Win a $100 Gift Card for Teachers | The Hungry Teacher Blog Giveaway

If you’ve been teaching middle school ELA for any length of time, you know it can feel impossible to do it all. You’re trying to cover reading, writing, grammar, speaking, and listening standards in a single class period. You’re juggling grading, planning, and student engagement. And somewhere in between, you’re also expected to still love the work.

I get it—because I’ve lived it.

Why I started The Hungry Teacher Blog

That’s why I started The Hungry Teacher blog almost 13 years ago. Back then, I was a middle school teacher in the thick of it: late nights grading, lesson plans scattered across sticky notes, and the constant feeling that no matter how hard I worked, I was always behind. I wanted a place to share ideas and connect with teachers who were just as overwhelmed as I was.

Over the years, this blog has grown into so much more than a personal outlet. It’s become a community for teachers who need realistic strategies, ready-to-use lessons, and permission to let go of the “Pinterest-perfect” classroom and just focus on what really works. Today, The Hungry Teacher isn’t just a blog—it’s a home base for thousands of teachers who are tired of burning out and ready to reclaim their time, their classrooms, and their love for teaching.

And now that I’ve launched a brand-new website to give The Hungry Teacher an even bigger home, I wanted to celebrate in a way that felt fun, supportive, and rewarding.

That’s why I’m doing a middle school ELA teacher giveaway, and I’m giving away FOUR $100 gift cards.

And the winners get to choose where their gift card comes from:

• Target (because let’s be real, it’s every teacher’s happy place)
  
• Stoney Clover (something cute and just for YOU)
  
• Scholastic (stock up on fresh reads for your classroom library)
  
• Amazon (because sometimes you just need it tomorrow)
  

How to Enter the Giveaway

Since you’re already here on the blog, entering this teacher giveaway couldn’t be easier:

1. Fill out the Google Form here.
   
2. You’re officially entered!

That’s it. Four lucky teachers will win this teacher giveaway, and each one will get to choose the card that makes them happiest. Winners will be announced soon, so don’t miss your chance.

Why This Blog Exists

If you’re new here, let me give you the short version of why this site has stuck around for more than a decade.

Middle school ELA is one of the toughest teaching assignments out there. Kids are in that in-between space—not little kids anymore, but not quite ready for the independence of high school. They need structure, but also creativity. They crave independence, but also scaffolding. And teachers? We’re often handed 45–60 minute periods and expected to cover it all.

That’s where this blog comes in. Over the years, I’ve written about and created resources for:

• Independent Reading Systems that actually work (without the stress of book logs or reading quizzes).
  
• Writing Units that are scaffolded and targeted, helping kids go deeper instead of wider.
  
• Grammar Instruction that uses mentor sentences—so students actually apply what they learn instead of just memorizing rules.
  
• Conferences and Feedback Frameworks that save teachers from endless stacks of grading and actually help students grow in real time.
  

Everything I create here is grounded in the belief that teachers deserve resources and strategies that don’t just look good on paper but actually work in real classrooms.

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A Community Worth Celebrating

What keeps this blog going after nearly 13 years isn’t just my passion for teaching—it’s the teachers who show up here, who try new things, and who remind me daily why this work matters. I’ve had countless conversations with teachers who were ready to quit, who found one strategy or one resource here that helped them hang on, and who started to feel excited about teaching again.

That’s the heart of The Hungry Teacher: helping teachers feel seen, supported, and equipped to do their jobs without losing themselves in the process.

This giveaway is just a small way for me to say thank you for being part of this community and for trusting me to be part of your teaching journey.

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Inside The Hungry Teacher’s Hub

Over time, this blog grew into something even bigger— The Hungry Teacher’s Hub, my membership community for middle school ELA teachers. The Hub takes the same philosophy I share here and turns it into a complete system that saves teachers time, reduces burnout, and gives them access to everything they need in one place.

Here’s what members get:

• 2 monthly credits to pick and choose from dozens of ready-to-use resources (valued $5–$30 each).
  
• A bonus resource each month, valued at $10–$20.
  
• Access to exclusive workshops and trainings where I walk teachers through real strategies for independent reading, writing, grammar, and more.
  
• A growing library of pacing tools, curriculum maps, and planning guides.
  
• An ongoing community of teachers who are facing the same challenges and celebrating the same wins.
  

The Hub was built for teachers who love the blog but want a more structured, ongoing way to fit everything in without losing their sanity.

If you’ve ever wished you could stop piecing everything together on your own—and instead have lessons, systems, and support delivered to you—The Hub is for you.

Learn more about The Hungry Teacher’s Hub here.

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Enter Now

If you’re ready to celebrate with me (and maybe win a $100 gift card of your choice), don’t wait.

Click here to enter the teacher giveaway now.

And while you’re here, take a look around. Whether you’re struggling to fit everything into a short class period, looking for ways to re-engage your students, or just needing fresh lesson ideas, this blog—and The Hungry Teacher’s Hub—are here for you.