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

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!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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

Have you ever felt like dystopia is the genre that just keeps on giving? In part two of our dystopia series, we focus on the essential skills that make these texts come alive in your classroom, showing why depth beats covering everything superficially. We explore how teaching students to notice author moves like juxtaposition helps them analyze tension, themes, and contrasts, keeping analysis at the heart of your unit. Plus, we share practical tips for streamlining your dystopia units, staying focused, and even embracing a little boredom to spark creativity. Hang tight for our next episode, packed with new text recommendations and ideas to refresh your curriculum!Resources:NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!Teaching Dystopia WorkshopShop Our Faves.Episode 272, Teaching Dystopia: New Essential Questions to TryRelated Episodes:Episode 61, Living in a Dystopian WorldEpisode 81, Essential Question Workshop: Dystopia (Woohoo!)Episode 171, New Dystopian Texts & Supplements for Your ELA ClassroomEpisode 172, 3 Secrets to Teaching DystopiaSHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode273"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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

Ready to refresh your dystopia unit? In this episode, we explore how to make the genre feel fresh, relevant, and engaging for today’s students by rethinking essential questions and diving deeper into structure, theme, and skill connections. From moving beyond the classic “Is America a dystopia?” debate to exploring what it means to rebuild a broken world, you’ll get ideas for inquiry-driven lessons that inspire critical thinking and connection to real-life issues. This is a kickoff to our three-part dystopia series, so head back here next week!Resources:NEW: Watch this episode on YouTube!Shop Our FavesTeaching Dystopia WorkshopJoin Happy Hour!Shop more BNT resourcesFree Training: Down with the Reading QuizJoin Curriculum RehabConnect with us on Instagram @bravenewteachingFollow Marie on Instagram: @wellhelloitsmarieFollow Amanda on Instagram: @mudandinkteachingLet us know what you think! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.Related Episodes:Episode 61, Living in a Dystopian WorldEpisode 81, Essential Question Workshop: Dystopia (Woohoo!)Episode 171, New Dystopian Texts & Supplements for Your ELA ClassroomEpisode 172, 3 Secrets to Teaching DystopiaEpisode 259, Teaching the Hero’s Journey: A Fantasy Choice Unit Approach for 11-12 Grade ELASHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode272"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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

In this “State of the BNT Union” episode, we’re sharing where the Brave New Teaching podcast is headed next, from a new focus on YouTube and refreshed dystopia content to better-organized resources for teachers...plus a peek at the projects we’re most excited about this year. Along the way, we’re swapping back-to-school recommendations, current reads (with honest reviews and teaching tie-ins), favorite products, and the bookish creators lighting up our feeds. And, of course, there’s a big announcement about where one of us will be spending the school year, changing things up in the best possible way!✨ Grab all the resources and books we mention in the show notes: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode271"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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

Independent reading is the must-try strategy for the new school year! The hosts discuss creating a genuine reading culture that prioritizes joy and flexibility. They share their personal reading journeys and how to design a curriculum that truly supports students. With anecdotes about everyday life and tech mishaps, humor keeps the conversation engaging. The importance of timing for introducing independent reading is highlighted, urging teachers to foster a rich reading environment tailored to each student's needs.

In our final episode of Camp BNT, we got to sit down with none other than TJ Klune, author of The House in the Cerulean Sea—and let’s just say, it was everything we hoped for and more! We laughed, fangirled (a lot), and had the most meaningful conversation about TJ’s journey as a neurodivergent, queer kid from rural Oregon, how teachers shaped his life, and why authentic, hopeful queer representation in books matters so much. This episode is packed with heart, inspiration, and reminders of why the stories we share—and the teachers who share them—make such a big impact.Resources:The House in the Cerulean Sea: Bookshop | Amazon Shop more of TJ's bookTJ's websiteSHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode269"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!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