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Teaching Middle School ELA

Welcome to the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, where we help English Language Arts teachers create dynamic, engaging lessons while balancing the everyday responsibilities of teaching middle school.

I’m Caitlin Mitchell, a longtime ELA educator and curriculum creator, and I know firsthand how challenging it can be to manage grading, planning, and student needs—while still trying to have a life outside the classroom. That’s why every Tuesday and Thursday, I bring you practical strategies, curriculum inspiration, and innovative teaching ideas to help you feel confident, prepared, and energized.

Whether you’re looking to revamp your writing instruction, streamline your planning process, or engage even the most reluctant readers and writers, you’ll find actionable support here. You’ll also hear real classroom stories, fresh lesson ideas, and occasional interviews with other passionate educators.

If you teach reading and writing to middle schoolers and want to stay inspired and up-to-date with best practices in ELA education, you’re in the right place. Tune in every week and let’s transform your teaching—together.

Latest Episodes:

Monday Mindset: Stop the Judgement Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

Get ready for a deep dive into self-reflection on today's Monday Mindset! In this episode, I'll be exploring the transformative power of self-compassion and the vital role it plays in our personal growth journey.

Join me as I shine a light on the importance of putting an end to self-judgment. From our fitness aspirations to our personal commitments, I'll show you how every setback presents an opportunity for profound self-discovery and growth.

It's truly empowering when we approach ourselves with kindness and understanding. I'm here to encourage you to swap out self-criticism for self-love and gratitude, transforming setbacks into invaluable stepping stones toward personal empowerment.

Here's to another day of intentional living!

Episode 273: Research Behind Great Teachers Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, your hosts Caitlin, Jessica, and Megan are discussing additional takeaways from Jessica's recent visit to the Ron Clark Academy, specifically focusing on the impact a great teacher has on student growth. They're diving into the research behind the correlation of a teacher and their students' success, and exactly how you can ensure you're consistently working on developing your teaching methods in a way that avoids burnout and makes your career actually enjoyable for the long haul!

Tune in as they spend time breaking it all down in this episode!

Are you enjoying the podcast?

Make sure to subscribe to our channel and leave us a review! To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE by scrolling down our show page, selecting a star rating, and tapping “Write a review.” Let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!

Monday Mindset: Live Abundantly Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

In today's Monday Mindset episode, I am exploring the concept of living abundantly, regardless of your circumstances. I'm considering the idea of gratitude and the awareness of abundance in our lives. As you listen, consider the importance of being open to receiving and giving, as well as how the practice of letting go can invite more goodness into our lives. Tune in to this quick episode for the mindset shift you may not have known you needed!

Here's to another day if living intentionally.

Caitlin

Interested in joining the EB Teachers' Club with thousands of other middle school ELA teachers from around the globe? Join the waitlist today, and you'll be the first to know when we open enrollment again! https://www.ebteacher.com/ebtc-waitlist

Episode 272: Learning to Admire Annoying Behaviors Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, we're diving into something that might not be talked about very often among educators.

Can we actually learn to admire annoying student behaviors?

Tune in as your hosts discuss practical strategies for handling challenging student behaviors in the classroom while drawing from their own experiences and research. They explore the concept of recognizing, reframing, and redirecting student behaviors in a positive and empowering way, sharing real-life examples that can help you build better relationships with your students and create a more effective and engaging learning environment. As you listen, you'll learn insightful tips and valuable perspectives that can be applied immediately in your classroom. Plus, stay tuned for a sneak peek into next week's episode on the research behind great teachers and student growth. Get ready for an enlightening and impactful episode!

Are you enjoying the podcast?

Make sure to subscribe to our channel and leave us a review! To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE by scrolling down our show page, selecting a star rating, and tapping “Write a review.” Let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!

Monday Mindset: Prove Yourself Wrong Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

In today's Monday Mindset episode, I'm sharing a thought centered around the idea of proving yourself wrong. I want to challenge you and your beliefs around your limitations. I'll share a personal experience where I thought I could not accomplish a seemingly impossible task and the liberating feeling of proving myself wrong and overcoming my fears. This concept directly applies to educators and your perspective in the classroom. When we live intentionally and embrace the opportunity to challenge ourselves, amazing things are possible. Join me as I delve into the transformative power of proving yourself wrong!

