Do you use reading logs to hold students accountable, but feel like they’re not really helping students grow as readers? In this episode, I’m sharing why I ditched the traditional reading log in favor of reading reflections—and how it’s made a difference in my classroom.

Reading reflections go beyond recording page numbers. They invite students to think critically, connect personally with the text, and express their understanding. I’ll walk you through how I structure my reflections and the three components I include to make them both engaging and meaningful for students.

Read more in the show notes. 

Try a FREE Two Week Sample of Reading Reflections

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Weekly Reading Reflections Set 1
• Weekly Reading Reflections Set 2
• Weekly Reading Reflections BUNDLE

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
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Winter break is more than just a pause in the school year—it’s a much-needed opportunity to rest, recharge, and regroup. In this episode, I reflect on how we can truly make the most of this time away from the classroom, both personally and professionally. I share how I’m approaching this break to avoid burnout and enter the new year feeling refreshed, and I offer a few ideas to help you do the same.

Whether you're planning to unplug completely or want to sneak in some low-stress prep, this episode will help you find balance and return to your classroom with clarity and purpose.

Read more in the show notes. 

Related teacher self care blog posts: 

• 5 Ways Teachers can Relax During Winter Break

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
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Want your students to stay engaged during independent reading? In this episode, I’m sharing four practical ways to get students talking about what they’re reading—without the pressure of a formal presentation. These strategies fit perfectly within a Reader’s Workshop model and encourage authentic, peer-to-peer conversations.

You’ll hear ideas like using purposeful partner talk, reader response questions, and even mini-blogging to build confidence in reading, speaking, and listening skills. I also share how I use Google Forms to check in with students and guide future reading conferences.

By adding simple and structured ways for students to reflect and connect over their books, we make reading feel more relevant—and more fun.

Read more in the show notes. 

Related resources:

• Reader Response Task Cards
• Story Elements Task Cards
• Google Forms - Reader Response

Related episodes and blog posts: 

• 12 Ways to Support Academic Conversations
• Book Talks – Engaging Students in Reading Through Peer Discussions
• Finish the Year Strong: Student-Centered ELA Activities You Can Still Try

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
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TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

Reading conferences are one of the most powerful tools we have to move the needle for student growth—but they can feel overwhelming at first. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to get started with reading conferences in a way that feels manageable and impactful.

I’ll walk you through how to structure these one-on-one conversations, what kinds of questions to ask, and how to provide on-the-spot support based on student needs. I’ll also share how I simplified my record-keeping process so I could actually focus on the conversation instead of scrambling to write everything down.

Reading conferences allow students to reflect, share insights, and stay engaged in their books. When students feel seen and heard as readers, they grow—both in skill and in confidence.

Read more in the show notes. 

Related episodes and blog posts: 

• Questions to use during Reading Conferences 
• Reading Conference Forms
• How to use Reading Conferences
• Strategies for Better Reading Conferences

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

If you’ve ever felt like there’s never enough time to fit everything into your ELA block, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing how you can maximize the time you do have by focusing on four non-negotiables in your reading workshop structure: time to read, short mini lessons, student conferences, and meaningful share-outs.

I’ll also walk you through sample class schedules—both for 90-minute blocks and shorter 55-minute periods—to help you visualize how these elements can fit into your day. Teaching time is limited, but with the right structure, you can make every minute count.

Read more in the show notes. 

Resources you may find helpful:

• ELA Daily Warm Ups

Related episodes and blog posts: 

• How to Structure Reading Workshop
• Implementing Mini-Lessons
• Tips for Making Silent Reading Time More Productive in the Middle School Classroom

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

In this episode, I’m digging into a topic every teacher wrestles with at some point—student motivation. If you’ve found yourself wondering how to get your students more engaged, more curious, and more willing to take risks with their learning, you’re not alone.

