How to Deepen Students’ Literary Analysis Essays
Teaching middle school students how to write high-quality literary analysis can be a huge challenge. As I’m sure you’ve found, oftentimes, students’ literary analysis barely
3 Types of Essays Your Middle Schoolers Need to Practice
Writing can be a real headache for ELA teachers. Writing is layered with skills – from grammar to analysis – so it’s not a walk
Tips for Successful Student Writing Conferences in ELA
If the thought of student writing conferences makes you break out in a cold sweat, this one’s for you. Student writing conferences seem like a
How Writing Conferences Reduce Essay Grading Time
Essay grading can be time-consuming and tedious. After years of trial and error, I found a great way to make grading papers easier while also
My Unpopular Opinions on Teaching Middle School ELA
Did you know that before I teaching middle school ELA, I was an elementary teacher? When I started teaching middle school, there was no shortage
How to Maintain Student Choice While Teaching the Classics
A lot of the joy of teaching comes from having some autonomy in what we teach our students. I loved introducing my students to new
4 Easy Substitute Teacher Lesson Plans for ELA
Teaching is one of those careers where taking a day off can be more work than your typical workday. Preparing lesson plans for a substitute
An Alternative to Reading Logs: Status of the Class
Something we underestimate as teachers is the magic that can happen with independent reading. When students can pick out their own books and explore new
7 Strategies to Teach Writing & Scaffold the Process for Students
Writing can be one of the most challenging things to teach. Many students struggle with writing, and many teachers find it challenging to help students
Building a Reading Community in the Classroom Before Starting Books Clubs
When students come into our classroom, they enter with all types of thoughts and opinions about reading. Some will be avid readers who would rather
How to Plan a Unit for Your ELA Classroom
If you’ve ever looked over your standards for the year and wondered how you will ever get through them all, you’re far from alone. It
A Lesson Plan Format for Deeply Exploring Standards
A lot of times when we think about planning a unit, we imagine really wide, sweeping units over an entire genre, like nonfiction. Or you
