Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers
Are you a middle school ELA teacher looking for practical, proven strategies to help your students grow as confident readers and writers? Middle School Café is your go-to podcast for engaging teaching ideas, classroom-tested tools, and real talk about what works in today’s ELA classroom.
Each episode delivers actionable tips to help you close reading gaps, build student ownership, and create a classroom culture where literacy thrives. Whether you're navigating a curriculum, supporting struggling readers, or just looking for fresh ways to inspire your students, you'll find support, strategy, and a sense of community right here.
Join a community of passionate middle school ELA teachers working to build confident, engaged readers. Visit www.middleschoolcafe.com for classroom tools, podcast extras, and resources to support every student on their reading journey.
Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers
Maximize Your ELA Class Time: 4 Non-Negotiables for Reading Workshop [Ep. 6]
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:
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
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