Engage your students in an exploration of self-discovery through poetry! In this post, I share my favorite poems that explore themes of identity, self-acceptance, and self-discovery that my students enjoy and relate to most. Now,… Read More »Exploring Identity Through Poetry: 6 Poems About Identity for Middle School ELA
Are you looking to turn your reluctant readers into active and engaged participants? Implement these 11 strategies in your classroom, and you just might have those students eager to read. (You read that right.) In… Read More »A Teacher’s Guide to Engaging Reluctant Readers
Learn the trick for engaging even your most reluctant readers. Add some of these high-interest titles to your classroom library, and your students will be on their way to discovering a new love for reading.… Read More »High-Interest Texts for Reluctant Readers in Secondary ELA
Spooky season is upon us! And that means it’s the first opportunity to bring the holiday spirit into our middle school classrooms. After all, why should primary teachers and students have all the fun? With… Read More »10 Fun Halloween Ideas for Your Middle School ELA Classroom
Before you jump into reading your next classroom text, prepare students for success by incorporating engaging pre-reading activities. No idea where to start? No worries! Read this post for a list of effective activities to… Read More »My 6 Favorite Pre-Reading Activities in Secondary ELA
Preparing for a new unit but need help figuring out where to start? Encourage students to buy into your next ELA unit with this post full of valuable strategies and engaging activities. Whether you’re struggling… Read More »6 Creative Ways to Kickstart Your Next ELA Unit
Writing strong dialogue is challenging for many secondary students, yet it’s an essential component of any narrative writing unit. Luckily, this post is dedicated to showing you how to make the most of your next… Read More »Engaging Short Stories to Use When Teaching Dialogue
Are you ready to have your students do more of the heavy lifting in your classroom? Learn how to make the most of student-centered learning so you can act more as a facilitator as your… Read More »The Complete Guide to Student-Centered Learning in Secondary ELA
Not all student-teacher relationships are created equal. Making connections with students is the key to having a lasting impact on students’ growth and success in and beyond your classroom. I created this guide to help… Read More »A Teacher’s Guide to Building More Meaningful Connections with Students
Tired of using the same old icebreakers to kick off the new year? Shake it up with 9 new activities that will help foster connection, create a positive culture, and promote student engagement in your… Read More »Beyond Basic Icebreakers: 9 Fun Ways to Kick Off the School Year
Harness the power of teaching students life lessons in secondary ELA with engaging short stories. Get a head start in your planning with this list of 7 short stories and numerous teaching ideas for bringing… Read More »7 Engaging Short Stories for Teaching Life Lessons in Secondary ELA
With the start of another school year around the corner, it’s time to begin thinking about those first-day activities. Consider switching it up with highly engaging and effective back-to-school learning stations this year. Read this… Read More »9 Ideas for Back-to-School Learning Stations in Secondary ELA