Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers

Resistant readers are often reacting to confusion, not a lack of ability, and that’s exactly where the Four Reading Realms come in! In this episode, we walk through a framework Amanda developed to clarify the purpose behind different reading tasks, helping students understand what kind of thinking is required and why it matters. By separating reading into intentional realms (focused on identity, perseverance, efficiency, and discernment), we can set clearer expectations, build trust, and support deeper engagement, even for students who have struggled with reading in the past.🔗 Resources: Webinar: The Four Reading RealmsBecome a founding beta tester of Brave New Teaching University!Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.Related Episodes:Episode 276, Ok, but what if the secret to getting them to read is getting them to WRITE???Episode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real TalkEpisode 282, We’re Building Our ELA Units WRONG. Here’s How to Fix it.SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode283"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

What if our obsession with data is actually distracting us from the real work? In this team meeting, we dig into how a “data first” or “book first” approach can miss the human side of learning and why culture and engagement have to come first. We look ahead to what teaching needs to look like in 2026, sharing a conversation-first planning workflow that starts with what students actually care about and then selects the skills and texts that support those conversations!Resources:Become a founding beta tester of Brave New Teaching University!Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.Related Episodes:Episode 221, Back to School Survival Kit for TeachersEpisode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real TalkEpisode 281, SEL and Organic Community Really Are This SimpleSHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode282"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Are you absolutely crawling through January molasses, too? I know I am! In this week’s Team BNT meeting we’re talking honestly about what happens when tired, overwhelmed students are trying (and failing) to keep everything in their heads as finals approach. I share simple, repeatable routines that help students reduce anxiety, take control of their time, and build real classroom community. We also touch on real teacher life during this stretch, from finals grading and midyear resets to Costco snack runs, and wrap up with a sneak peek at Brave New Teaching University, our upcoming space designed to make everything we’ve created more organized, usable, and supportive for teachers in 2026 and beyond!Resources:NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.Related Episodes:Episode 276, Ok, But What if the Secret to Getting Them to Read is Getting Them to WRITE??Episode 277, Phones, Chromebooks, AI, and the Battle for Their Attention (Send Help!)Episode 278, Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We're Going to Help Them Remember!Episode 279, 2026 Will Bring Uncomfortable Shifts, and That’s a Really Good Thing Episode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real Talk - BNT Team MeetingSHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode281"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

New year, new team meeting, and it’s Amanda behind the mic kicking off 2026 with what’s been on my mind lately. In this episode, I share updates from my move into an elementary school library role, why curated is my word of the year, and how that mindset is shaping everything from my home to my business. We also talk reading goals, audiobooks, and how my feelings about reading numbers have shifted over time. I wrap things up by zooming out to the bigger picture of teaching and leave you with one essential question every department should be asking as we plan for what’s next!🔗 Resources:Amanda’s Top Reads of 2025My One Word ActivityWatch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.Related Episodes:Episode 275, Fine, We Can Game-ify Reading (But No Gimmicks!)Episode 276, Ok, But What if the Secret to Getting Them to Read is Getting Them to WRITE??Episode 277, Phones, Chromebooks, AI, and the Battle for Their Attention (Send Help!)Episode 278, Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We're Going to Help Them Remember!SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode280"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

If you’re limping toward break and just trying to survive the week, this episode is a quick, honest team meeting and much-needed reality check. I reflect on how teaching has shifted since 2020, how AI and technology are changing our classrooms, and why many old strategies no longer work. This isn’t about changing everything now, but about planting seeds for a future shift and giving yourself permission to finish the year tired, steady, and still hopeful!Resources:Real, Fake, or Deepfake? This Lesson Helps Students DecideGen Z is Redefining Work - and Driving Their Managers MadNEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.More BNT Team Meetings:Episode 275, Fine, We Can Game-ify Reading (But No Gimmicks!)Episode 276, Ok, But What if the Secret to Getting Them to Read is Getting Them to WRITE??Episode 277, Phones, Chromebooks, AI, and the Battle for Their Attention (Send Help!)Episode 278, Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We're Going to Help Them Remember!SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode279"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

If your algorithm has also been screaming “screens are ruining humanity!” at you lately, then you’re right at home with us in this week’s team meeting. We break down the tech panic, talk about why students are tech comfortable but not tech fluent, and shift the focus back to building real human skills through creativity and play. From improv to pantomime, we’re exploring simple, screen-free ways to help kids think again, plus teasing our New Year’s “Favorite Things” party where we’ll swap our go-to play-based activities for the new term.Resources:Article: We Asked Executives What Skills Young Works Are Missing. Here’s What They SaidWhat the U.S. Can Learn From Finland, Where School Starts at Age 7NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode278 "Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Screens are running the show, and we need to talk about it! Phones, Chromebooks, AI - they’re everywhere, and they’re changing how students focus, work, and just be. I (it's Marie!) break down two articles, one on how kids think we can get them off their phones, and another on how screen time is shaping education. From chaos during unstructured time to AI cheating popping up everywhere, it’s a lot to navigate. I also share a few screen-free ideas for your classroom and would love to hear how this shows up for you. Send us a DM and let's chat!Resources:Article: What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their PhonesArticle: The Screen That Ate Your Child’s EducationThe Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtGeneration Me by Jean M. TwengeNEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Shop Our Faves.SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode277"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

This meeting tackles the literacy epidemic and its connection to student anxiety. Marie suggests that engaging students in writing may actually enhance their reading skills. She discusses the challenges posed by AI in writing tasks and proposes daily low-stakes writing to build perseverance. A fun spinner activity for writing prompts keeps the process engaging. Additionally, Marie outlines a structured routine for crafting five-paragraph essays, illustrating her compelling approach to foster a love for reading in hesitant students.

Join a lively discussion on the importance of making reading fun and engaging in the classroom. Explore the mixed feelings about gamifying reading, with intriguing gimmicks that actually work, like 'adopting a ghost' and book blind dates. Delve into the challenges students face in engaging with books and how whimsical approaches can reignite their interest. The hosts also share personal experiences and community strategies for boosting reading joy, making it a heartfelt blend of insight and inspiration for educators.

Think you’ve seen all the dystopia books out there? Think again! In part three of our “Teaching Dystopia” series, we share hidden gems, fresh picks, and classics, from middle grade survival stories to YA novels exploring climate change and government control. We highlight favorites like Alone and Station Eleven, plus TV and movie options like The Simpsons and Fringe to spark discussion and critical thinking. Want more on this topic? Join us in Happy Hour, where we’ll keep the conversation going!Check out the show notes for the full list of books we mentioned in this episode: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode274Resources:NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Teaching Dystopia WorkshopShop Our Faves."Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!Support the show📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻 Join Happy Hour! Curriculum Rehab Down with the Reading Quiz Shop the BNT Resource Library Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching Subscribe to our YouTube Channel