Claim OwnershipTeaching Middle School ELA
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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.
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I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Tired of spending endless hours planning, grading, and creating materials? In today’s episode, Caitlin shares three powerful ways to use ChatGPT to cut prep time in half—without sacrificing quality or your unique teaching style. From drafting discussion questions to batch-prepping warm-ups, you’ll walk away with practical shortcuts you can start using right away. Tune in and reclaim your time
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Narrative writing is such an important skill for middle schoolers—but let’s be honest, it often feels like it takes forever to teach. Before you know it, weeks (or even months!) are gone, and you’re scrambling to fit in argument and informational writing. In this episode, I discussed how to make narrative writing powerful and effective—without letting it hijack your calendar. You’ll learn: ✅ Why narratives don’t have to take six weeks ✅ How to ...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! How do we strike the right balance between fun, engaging creative writing and the academic writing skills our students need to succeed? In this episode, let's dive into why both matter, how to weave them together, and practical strategies you can start using right away. Tune in to discover how creativity and rigor can go hand in hand to help your students grow into confident writers.
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Emails, newsletters, behavior documentation… oh my! Communication and admin tasks can easily eat up hours of your week—but they don’t have to. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I shared how ChatGPT can act like your personal assistant for the behind-the-scenes work of teaching. From drafting parent emails to organizing class newsletters, you’ll learn practical ways to save time without losing your personal touch. Tune in to discover h...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Ever had a student pick a random quote just because it “sounded good”? 😅 You’re not alone! In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I talked about practical scaffolds to help students go beyond guessing and actually choose evidence that supports their claims. From curated quote banks to our powerful Evidence Tracker, color-coding strategies, and the simple “Evidence Test,” you’ll walk away with tools to make literary analysis less overwhelmi...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I am sharing how ChatGPT can be your planning partner—helping you brainstorm, differentiate, and save hours each week without sacrificing quality. Whether you’re an EB teacher already using the Portal or just looking for ways to cut down on prep time, this episode will show you how to plan smarter, not harder.
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Today’s episode tackles a challenge every ELA teacher knows well: getting students to move beyond simply summarizing a text and into true analysis. This episode, From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious, is all about helping students answer the big “So what?”—why their evidence matters, how to justify their thinking, and what it takes to turn plot retellings into meaningful insights. Caitlin will walk you through why ...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA! Today, we’re continuing our ChatGPT Series with an episode called Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your planner, wondering how to start a lesson in a way that actually captures your students’ attention—or if you’re just tired of running out of creative ideas week after week—this episode is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. We’re talking about how...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! So many teachers want to build a strong reading culture in their classrooms—but the truth is, you’re probably already doing one of the most important things without even realizing it! In today’s episode, I pull back the curtain on the “secret” to fostering a love of reading and shows you how to amplify what you’re already doing to make an even bigger impact. Whether you’re working with reluctant readers or looking for fresh ways to spark excitement a...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! What if your classroom didn’t run on a long list of rules, but on a few powerful core values that shape how everyone shows up each day? In this episode, let's explore why core values inspire more ownership than rules, how to choose the right ones for your students, and simple ways to bring them to life daily. You’ll walk away with a clear framework for creating a classroom culture rooted in respect, responsibility, and growth—so you’re not just manag...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! If you’ve ever tried a Socratic seminar and ended up with just a handful of students dominating the conversation while the rest stayed silent, you’re not alone. In this episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I’m sharing my favorite twist on the classic format—Mini Socratic Seminars—that get every student engaged, thinking deeply, and building real discussion skills. You’ll learn: ✅ How to set up smaller, safer discussion groups that encourage a...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Here’s the truth: your lesson plans don’t need to be perfect to be effective—and chasing “perfect” is one of the quickest ways to burn out as a teacher. In this episode, I am talking directly to all the teachers who spend hours tweaking slides, rewriting already-great handouts, and second-guessing every plan. You’ll learn why perfectionism doesn’t actually make you a better teacher, how it can work against you (yep, research backs this up), and pract...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Not a fan of teaching writing? You’re not alone—and this episode is for you. Tune in for simple mindset shifts + practical tips to help you teach writing with more confidence (and less stress) Grab The Case of the Stolen Pearls Unit here: https://www.ebteacher.com/pearls 🎉 Just a Few More Days Left! 🎉 Have you entered our Podcast Giveaway yet? We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Por...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Tired of reinventing the wheel? In this episode, I'm diving into how templates can simplify your planning, reduce decision fatigue, and give you your time (and sanity!) back. Book Study Information: https://www.ebteacher.com/book-study Classroom Management Strategy YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=5ZkdeEZL8rw Enter to Win a Year in The EB Portal🎉 We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subsc...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! In this episode, we’re breaking down three practical strategies to transform peer review from a checkbox into a powerful teaching tool that improves writing—and helps you spend less time grading. We’ll also walk through the exact checklists and frameworks we use with our EB Teachers to help peer review stick. Whether you’ve tried it before or you’re ready to give it a fresh start, this episode is packed with simple tips that work. Enter to Win a Year...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Feeling overwhelmed with lesson planning week after week? In this episode, we're digging into how simple, consistent weekly routines can completely transform your classroom. Learn how to save time, reduce stress, and build stronger engagement—all by putting a repeatable structure in place. Enter to Win a Year in The EB Portal🎉 We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Portal! Here’s how to enter: Lea...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! So, you’ve taught the structure. You’ve modeled examples. You’ve practiced together. And still... your students are struggling to write a strong paragraph. Sound familiar? In today’s episode, I’m breaking down exactly what to do when your students still aren’t getting it — including practical strategies, mindset shifts, and scaffolds that actually work. Let’s dive in and take the frustration out of paragraph writing once and for all. Join me: https:/...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! In this episode, I’m sharing a writing tool that’s often overlooked but absolutely transformative: the Evidence Tracker. This simple organizer helps students slow down, organize their thinking, and write stronger, clearer arguments. I’ll show you exactly how to use it—and how to shake it up with a few creative twists that your students will love. If you’ve ever struggled with students writing off-track paragraphs or vague justifications, this episode...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA! In this episode, I share a behind-the-scenes reflection on what I’d keep—and what I’d change—with writing instruction if I were still in the classroom next year. I dive into our Evidence-Based Writing (EBW) Approach, showing you how a clear, repeatable framework can simplify instruction and build confident writers without the overwhelm. Plus, I offer actionable strategies for integrating writing into every ...
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Think you need to teach grammar daily to see results? Think again. In this episode, I share why less is more when it comes to grammar instruction—and how focusing on just two skills per month (using our 8-step EB Grammar Framework) leads to deeper understanding and stronger student writing. Tune in to learn how to make grammar meaningful, manageable, and impactful. 🎧 Listen now + grab your seat for the free writing workshop at ebteacher.com/writing-w...
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