Claim OwnershipBeyond the Paragraph: Teaching Writing in Middle School with Structure
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If you're tired of guessing how to teach writing in middle school, you're in the right place. Robin Mellom is a veteran ELA teacher and published author of over ten children’s books with Disney, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin. She brings the clarity and structure you've been craving without the gimmicks.
Hosted by Robin Mellom, author, middle school teacher, and creator of the Structured Writer’s Workshop™, each episode delivers practical, classroom-tested strategies that work in grades 4–8.
Learn how to implement evidence-based writing routines, like CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning), build lasting writing habits, and engage students in meaningful work that actually sticks.
Best of all, they will learn how to write like the pros!
20 Episodes
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October is pure magic for writing teachers...if you use it right. 🕯️ In this episode, I’m sharing why you should lean into spooky writing this month (and not just because it’s fun). You’ll learn how Halloween-themed prompts can teach real craft skills like suspense, pacing, and voice… and how they can completely turn around reluctant writers. I’ll walk you through my favorite October classroom activities: persuasive “Change My Mind” debates, Stranger Things-style story prompts, and a hilariou...
In this episode, I start with a student story that proves just how powerful a hook can be, and then we dig into the real work of teaching them. You’ll hear my philosophy on why hooks aren’t just “sentence starters,” why rhetorical questions are only training wheels (and how to move past them), and the one secret that makes kids lean in with curiosity. Plus, I’ll explain how keeping cognitive load low is the key to helping every student succeed. And finally, you can Hook Hop! Here's your Teach...
In this episode, I share the story behind one teacher’s phrase “the unicorn of writing” and unpack what that really means. We’ll explore why writing instruction so often feels frustrating, what qualities a true “unicorn” approach would have, and the small shifts you can make to bring some of that magic into your own classroom. Along the way, you’ll hear stories of reluctant writers turning a corner, and I’ll leave you with a few practical strategies you can try tomorrow. Grab your crash cours...
What if your students could experience essay structure instead of just being told about it? In this episode, I introduce The Rebuild Relay, which is a constructivist teaching method that gets students moving, problem-solving, and teaching each other. You’ll hear how it works with a 7th grade argumentative essay, why it’s more effective than reading the rubric aloud, and how it can be adapted for younger learners with a fun Detective & Informant twist. Plus, I’ll share ways this stra...
In this 60-minute audiobook, you’ll learn the complete framework behind the Structured Writer’s Workshop™, a structured approach that helps students in grades 4–8 become confident, independent writers. They also LOVE it. Why This Workshop Is Different I’m not just a teacher, I’m also a published author of children’s books with Disney-Hyperion, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin. What I learned from working with editors and revising manuscripts under tight deadlines transformed the way ...
The writing crisis in American classrooms isn't due to lack of teacher effort, it's our instructional model. When the Nation's Report Card reveals only 27% of eighth graders scoring proficient in writing, we need to examine what's really happening in our classrooms. After spending nearly a decade away from teaching to become a professional writer, I returned to education as a "fish out of water," shocked by both how writing instruction had changed and how my professional writing experience c...
In this episode, I’m diving into why CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) is the ultimate pivot skill. It’s not just for ELA. Students can use it in science, history, short responses, and full essays—and the more they practice it, the more confident and structured their writing becomes. You’ll hear how I scaffold it with sentence frames, expand it with an “Explain in your own words” step, and enrich it with a hook and a powerful closing statement. No matter your experience with CER, you’ll ...
When it comes to writing instruction, the first week can make or break your year. In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I start the school year in my writing classroom. You'll hear about the phone call I make before students ever step through the door, and the voice lesson my students beg to do again. I’m sharing: The one question I ask families that tells me everything about a student’s writing mindsetHow I get an honest, messy, meaningful baseline writing sampleWhy I don’t op...
This episode is the audio from one of my most popular YouTube videos, so if you hear me say “look at this” or reference something on screen, don’t worry! I've linked the full video below! In this deep dive, I unpack what I discovered after listening to the Sold a Story podcast and asking myself a big question: Where’s the research on writing instruction? Spoiler alert: it’s complicated. But I share what I found, what’s missing, and what we can do right now to teach writing with more clarity a...
