Teaching Middle School ELA
Caitlin Mitchell
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 7, 2024 • 3min
Mindset Favorite: Compassionate Emptiness
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Let’s take a moment to revisit one of our favorite Monday Mindset episodes! In this episode, Can listening transform your teaching? Discover "compassionate emptiness," a concept from former Starbucks president Howard Baer, in this week's Monday Mindset podcast. Learn how shifting from problem-solving to truly hearing your students, colleagues, and administrators can revolutionize your classroom and foster a culture of empathy and understanding.Join me as I explore tips for living with intention and creating spaces for open conversation and growth. Let's commit to listening with empathy and watch how small changes lead to big transformations.Here’s to another day of living intentionally.Caitlin
Oct 1, 2024 • 15min
Episode 304: Navigating the Science of Reading Part 5: Literacy Knowledge
Dive into the vital role of literacy knowledge, especially text features, in boosting reading comprehension. The hosts explore practical strategies, like a dynamic scavenger hunt, to engage students with how texts are organized. Discover innovative teaching tactics that connect literacy to other subjects, enhancing overall comprehension. They emphasize the importance of explicitly teaching text features to older students, making reading instruction more effective and interactive.
Sep 30, 2024 • 6min
Mindset Favorite: Decision Making
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Decision-making can be very difficult as a teacher. We are constantly making decisions that will ultimately affect our students’ success. The constant stress of decision-making can be exhausting. Here’s an easy framework for you to consider to help with decision fatigue.Always come back to your “why” and your values.Don’t make decisions when you’re emotional.Ask yourself questions.What is my intuition telling me?Remind yourself that you can learn from this decision whether it is “right” or “wrong”.Don’t be afraid of the what ifs in life. They will only hold you back.Here's to another great week, of intentional living!
Sep 24, 2024 • 18min
Episode 303: Navigating the Science of Reading Part 4: Verbal Reasoning
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica, and Megan dive into the fourth strand of the Reading Rope: verbal reasoning. They’ll explore how this strand plays a crucial role in understanding and interpreting texts and offer a dynamic activity to help students sharpen their inference skills.After listening, you'll have a clear strategy for guiding students through the process of making inferences with a mystery-based activity. This approach not only makes learning fun but also enhances students' critical thinking and comprehension abilities. Don’t miss out on these valuable techniques to enrich your teaching and support your students' reading development!
Sep 23, 2024 • 6min
Mindset Favorite: Discipline
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Today’s Monday Mindset is one of our listeners’ favorite past episodes all about discipline. I highlight the value of discipline in both our work and personal lives, discussing how our future selves will thank us when it comes to practicing discipline. I challenge listeners to identify areas in their own lives where discipline may be lacking, and I encourage you to make a commitment to yourself. By keeping promises to ourselves, we build self-confidence and begin to see positive results in our lives. Here’s to another day of living intentionally.
Sep 17, 2024 • 14min
Episode 302: Navigating the Science of Reading Part 3: Language Structures
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica and Megan continue their series to help you navigate the essential strands of the Reading Rope. This episode focuses on language structures, exploring why they are crucial and sharing effective ways to teach them.After listening, you'll know a fun and adaptable activity that uses drawing and writing to teach grammar concepts. This hands-on activity will enhance your students' grasp of language structures and help them apply these concepts in their writing. Tune in for this practical and engaging approach to strengthen your students' reading and writing skills!
Sep 16, 2024 • 5min
Mindset Favorite: Radical Generosity
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Today we’re airing a past Monday Mindset episode where I discuss the concept of going above and beyond in our relationships and connections with others. Giving, not just in terms of time, but also in offering kindness, compassion, and support to others, is a powerful tool. When we give without expecting anything in return, we can positively impact our lives, experiencing deeper connections and meaningful relationships with others. Here’s to another day of living intentionally.Caitlin
Sep 10, 2024 • 12min
Episode 301: Navigating the Science of Reading Part 2: Vocabulary
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica, and Megan continue their series to help you navigate the essential strands of the Reading Rope. This episode is all about vocabulary, why it's important, and a few ways to teach it.After listening, you'll be able to implement a fun and engaging prediction activity focused on Tier 2 vocabulary words. This activity will not only enhance your students' vocabulary retention but also boost reading comprehension by encouraging students to actively engage with new words. Don’t miss this creative activity to help your students expand their vocabularies and deepen their understanding of the texts they read!
Sep 9, 2024 • 5min
Mindset Favorite: Quiet Quitting
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!In another re-air episode of one of Monday Mindset Favorites, I explore the transformative power of the CTFAR method by life coach Neil Williams. Learn how Circumstances, Thoughts, Feelings, Actions, and Results can help you shift your mindset and approach teaching with renewed purpose.I also dive into the concept of "quiet quitting" and how, inspired by Ed Mylett and Dean Graziosi, teachers can find fulfillment even in difficult environments. Gain practical tips and reflective insights to thrive in your educational career and take control of your happiness.Tune in for an episode filled with strategies to help you become your best self!Here’s to another day of living intentionally.
Sep 3, 2024 • 16min
Episode 300: Navigating the Science of Reading Part 1: Background Knowledge
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!On this episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Jessica and Megan kick off a series to help you navigate important concepts in reading comprehension. You'll learn a little about the Science of Reading and how Dr. Hollis Scarborough's Reading Rope can help you understand the skills necessary for reading comprehension. Your hosts will guide you through the importance of Background Knowledge as the first skill in Language Comprehension and share strategies to incorporate it effectively into your teaching.After listening, you'll be able to implement a fun jigsaw activity using infographics. This engaging activity helps students build background by reading and summarizing different texts related to a story's context, then creating a collaborative infographic to visually represent their learning. Tune in for these valuable insights and practical tips to strengthen your students' reading skills and make your instruction more impactful!
