Last week I started my series on using AI in my 7th grade ELA classroom. Go check it out: Part One: Preparing My Students for AI-Assisted Writing and see how I prepped by students for this AI journey. Today, I’m going to share our writing experience.  My Students’ AI-Assisted Writing Journey Now that my students were armed with newfound knowledge and skills from our prep work, my 7th graders set out on their AI-assisted writing adventure with enthusiasm. The process began with crafting a solid outline for their personal narrative essays, laying the groundwork for coherent storytelling. Th ..read more

Recently, I decided to integrate AI into our memoir writing unit. Because this was so new to me, I didn’t begin with a full-proof plan, rather I let each lesson set the tone for the next one. I know that sounds scary to those of you who need a specific plan, but it was actually pretty fun. The kids and I were genuinely learning together and letting our questions and curiosity guide what came next. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share that journey with you. Today, I’m going to talk about how we prepared for this unit. Next week, I’ll share what this looked like during the writing proces ..read more

As educators, we’re tasked not only with imparting knowledge but also with nurturing the growth and well-being of our students. In recent years, there’s been a growing recognition of the importance of restorative practices in the classroom – approaches that focus on building and maintaining strong relationships while fostering accountability and empathy. While these practices are invaluable for creating a supportive learning environment, it’s essential to acknowledge the emotional toll they can take on teachers and the urgent need for systemic support to address teacher burnout. Developing st ..read more

I’ve lost track of how many different daily schedules I’ve created/attempted since my 90-minute ELA block was condensed to 55 minutes. So much trial and error. So much disappointment and frustration. So much failure. But finally, after two years of trying and tweaking, I’ve got a daily schedule that works. It’s not perfect. And there are plenty of days (and sometimes weeks!) where things do not go as planned, but overall, this is working. A few things first: This is NOT ideal. I will die on the hill that in order to cover all the reading and writing (and speaking and listening!) standards, y ..read more

Since Covid, a lot has changed in our classrooms. Some of those changes have been amazing and absolutely necessary, and others… eh, not so much! Something I realized this year is that I’m allowing for WAY TOO MUCH screen time. During quarantine and remote learning, screens were the only tool we had. And admittedly, I got really dependent on it. But now that we are a few years out, I’ve decided that next year I’m really going to slow my roll when it comes to Chromebooks, and go back to some of the methods that really worked best for my kids prior to remote learning. And thankfully, I know JUST ..read more

As educators, we have the power to inspire a love of reading in our students, but it’s not always an easy task. I’ve talked before about using book tastings and speed dating to get kids excited about reading, and today I’m going to talk about book talks. Book talks are a dynamic way to promote literacy and build a community of readers in your classroom. In this post, we’ll dive into how to prepare an effective presentation that will leave your students excited to pick up their next book. Some of my favorite titles to Book Talk. What are Book Talks and Why are They Important? Book talks are ess ..read more

As middle school students transition into more complex texts and content, it’s crucial for teachers to employ effective literacy strategies. One of the most successful methods is through guided reading, a technique that has been shown to increase comprehension, fluency, engagement, and motivation. With guided reading, teachers can provide individualized instruction, develop critical thinking skills and monitor students’ progress. Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or new to the profession, everyone can benefit from this powerful tool for promoting literacy skills in middle school. Sticky notes ..read more

I’ve written before about how I like to keep the “art” in ELA. And one of my favorite ways of doing that is to have my students complete a “One-Pager” at the end of a good, meaty story. These make the perfect alternative to traditional assessments. “One-Pagers” have been around for a while now and there are so many different ways you can use them. I like them as a replacement for a quiz/test. It’s a different, more creative, way of having kids show you what they know. I recently posted a picture on social of my students working on one-pagers for the Ray Bradbury story, “Dark They Were, an ..read more

Unless you are brand new to this blog, then you know that writing from lists is my JAM! It’s the best trick I know for motivating student writers since they come up with all the topics themselves. But, if this concept is new to you, or you need a refresher, I have a video that explains how I use them here. Recently, a reader asked if I use the lists more than once in a school year. And the answer is ABSOLUTELY! Several of the lists can be used at different times in the school year because they reflect what kids are doing/loving/hating/etc. at this specific moment in time. One example is the To ..read more

Sold a Storyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sold-a-story/id1649580473 For the last few months, I’ve been participating in lots of discussions about the podcast, “Sold a Story.” And I get it. I LOVE a good podcast like no one’s business!! Especially when there is a hero (SOR) and a villain (Heinemann, Calkins, and F&P) and sinister plot (ignore the science!!) and a sympathetic victim (school children!)! It makes for excellent listening! Now, contrary what some folks on Twitter think, I am not “against” SOR. But, I’m not “for” it either. But, I’m also not “for” the Units of Study. And ..read more