AI! If you often feel like no matter what you do, writing just isn’t sticking for your students, then this episode is for you.  We’re joined by full-time English teacher and author, Christ...

Grab your pumpkin spice latte and favorite sweater, because it’s almost Halloween and there’s no better time than now to read gothic fiction! We’re here to share some new texts with you - roundup style.   You’ll hear from us and three of our ELA friends so you can walk away with fresh stories to add to your gothic fiction archive. You can pair these newer options with the classics (Poe, we’re look...

Books are so special because they allow you to see the world from the comfort of your own home (or classroom!). Our guest today, author Violet Duncan, brings part of her world to students around the world through her storytelling. Violet is Plains Cree and Taino from Kehewin Cree Nation and began self-publishing books when she didn’t see her family represented on bookshelves. In this episode, Viol...

We love hosting authors on this podcast, and today we have a repeat guest. It’s the one and only Ruta Sepetys, only this time she’s joined by author, Steve Sheinkin! Ruta and Steve had teamed up and co-authored a new book called The Bletchley Riddle .   The Bletchley Riddle is a historical mystery for middle grades and we’re so honored to have the opportunity to hear all the details from the autho...

We love all genres, but our favorite by far? Dystopia! Not only does this genre tap into the natural curiosity and critical thinking abilities of students, but there’s also so much opportunity to teach it across many grade levels. And don’t get us started on all the supplemental texts you can use! We could go on and on all day about why we love dystopian texts so much - and we will! In this episod...

Ready to uplevel your classroom library this year? We’ve got just the thing for you! We’re sitting down with our executive assistant (and full-time ELA teacher) to share our top three new book recommendations. Choosing just one book each wasn’t easy, but we got it done! You’ll hear each of our selections and why we think it deserves a spot on your shelves. From historical to fantasy, we’re confide...

Cheers! Find all your Brave New Teaching Happy Hour member info HERE: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/hhmembers "Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!" Support the show 📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @br...

There are several frequently asked questions that we get in our Brave New Teaching community and many of them center around teaching theme. For example, How can we make teaching theme easier? What are some new ways of teaching theme? What do students really need to know when it comes to theme? It’s clear that theme is something we could all use additional support with! It’s a state standard and no...