3 Independent Reading Strategies for Middle School
Independent reading can be a struggle. You have a ton of ground to cover each school year, which means your class time is stuffed to
How to Explicitly Teach Elements of Narrative Writing
When I ask teachers about their biggest struggle with narrative writing, they always say the narrative elements. And I totally understand why. Trying to get
4 Tips to Keep Student Reading Notebooks Organized
If you’ve used student notebooks in your middle school classroom before, you know just how chaotic they can get. Students write things in random places.
Independent Reading Activities for Middle School ELA
Independent reading in the classroom has a ton of benefits for students, but when your schedule is already jam-packed, it can feel impossible to find
Reading Conferences: The Golden Gate Bridge Method
If reading conferences leave you with a headache and vowing to never do that again, you’re in good company. I’d wager to bet that most
11 Best PD Books for English Teachers
I’ve read my fair share of PD books, and some are much better than others. When I was in the classroom, I used these books
Short Story Mentor Texts to Teach Narrative Writing Elements
Raise your hand if teaching narrative writing has you feeling stressed or overwhelmed. I’ve been there. Every writing unit seems to bring its own challenges
Using Mentor Texts for Narrative Writing in Middle School ELA
You would think narrative essays would be one of the easier forms of writing. Students have been interacting with narrative stories since they were little
Grammar for Middle Schoolers in 10 Minutes a Day
Let’s face it, grammar can be really boring – for you and your students. Not to mention, it feels like there is never enough time
5 Strategies for Struggling Readers in Middle School
You’ve probably heard all the hype around the Science of Reading (SOR). Sounds pretty great, right? Research-based approaches to reading, sign me up! But a
Mentor Texts: When and How To Use Them in Your ELA Lessons
I’m a huge fan of using mentor texts in the classroom because I’ve seen what they can do. Traditionally in the classroom, students are given
14 Middle School Books Made into Movies (That You Can Teach)
One of my favorite classes I ever taught was a books and movie elective class. Students loved it. I loved it. In this class, we
