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.
Teaching Middle School ELA
Episode 378: 5 Classroom Routines That Make the Entire Semester Easier
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Looking for simple, high-impact routines that make teaching feel lighter and your classroom run smoother? In today’s episode, Caitlin shares five of her favorite practical routines that help create calm beginnings, peaceful endings, predictable pacing, better student behavior, and effortless paper management.
These are routines you can implement tomorrow and use for the rest of the semester to save time, reduce stress, and help your students thrive.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How a “Silent Start” routine sets the tone for the entire class
- A simple end-of-class reading ritual that makes transitions peaceful
- The 15-Minute Classroom Management system that students can run for you
- A paper turn-in routine that eliminates missing work and confusion
- How to use a daily timed agenda to improve pacing and structure
Perfect for teachers heading into a new semester or looking to reset their classroom routines with confidence and clarity.
✨ LINKS MENTIONED:
Hanging Pocket Folders → https://www.amazon.com/Godery-Signatory-Cascading-Organizer-Classroom/dp/B075DCTJVR/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?...
YouTube Video 15-Minute Classroom Management Strategy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZkdeEZL8rw