Traditional comprehension questions are holding your students back. It’s time for a shift. This method flips the script on how we approach novel studies and writing in middle school, moving beyond recall questions and into deep, authentic engagement. Instead of asking students to remember what happened, this strategy teaches them to track what matters. By gathering purposeful evidence on theme, characterization, world-building, and author’s craft as they read, students naturally build the fou...
What if the reason your students hate writing isn’t because they’re unmotivated but because you’re asking them to do too much, too soon? In this episode, I’m breaking down why I stopped starting the year with narrative writing and how changing the order of essay instruction completely transformed my classroom. I’ll walk you through the exact essay sequence I use, why it works, and how each step builds skills (and confidence) without overwhelming students. If you’ve ever felt like writing in...
If teaching writing feels like one long game of catch-up… this episode will flip your perspective. In today’s episode, I’m revealing the six writing skills I teach first in my student-led writing workshop and why the order of instruction matters more than you think. You’ll learn how to teach skills that build on each other and give students instant momentum. We’ll talk about: ✔️ The confidence-building skill you should always start with ✔️ Why “show, don’t tell” can wait ✔️ ...
When I became a published author, I thought I understood revision...until I met my editor. And then my second editor. And my third. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what really happens in the publishing world, all the way from developmental edits to line edits to the final proofread. This changed everything about the way I teach writing. You'll hear how authors revise in stages, why feedback is always focused (and never rushed), and how we can bring that same layered pro...
Meet Tisha, an 8th grade ELA teacher who implemented the structured writing workshop in her classroom. She shares what worked during her first year of implementation. You'll learn: ✔️How to use BOTH physical and digital notebooks for writing ✔️organization strategies for student leaders ✔️how to incorporate AI successfully in the writing process ✔️how this workshop changed her 8th graders An episode not to be missed. Share with other ELA teacher friends! Thoughts? Questions? Sen...
🏀 What does Steph Curry’s pregame warm-up have to do with writing instruction? Everything. In this episode, I'm comparing the basketball legend’s unpredictable, skill-building practice routine with the way we should be preparing students to write. You’ll hear two stories...one courtside, and one from a humid gym in 1986... that illustrate exactly why rigid acronyms and overstructured templates can freeze young writers in their tracks. If your students ask, "What do I do next?" every time they...
Many teachers are abandoning writing workshop… but not because it failed. It’s because the structure was missing. In this episode of Beyond the Paragraph, I’m sharing how you can reclaim the power of workshop with simple, transformative shifts that bring clarity, consistency, and calm to your writing block. Whether you’re a former fan of Calkins-style instruction or just tired of chaotic, unproductive workshop time, this episode will help you: Identify why traditional workshop often falls apa...
🎯 In this episode, I’m walking you through the daily structure that keeps students engaged and independent without constant redirection. You’ll hear exactly how I: ✅ Use student-led routines to minimize off-task behavior ✅ Reinforce expectations without micromanaging ✅ Turn workshop into a powerful classroom management tool ✅ Build a classroom culture where students lead, collaborate, and stay on task Whether you teach in a classroom or homeschool around the kitchen table, you’ll walk away w...
In this episode of Beyond the Paragraph, I’m pulling back the curtain on what real writers do and how we can finally start teaching like that. As a middle school ELA teacher and children’s book author with Disney, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin, I’ve lived both worlds. You’ll learn: What real authors actually do (and what we don’t)4 things writers do that students should tooA simple shift you can make this week to transform your writing blockWhether you teach in a classroom or arou...
In this first episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why traditional writing instruction isn’t working and what you can do instead. I’ll walk you through the simple shift I made that completely transformed my classroom (and made teaching writing way more fun for everyone involved). I’m sharing: Why most students sound like robots when they write (and how to fix it) What “structured writing” really means What to expect from this podcast and how it can support you all year long If you want...
Meet your host, Robin Mellom, middle school ELA teacher and author of ten children’s books with Disney, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin. In this quick trailer, you’ll hear why she rebuilt her entire approach to writing instruction and how this podcast will help you do the same. 🎙️ Beyond the Paragraph is for teachers and homeschool educators who are ready to: Move past rigid, formulaic writing lessonsHelp students write with confidence, clarity, and voiceUse practical strategi...
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