April is National Poetry Month, but it doesn't have to be April to introduce your students to novels in verse. Novels in verse appeal to students because they tend to move quickly and are told in rhythmic, interesting ways. Introducing your students to quality novels in this genre is a great addition to your poetry unit, and in my opinion, a great end-of-year reading unit. 

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If you teach poetry in your middle school ELA class, you know it can be a struggle. Kids often go into your poetry lessons with the attitude that poems are not interesting, they are hard to write, and that it’s too difficult to understand poems.  It's therefore imperative to begin with poems that are engaging and will hook them right away.  I have 10 great suggestions for you in this podcast.

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If you teach poetry in your middle school ELA class, you know it can be a struggle. Kids often go into your poetry lessons with the attitude that poems are not interesting, they are hard to write, and that it’s too difficult to understand poems. The answer? Start with songs for poetry analysis. Since I’ve never met a middle schooler who hasn’t obsessed over music, this is the easiest way to hook your kids and teach them some important poetic devices.

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I might be in the minority, but I absolutely love teaching poetry. I especially love having kids write poems because I get to know my students on a deeper and more meaningful level. One of the steps to becoming a good poet is to be a good reader of poetry. However, many middle school kids don’t know where to start. Therefore, you need a good plan of action for poetry analysis. The key? Keep it simple. Read here for tips for poetry analysis in 4 easy steps.

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Teaching poetry...we either love it or hate it. I'm in the "love" category. Why? Poems are simply songs without the music...and middle schoolers love music. Once they understand that, and once we simplify the poetry writing process, they usually are in the "love" category as well. One way to simplify the process is by giving kids specific types of poems to write.

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Teaching poetry to middle schoolers might seem complicated, but there are so many ways to do this simply and effectively. I have found that my kids (and I) enjoy this unit more than any other unit.   And, I love to incorporate poetry throughout the year so that kids will understand it better and see how valuable it is. If you’re ready to get started, listen here to see how in 5 simple steps.

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When you think of centers, you typically think of little kids, glue, construction paper, and a big mess. As a former first-grade teacher, I can certainly tell you that this is the absolute truth! But centers are NOT just for elementary school. In fact, one of the best literacy center ideas for middle school is for teaching reading skills and strategies. 

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Your teacher performance assessment can feel dreadful. Maybe it’s planned, and maybe you know there is one more left. Either way, you’ll need a shift in mindset will get you to understand how to showcase your strengths to your administrator. Although teacher observations can be very stressful, these "no fail” tips will help you to impress your administrators and score high.

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If you are a middle school language arts teacher, then you teach reading skills.  There is a certain "finesse" that you will need to do this well at the middle school level.  This is the seventh and final episode in a mini-series on teaching reading skills to our middle schoolers.  This episode focuses on how to teach theme.

Teaching theme in literature is a skill you’ll want kids to have now and throughout their academic careers. Understanding these concepts gives kids a deeper understanding of characters and conflict. So we will be talking all things reading skills, specifically theme.

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If you are a middle school language arts teacher, then you teach reading skills.  There is a certain "finesse" that you will need to do this well at the middle school level.  This is the sixth in a mini-series on teaching reading skills to our middle schoolers.  This episode focuses on teaching point of view and perspective.

Teaching point of view and perspective in literature is a skill you’ll want kids to have now and throughout their academic careers. Understanding these concepts gives kids a deeper understanding of characters and conflict. So we will be talking all things reading skills, specifically point of view and perspective.

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