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548 episodes

Episode 400: A Simple Hack for Helping Students Find the Main Idea in Informational Text
31/03/2026 | 11 mins.
Struggling to get your students to actually find the main idea—without guessing or copying random sentences? You’re not alone.
In today’s episode, we’re sharing a simple, classroom-tested hack that helps middle school students confidently identify the main idea in informational text—without the frustration (for you or them!).
If main idea lessons have been feeling like a struggle, this quick shift might be exactly what you need
Episode 399: Monday Mindset: The One Thing That Makes the End of the Year So Much Harder Than It Has to Be
30/03/2026 | 5 mins.
Today's Monday Mindset, We challenge ourselves to teach for the “May us” by making choices now that reduce end-of-year stress and strengthen student skills. We unpack why readiness and motivation rarely show up first, and how holding the line on routines builds future peace for us and a foundation for our students.
• picturing the “May you” and making March and April decisions with the end in mind
• rejecting the myth of feeling ready before taking action
• naming common temptations like shortening writing tasks or skipping justification
• holding steady on policies, routines, and writing frameworks to make grading and the final stretch easier
• balancing survival days with consistent expectations most days
• remembering students watch what we reinforce and carry those skills forward
Episode 398: Why Students Don't Apply Grammar in Their Writing — And How to Fix It Part 2
26/03/2026 | 11 mins.
Today's episode is Part 2 of Episode 397.

Your students can label sentence types on a worksheet, crush the grammar game, and still hand in an essay packed with run-ons and fragments. That disconnect is not laziness. It is transfer, and it is one of the biggest pain points in middle school ELA. Today we talk about the moment teachers care about most: when grammar moves off the quiz and into real student writing.

We break down the third pillar of the EB Grammar Framework, application to writing, and why it has to come after direct instruction and engaging practice. You will hear exactly why “apply everything you have learned” overloads student brains during drafting, and how narrowing the target helps grammar stick during authentic writing tasks like literary analysis and argument essays.
Episode 397: Why Your Grammar Lessons Keep Falling Flat (And the Fix That Actually Works) Part 1
24/03/2026 | 15 mins.
If your grammar lessons feel like they’re going in one ear and out the other… You are not alone.
In today’s Teaching Middle School ELA podcast episode, we’re breaking down why traditional grammar instruction just isn’t sticking—and what’s actually happening in your students’ brains during those lessons. More importantly, we’re diving into a simple, practical shift you can make that gets students engaged and applying grammar in their writing.
If you’ve ever thought, “Why aren’t they getting this?!”—this episode is for you
Episode 396: Monday Mindset: What to Do When Everything Starts to Slip
23/03/2026 | 9 mins.
In today's Monday Mindset, March and April can feel like the point where everything starts slipping at once. You’re running on fumes, your students are restless, and the pull of summer makes every small task feel bigger than it should. We’re talking about that exact moment and the counterintuitive fix that actually makes the rest of the year easier: leaning into structure instead of letting it slide.

We unpack why loosening routines, expectations, and boundaries doesn’t bring relief, it creates more chaos. The key mindset shift is simple but powerful: what’s hard now is easy later, and what’s easy now is hard later. When your classroom management stays clear, your late work policy stays firm, and your routines stay steady, students stop negotiating and testing. That consistency isn’t rigidity. It’s a signal that says, “You don’t have to guess. I’ve got this, and I’ve got you.”

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About Teaching Middle School ELA

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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