I’ll walk you through some of the biggest barriers to student motivation and share practical ways I’ve helped reignite excitement and effort in my own ELA classroom. From offering meaningful choices to shifting our classroom language, sometimes it’s the small changes that make the biggest difference.

Read more in the show notes. 

Grab your free Book Club Planning Guide.

Resources you may find helpful:

• Independent Reading Challenges with Prompts and Choice Board
• Reading Challenges

Related episodes and blog posts: 

• 5 Book-Based Activities to End the Year Strong
• Tips for Making Silent Reading Time More Productive in the Middle School Classroom
• Keeping Students Engaged with Simple Student Choice Strategies
• How to Use Choice Reading to Boost Engagement in Secondary ELA with Samantha in Secondary

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group where the conversation continues. 

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

The countdown to winter break is on—but these final weeks can feel like the longest of the year. In this episode, I’m sharing easy, low-prep activities that help keep students engaged and bring just the right amount of festive fun to your classroom.

We’ll talk about how to approach holiday celebrations in a way that’s inclusive, respectful, and representative of the students and community you serve. You’ll hear tips for inviting students into the planning process, thinking seasonally when holiday celebrations aren’t an option, and keeping classroom routines fresh without adding to your stress.

Whether you’re looking to shift the energy in your room or simply survive the stretch to break, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can use right away.

Read more in the show notes. 

Related episodes and blog posts: 

• How to Celebrate the Holidays in Secondary ELA - Blog post
• Teacher Self Care Starts Now: How to Recharge Over Winter Break

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Holiday Traditions Resource
• Winter Visual Writing Prompts
• Holiday Visual Writing Prompts
• Creative Writing Holiday prompts
• Elf and the Shoemaker - short story unit
• A Kidnapped Santa Claus - short story unit
• The History of New Year's Eve in Times Square
• The History of the Poinsettia Nonfiction Reading Passage

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

If you're ready to bring Reader’s Workshop into your classroom but aren't sure where to begin, this episode is your launchpad. Following up on Episodes 1 and 2 where I covered the what and why, today’s episode is all about the how.

I’ll walk you through the first steps you can take to build an independent reading culture—starting with simple, actionable strategies you can try right away. From polling students on genre preferences to modeling reading behavior, we’ll talk about small shifts that lead to big results.

Read more in the show notes. 

Resources you may find helpful:

• Finding Just Right Books
• Building Reading Stamina
• Independent Reading Challenges

Related episodes and blog posts: 

• How to Keep Independent Reading Alive with a Required Curriculum
• Tips for Making Silent Reading Time More Productive in the Middle School Classroom
• The Power of Independent Reading in a Canned Curriculum Classroom

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

Are your students rolling their eyes at independent reading time? In this episode, I’m sharing how I created a culture of reading in my middle school classroom that shifted reading from a chore to something students genuinely enjoy.

From rethinking how I organized my classroom library to finding new ways to approach book talks and First Chapter Fridays, I’ll walk you through simple but powerful strategies that helped foster reading excitement. You’ll also hear why student choice is key—and the one reading practice I use that always sparks discussion (and a little controversy!).

If you're ready to help your students see themselves as readers and build a classroom where books matter, this episode is for you.

Read more in the show notes. 

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Ideas to build a classroom library without breaking the budget
• 12 Ways to Encourage a Culture of Reading with your Students

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

What would your classroom look like if students walked in asking to read? If families told you their kids were voluntarily reading at home? That’s exactly what started happening when I began using Reader’s Workshop—and I’ll be honest, I didn’t believe it would work at first.

In this episode, I’m sharing my journey from skepticism to fully embracing the Reader’s Workshop model. I’ll walk you through what Reader’s Workshop is (and what it’s not), the five key components that make it effective, and the real magic that happens when students are given choice and structure in their reading lives.

If you’ve ever wondered how to build stronger, more independent readers in your classroom, this episode is for you.

Read more in the show notes. 

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• How to Use Reading Conferences in Your Classroom
• Reading Conferences

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe