
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

Mar 9, 2023 • 20min
Bonus Episode: Quality Discussion Questions with Chat GPT
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!I’m sure you’ve heard all the craze around using AI in the classroom. While opinions differ on whether or not students should use the technology, I think we can all agree that it is an effective tool for teachers. Today’s episode is the first of a 3 part series where we’re going to focus on how you, the teacher, can embrace this tool to make your life a whole lot easier and make your lesson prep much more efficient!Are you enjoying the podcast?Tag us @ebacademics and let us know which episode you're listening to!Make sure to Subscribe and leave us a Review!Your review helps us reach even more middle school ELA teachers just like you! It would mean so much to us. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Rating and Reviews. Click on "Write a Review" and let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!Other episodes you might enjoy:Constructive Criticism: How to Change Your Mindset and Be Open to FeedbackMini Literary Analysis Writing PD: H

Mar 7, 2023 • 21min
Rethinking Poetry: A Fresh Perspective for Engaging Students - 214
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Do you find that your students dread reading poetry? You can probably picture all of those blank stares you get from your students now. We’ve been there, but in today’s episode, we share some tips and tricks to make poetry fun and less intimidating for both you and your students. You will love these simple activities that can be rinsed and repeated in your classroom all year long!Are you enjoying the podcast?Tag us @ebacademics and let us know which episode you're listening to!Make sure to Subscribe and leave us a Review!Your review helps us reach even more middle school ELA teachers just like you! It would mean so much to us. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Rating and Reviews. Click on "Write a Review" and let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!Other episodes you might enjoy:Constructive Criticism: How to Change Your Mindset and Be Open to FeedbackMini Literary Analysis Writing PD: H

Mar 6, 2023 • 4min
Monday Mindset: Learning in a State of Positive Emotion
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Dr. Linda Harling-Hammond reminds us that we learn much more effectively in a state of positive emotion than we do in a negative one. This is such an impactful statement that we get to remember in our daily lives. It is true for us as educators, parents, partners, friends, and in basically every relationship that we have. Our desire to show up for ourselves and others is greatly impacted when we feel safe and loved. Think about how you can create that environment for yourself and your students.Here’s to another week of living intentionally. Caitlin

Feb 28, 2023 • 7min
Expert Tips for Getting Your Students to Ace their Multiple Choice Tests - 213
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!The stress of testing season is upon us. This episode is a great reminder to NOT just focus on the test. Don’t forget about all of the other fun topics we get to cover. To do this, incorporate some fun test prep practice into your existing curriculum. Remember to use some direction words in your activities and throughout the day so that your students are familiar with using them.Are you enjoying the podcast?Tag us @ebacademics and let us know which episode you're listening to!Make sure to Subscribe and leave us a Review!Your review helps us reach even more middle school ELA teachers just like you! It would mean so much to us. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Rating and Reviews. Click on "Write a Review" and let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!Other episodes you might enjoy:Constructive Criticism: How to Change Your Mindset and Be Open to FeedbackMini Literary Analysis Writing PD: H

Feb 27, 2023 • 5min
Monday Mindset: Overcoming Self-Doubt
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!So many people suffer from self-doubt. How do we overcome it? How do we move past it? Try to remember the importance of just doing it. This will help to give you concrete evidence that you are actually capable. Start small and move on to bigger things. Here’s to another week of living intentionally. Caitlin

Feb 21, 2023 • 8min
Boost Your Students’ Test Scores with this One Activity - 212
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!We know you don’t want to spend all of your time teaching to the test, but at the same time you need to make sure your students are prepared so they can be successful. The key is adding a little creativity and prep work. Today I’m sharing a Test Prep Treasure Hunt that is super engaging and effective to prepare your students for state testing. Plus, you can use it year after year after it is created.Are you enjoying the podcast?Tag us @ebacademics and let us know which episode you're listening to!Make sure to Subscribe and leave us a Review!Your review helps us reach even more middle school ELA teachers just like you! It would mean so much to us. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Rating and Reviews. Click on "Write a Review" and let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!Other episodes you might enjoy:Constructive Criticism: How to Change Your Mindset and Be Open to FeedbackMini Literary Analysis Writing PD: H

Feb 20, 2023 • 5min
Monday Mindset: Protecting Your Energy
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Our thoughts really do control our actions. Our minds are so much more powerful than we realize. So whether you think you can or can’t, you’re probably right. I invite you to think about your mindset the next time you attempt to do something. See if you can notice the difference your thoughts make. Here’s to another week of living intentionally. Caitlin

Feb 14, 2023 • 10min
Writing Workshops- Are They Really Effective Part 2 - 211
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Welcome to Part 2 of our Writer’s Workshop series. In our first episode, we discuss all of the issues with a writer’s workshop and why we are not big fans of using them in the classroom. In today’s episode, we move on to discuss how to effectively implement a workshop with a writing framework while incorporating rigorous and engaging lessons to achieve student growth.Are you enjoying the podcast?Tag us @ebacademics and let us know which episode you're listening to!Make sure to Subscribe and leave us a Review!Your review helps us reach even more middle school ELA teachers just like you! It would mean so much to us. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Rating and Reviews. Click on "Write a Review" and let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!Other episodes you might enjoy:Constructive Criticism: How to Change Your Mindset and Be Open to FeedbackMini Literary Analysis Writing PD: H

Feb 13, 2023 • 5min
Monday Mindset: Whether You Think You Can ... You're Probably Right
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Our thoughts really do control our actions. Our minds are so much more powerful than we realize. So whether you think you can or can’t, you’re probably right. I invite you to think about your mindset the next time you attempt to do something. See if you can notice the difference your thoughts make. Here’s to another week of living intentionally. Caitlin

Feb 7, 2023 • 12min
Writing Workshops - Are They Really Effective? Part 1 - 210
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!If you are only using a writer’s workshop model with your classes, you are probably running into a few problems. Your students may be having a “social hour” during independent writing time, be lacking the skills of giving effective criticism, or a few students may even be dominating the class discussions while others are completely tuned out. You probably can’t give your students the individual attention they need, so you have no idea what their final draft will actually look like. In today’s episode we discuss all of the issues with writer’s workshops and why they aren’t effective.Are you enjoying the podcast?Tag us @ebacademics and let us know which episode you're listening to!Make sure to Subscribe and leave us a Review!Your review helps us reach even more middle school ELA teachers just like you! It would mean so much to us. To leave a review in iTunes, click HERE and scroll down to Rating and Reviews. Click on "Write a Review" and let us know how this podcast is helping you in your ELA classroom!Other episodes you might enjoy:Constructive Criticism: How to Change Your Mindset and Be Open to FeedbackMini Literary Analysis Writing PD: H