Middle School Café - Empowering Secondary ELA Teachers
Are you an ELA teacher striving to help your middle and high school students become confident, capable readers and writers? Middle School Cafe is your go-to podcast for practical strategies, proven methods, and inspiration to close the reading gap and unlock every student's potential.
In each episode, I will share real-world insights and actionable tips drawn from years of classroom experience to help you meet students where they are and guide them toward growth. From implementing the workshop model to fostering student ownership of learning, you'll discover ideas and strategies that make a real impact.
Join the community of educators working to create classrooms where every student thrives. Visit www.middleschoolcafe.com to learn more and start building the readers and writers we know your students can be.
Episodes
53 episodes
[Bonus] Burnout Is Real: An Honest Conversation for Teachers
In this special bonus episode, I’m hitting pause on my usual content to have an honest and much-needed conversation about teacher burnout. While I typically focus on teaching strategies, classroom routines, student engagement, and building a lo...
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15:59
Keeping Students Engaged with Simple Choice Strategies
Let’s be honest — keeping students engaged during the final weeks of school is tough. In this episode, I’m continuing our conversation about re-engaging students by sharing practical, low-stress ways to bring more student choice into your class...
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Episode 50
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11:33
Student-Led Book Talks: A Meaningful Way to Keep Students Reading
In this episode, we're talking all about student-led book talks—one of my favorite ways to keep students engaged in reading during the final stretch of the school year. With state testing behind us and summer on the horizon, now is the perfect ...
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Episode 49
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12:25
Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary with Purpose - Part 2
If you’ve ever wondered how to make vocabulary instruction more engaging and effective without adding more to your already packed schedule, this episode is for you! In part two of this mini-series on vocabulary, we’re diving into practical stra...
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Episode 48
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11:25
Teaching Vocabulary with Purpose Part 1
Is vocabulary instruction getting enough attention in your classroom? Over time, we’ve moved away from the traditional vocabulary lists and memorization drills—but have we gone too far? Vocabulary plays a crucial role in reading comprehension, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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10:55
Holding Students Accountable While Fostering A Love For Reading
In this episode, we tackle one of the most common challenges for ELA teachers: holding students accountable for their reading without turning it into a chore. How do we inspire students to read for the sheer joy of it while also meeting our res...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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10:47
The Power of Independent Reading in a Canned Curriculum Classroom
Welcome to the first full episode of our relaunched podcast! In this episode, we’re exploring the importance of independent reading and its place in the classroom, even when a canned curriculum is in play. With a focus on flexibility and consis...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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10:50
Back in Action: A Fresh Chapter for the Middle School Café Podcast!
After an extended hiatus, the Middle School Café Podcast is back! In this special relaunch episode, I’m sharing why I took a step away, the lessons learned during this time, and what’s ahead for the podcast in 2025. Tune in to hear abo...
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4:48
Finding 'Just Right' Books: Cultivating Lifelong Readers
One of the most essential aspects of teaching ELA is nurturing a lifelong love of reading in our students. In this episode, we'll explore how to help students discover that elusive "just right" book – the one that not only matches their reading...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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21:37
The Power of Teacher Book Talks: Igniting a Passion for Reading
In a world filled with distractions like video games, social media, and viral TikTok videos, inspiring a love for reading in students can feel like an uphill battle. However, in this week's episode, we dive into a powerful tool that can captiva...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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23:55
Using Routines and Procedures in the Classroom to Build Classroom Community
Today, we are exploring the importance of establishing consistent routines and procedures in the classroom and how they will help us in building a classroom community. While focusing on middle school students, the ideas provided are relevant to...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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19:25
Building Strong Teacher-Student Relationships Beyond Getting to Know you Activities
This episode explores the importance of building strong teacher-student relationships that extend beyond getting to know you activities. I discuss the misconception that teachers need to be friends with their students, emphasizing instead the v...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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20:09
Unique Reading Engagement Ideas with Katie from Mochas and Markbooks
Imagine turning your classroom into a hip coffee shop or observing your students actively browsing through your classroom bookshelves to create poetry. This is exactly what we are talking about in this episode! Katie Saj from Mochas...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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40:47
Digital Escape Rooms with Lyndsey from Lit with Lyns
Escape rooms are inclusive and engaging activities that consist of games and puzzles aimed at fostering critical thinking and creativity. In this week’s episode, Lyndsey from Lit with Lyns shares her experience in both creating and presen...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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22:05
Motivating Students through Book Talks with Mary Pat from Just Add Students
In this episode, we explore the benefits of book talks and their impact on students' motivation as students promote books they loved to their peers. Join me as I interview Mary Pat from Just Add Students, who shares her firsthand experien...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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29:17
Leveled Writing Labs with Lisa from Mrs. Spangler in the Middle
The pandemic has left many middle school students with learning gaps in their writing abilities. Join me this week as I interview Lisa from Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, who has developed a writing program created specifically for middle s...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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31:19
Student Accountability with Jennifer from Books, Babbles & Bows
Reading is a fundamental skill that forms the foundation for all other academic subjects and is an important life skill! In this episode, I’m joined by Jennifer from Books, Babbles & Bows. We explore several strategies to promot...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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31:15
The Power of Student Choice with Kristy from 2 Peas and a Dog
When students are given choices, their engagement and output increase, leading to a sense of ownership in their learning. Join me this week as I interview Kristy from 2 Peas and a Dog about the importance and benefits of student choice.
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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22:07
Using Centers in the Classroom with Rachel from Uniquely Upper
Centers, also known as learning stations, offer a structured approach to self-directed learning activities in the classroom. In today’s episode, Rachel from Uniquely Upper highlights several benefits of incorporating centers, with one key advan...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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29:16
Moving Forward from Pandemic Challenges in Education + it’s Launch Day!
Today is launch day for the book, Motivating Readers: Teaching in the Post-Pandemic Era! In today’s episode, I share why I wrote the book and what I hope you will gain by reading the book. Motivating R...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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16:31
Reflections on the Past School Year
In today’s episode, I’m sharing with you my reflections on this past school year. I share both the positive things I implemented that I’ll be keeping and a few areas where I want to make some changes. It is important to take some time at ...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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18:13
Independent Reading in Class: A Q&A Session for Student Success
In this week's episode, I'm discussing independent reading in your secondary ELA classroom by answering five thought-provoking questions submitted by listeners. Join me as I share practical strategies and insights to make independent reading a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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23:13
4 Professional Development Books to Read this Summer
Summer break is just around the corner, and it's the perfect time to rest, recharge, reflect, and invest in some relevant professional development. In today’s episode, I’m sharing books that have changed and inspired my own professional p...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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14:58
6 Tips to Help Students Embrace Productive Struggle
In this episode, I share the idea of productive struggle and its significance in education. Productive struggle is all about allowing students to tackle challenging tasks with limited adult intervention, enabling them to develop problem-solving...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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16:36
Student Reflection: Empowering Students to Take Control of Their Learning
In this episode, I explore the importance of teaching students how to reflect on their learning and the impact it can have on their educational journey. By encouraging students to reflect, we shift their mindset from viewing education as someth...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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10:42