Middle School ELA: Words of Doom
"The “Words of Doom” were an addition to our spelling instruction in middle school ELA. They could easily be adjusted or modified for upper elementary classrooms.
Behavioral Immaturity in the Middle School Classroom
You feel it, I feel it, we all feel it: group dynamics are different now. I started this article with a rather long lament about it. We don’t have as much time to teach content now that social-emotional needs prevail, the skill disparity is growing, parents aren’t as supportive, resilience has...
Developing Stamina in our Readers and Writers
How do I get my kids in reading and writing shape, so they can move forward? Here are 6 questions I am asking myself as I attempt to help students build their stamina.
Interactive Plot Map
Carmel McDonald walks you through how she walks her middle school ELA students through narrative structure with an interactive plot map. Download her worksheet below!
10 Questions to Ask Yourself as You Set Up Your Classroom This Year
We needed that summer break. We deserved that summer break. As my students would say, no cap!
My Red Pen Is Dusty, and I’m Glad
Over the course of my career as a middle school ELA teacher, I’ve graded more writing pieces than I can count. I’ve graded late into the night, on plane trips and car rides, while watching volleyball practices, and on my lunch breaks. If you’re a teacher, you’ve been there. You relate.