Here's to another day if living intentionally.

Caitlin

Interested in joining the EB Teachers' Club with thousands of other middle school ELA teachers from around the globe? Join the waitlist today, and you'll be the first to know when we open enrollment again! https://www.ebteacher.com/ebtc-waitlist

Episode 271: "Funds of Feeling" - A Feeling-Based Approach to Literature with Stanford's Sarah Levine and Chris Mah Feb 13, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, Megan welcomed Sarah Levine and Chris Ma from Stanford University, who discussed an innovative approach to literature by integrating students' emotional responses into the heart of literary analysis.

Together they unpacked how emotions play a pivotal role in enhancing students' connections to texts. Chris and Sarah guide us through their "funds of feeling" approach, where students explore literature using a blend of emotional engagement and intellectual rigor.

Listen in to learn strategies such as the "up-down; both-why" technique and the use of sentence stems, which help students tie their feelings to textual evidence and academic discourse. This method goes beyond traditional analysis, encouraging a richer, more personal understanding of literature.

So, whether you're discussing Shakespeare or contemporary novels, get ready for valuable insights that promise to impact your classroom discussions and deepen students' literary appreciation.

Tune in as they break it all down in this episode!

Links mentioned: https://publicationsncte.org/content/journals/10.58680/ej202332489

Are you enjoying the podcast?

Make sure to subscribe to our channel and leave us a review! To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE by scrolling down our show page, selecting a star rating, and tapping “Write a review.” Let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!

Monday Mindset: Bending Time Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

In today's Monday Mindset episode, I am discussing how we can actually redefine our relationship with time and harness its power to work in our favor. By exploring the concept of radical responsibility and embracing the idea that we are the source of time, I'll share practical strategies for making time for the things that truly matter to us. From setting non-negotiables to using constraints to eliminate constraints, I'll show you how easy it can be to shift your mindset and approach time in a way that empowers you to live more intentionally. Join me as I explore how to bend time to our will and make the most of each moment.

Here's to another day if living intentionally.

Caitlin

Interested in joining the EB Teachers' Club with thousands of other middle school ELA teachers from around the globe? Join the waitlist today, and you'll be the first to know when we open enrollment again! https://www.ebteacher.com/ebtc-waitlist

Episode 270: Science of Reading - Building Reading Comprehension at the Middle School Level Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, Caitlin and Jessica welcome Patricia Abel, EB Academics' curriculum writer, and veteran ELA teacher, to discuss building reading comprehension with our middle school students. Reading comprehension is a large part of the Science of Reading that directly relates to your middle school classroom, and we are making sure you have practical strategies to easily implement inside your classroom. Tune in as they spend time breaking it all down in this episode!

Are you enjoying the podcast?

Make sure to subscribe to our channel and leave us a review! To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE by scrolling down our show page, selecting a star rating, and tapping “Write a review.” Let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!

Monday Mindset: Create Newness Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

In today's Monday Mindset episode, I'm taking a look into the idea of creating newness in our lives by embracing the process of letting go. We'll take a moment to reflect on how releasing old beliefs, friendships, and ways of being can open up space for new and rewarding opportunities. Join me as we discover the transformative power of embracing change and making room for newness in our lives.

Here's to another day if living intentionally.

Caitlin

Episode 269: Easy to Implement Activities to Improve Vocabulary and Comprehension (Takeaways from The Ron Clark Academy) Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, Megan interviews Jessica to get all the exciting details from her visit to the legendary Ron Clark Academy. They're covering some seriously cool strategies to amp up your vocabulary and comprehension skills for middle schoolers. Everything from fun and engaging games to using tech for personalized learning, Jessica's got the inside scoop on all the awesome ideas she gathered while there. Tune in as they break it all down and chat about how we can bring these strategies into our own classrooms.

Are you enjoying the podcast?

Make sure to subscribe to our channel and leave us a review! To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE by scrolling down our show page, selecting a star rating, and tapping “Write a review.” Let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!

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