
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.
Episodes
Episode 357: The Game That Turns Vocabulary, Grammar, and More Into Student Obsessions

Episode 356: Stop Staring at the Mountain in Front of You: Do This Instead

Episode 355: ELA Games Series: Why Bluffing Might Be the Most Fun Way to Practice ELA

Episode 354: ChatGPT Series: 3 ChatGPT Shortcuts Every ELA Teacher Needs to Save Hours on Prep

Episode 353: The Shortcut Narrative Unit: How to Get Powerful Stories in Just 10 Days

Episode 352: ChatGPT Series: Differentiation Without the Extra Work

Episode 351: Balancing Creative and Academic Writing in the Middle School Classroom

Episode 350: ChatGPT Series: Communication & Admin Tasks Made Easier

Episode 349: Scaffolding Evidence: How to Help Students Choose Quotes That Actually Work

Episode 348:ChatGPT Series: Planning Support Without the Overwhelm

Episode 347: From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious

Episode 346: ChatGPT Series: Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple

Episode 345: Teaching Grammar in the Flow of Writing

Episode 344: ChatGPT Series: How to Train ChatGPT to Create Rubrics and Feedback

Episode 343: You’re Probably Already Doing This—But It’s the Secret to a Strong Reading Culture

Episode 342: The Secret to a Thriving Classroom Culture

Episode 341: Mini Socratic Seminars: Big Impact in Small Groups

Episode 340: Avoiding Burnout by Letting Go of Perfection in Your Lesson Plans

Episode 339: What to Do When Self-Doubt Creeps In

Episode 338: How to Feel More Confident Teaching Writing (Even If You Don’t Love It)

Episode 337: Why Templates Are the Key to Teacher Sanity

Episode 336: How to Make Peer Review Work in Middle School

Episode 335: The Power of Weekly Routines in Your ELA Classroom

Episode 334: What to Do When Students Still Can’t Write a Strong Paragraph

Episode 333: Why the Evidence Tracker Is the Most Underrated Writing Tool
