Join me in this year-long series on classroom management. Each month, we will look at tips and tricks for creating a better classroom management plan.  This is the first of the series.

As a teacher of over thirty years, I’ve mentored many new teachers both officially and unofficially. By far, the biggest question and concern I’ve heard is getting a better handle on classroom management. This is a huge topic and has many components such as managing student behavior, what to do when students are late/absent, and handling difficult parents.  

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If you are struggling with how to plan your year or just need some fresh ideas, then you are in the right place! Join me for a 10-month mini-series on creating a curriculum map for your middle school ELA classes.

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The end of year countdown is on! You feel like you should be winding down, but as every educator knows, this is crunch time. You are working harder than ever, yet your list keeps getting longer and longer. How to handle it? Read here for your end of year countdown with 1 week left of school. 

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It’s the end of the school year, and you are feeling frazzled. You are trying to get things done on your end-of-the-year teacher checklist, but it somehow just keeps getting longer and longer. The answer? A solid plan where you map out your end-of-the-year teacher checklist a month before school ends. Read here for your plan with 2 weeks left of school.

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It’s the end of the school year, and teachers everywhere are feeling the pressure. You are tending to your end-of-year teacher checklist, but it seems to be growing rather than shrinking. The answer? A solid plan where you map out your end-of-year teacher tasks a month before school ends. Read here for your plan with 3 weeks left of school.

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It’s the end of the school year, and teachers everywhere are feeling the pressure. You are tending to your “to-do” list, but it seems to get exponentially bigger even while you are working hard. The answer? A solid plan where you map out your end-of-year teacher tasks a month before school ends. Listen here for your plan with 4 weeks left of school.

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 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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