As an ELA teacher, independent reading time will always be a part of my classroom teaching repertoire. Continue on to read to discover how I prioritize independent reading by building a culture of reading and using the book club format within my curriculum. Build a Positive Reading Culture One question I hear often online and…
Finding the best books for 8th graders to read will be a little easier with this post! These recommended books for 8th graders will work for middle and high school readers as well. I am currently teaching 8th grade, and these are the books students are adding to their favorites list. Check out my list…
If you have been wondering how to go about teaching poetry to middle schoolers, then you need to read on to find out how I make teaching poetry an engaging unit in my middle school classroom. Begin With An Essential Question When I first started my teaching career I struggled to know how to teach…
Are vocabulary activities still needed in middle school? Absolutely! But vocabulary instruction does not have to be boring or focused on memorization. Using vocabulary games and student-centered vocabulary activities are at the heart of my vocabulary instruction in middle school. Not only are students learning words that will help them talk and write like experts,…
Remember that feeling of a stack of brand-new books from your favorite author, just waiting to have their spine cracked and the words devoured? You know, those books that are good for reading independently while curled up in a cozy spot. Yeah, me too. Today’s post comes with actionable advice on how to jump back…
A new school year brings me new 8th graders who have reading interests unique to them. During the first quarter of this school year my students have loved so many books. Some books introduced them to new authors and new genres. And of course, students enjoy the tried and true favorite books for middle schoolers….
Imagine a classroom community in which student partners actively work with each other, give constructive feedback, support one another in achieving their goals, and engage in strong academic conversations. This is possible in your middle and secondary school classroom and I want to share some ways to make this dream come alive! Why Student Achievement…
In my last blog post I shared about my mission to build a strong independent reading community in my middle school classroom and this week I want to share some ways that I assess independent reading. I give a lot of time to reading in my classroom, but I also need to assess the thinking…
The last few years I’ve been on a mission to make independent reading a treasured part of my classroom community. I am routinely told by a group of students at the beginning of the year that, “Reading is just not my thing,” or that, “Reading is sooooo boring!” and my response usually goes something like…