Episode 337: Why Templates Are the Key to Teacher Sanity

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Every teacher has those “Am I doing enough?” moments. In this episode, I'm talking through how to quiet the doubt and reconnect with your purpose, because you are making a difference. 🎉 Just a Few More Days Left! 🎉 Have you entered our Podcast Giveaway yet? We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Portal! Here’s how to enter:Leave a review for the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast on iTunes. Please send us a quick email at [email protected] to let us know you did.Don’t miss your chance—drop your review this week and you might be the lucky teacher we surprise at the end of the month! 

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Not a fan of teaching writing? You’re not alone—and this episode is for you. Tune in for simple mindset shifts + practical tips to help you teach writing with more confidence (and less stress)Grab The Case of the Stolen Pearls Unit here: https://www.ebteacher.com/pearls 🎉 Just a Few More Days Left! 🎉 Have you entered our Podcast Giveaway yet? We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Portal! Here’s how to enter:Leave a review for the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast on iTunes. Please send us a quick email at [email protected] to let us know you did.Don’t miss your chance—drop your review this week and you might be the lucky teacher we surprise at the end of the month! 

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Tired of reinventing the wheel? In this episode, I'm diving into how templates can simplify your planning, reduce decision fatigue, and give you your time (and sanity!) back. Book Study Information: https://www.ebteacher.com/book-studyClassroom Management Strategy YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=5ZkdeEZL8rwEnter to Win a Year in The EB Portal🎉We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Portal! Here’s how to enter:Leave a review for the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast on iTunes. Please send us a quick email at [email protected] to let us know you did.

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!In this episode, we’re breaking down three practical strategies to transform peer review from a checkbox into a powerful teaching tool that improves writing—and helps you spend less time grading. We’ll also walk through the exact checklists and frameworks we use with our EB Teachers to help peer review stick.Whether you’ve tried it before or you’re ready to give it a fresh start, this episode is packed with simple tips that work.Enter to Win a Year in The EB Portal🎉We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Portal! Here’s how to enter:Leave a review for the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast on iTunes. Please send us a quick email at [email protected] to let us know you did.That’s it!Winner announced at the end of July—don’t miss out!

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Feeling overwhelmed with lesson planning week after week? In this episode, we're digging into how simple, consistent weekly routines can completely transform your classroom. Learn how to save time, reduce stress, and build stronger engagement—all by putting a repeatable structure in place.Enter to Win a Year in The EB Portal🎉We’re treating ONE lucky teacher to a FREE 1-year subscription to the EB Teachers’ ELA Portal! Here’s how to enter:Leave a review for the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast on iTunes. Please send us a quick email to let us know you did.That’s it!Winner announced at the end of July—don’t miss out!

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!So, you’ve taught the structure. You’ve modeled examples. You’ve practiced together. And still... your students are struggling to write a strong paragraph. Sound familiar?In today’s episode, I’m breaking down exactly what to do when your students still aren’t getting it — including practical strategies, mindset shifts, and scaffolds that actually work. Let’s dive in and take the frustration out of paragraph writing once and for all.Join me: https://www.ebteacher.com/writing-workshop

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!In this episode, I’m sharing a writing tool that’s often overlooked but absolutely transformative: the Evidence Tracker. This simple organizer helps students slow down, organize their thinking, and write stronger, clearer arguments. I’ll show you exactly how to use it—and how to shake it up with a few creative twists that your students will love. If you’ve ever struggled with students writing off-track paragraphs or vague justifications, this episode is for you. Let’s dive in! Join me: https://www.ebteacher.com/writing-workshop

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA! In this episode, I share a behind-the-scenes reflection on what I’d keep—and what I’d change—with writing instruction if I were still in the classroom next year. I dive into our Evidence-Based Writing (EBW) Approach, showing you how a clear, repeatable framework can simplify instruction and build confident writers without the overwhelm. Plus, I offer actionable strategies for integrating writing into every lesson, and invite you to join my free 3-day writing workshop in July for even more hands-on tips. Join me: https://ebteacher.com/writing-workshop

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Think you need to teach grammar daily to see results? Think again. In this episode, I share why less is more when it comes to grammar instruction—and how focusing on just two skills per month (using our 8-step EB Grammar Framework) leads to deeper understanding and stronger student writing. Tune in to learn how to make grammar meaningful, manageable, and impactful.🎧 Listen now + grab your seat for the free writing workshop at ebteacher.com/writing-workshop!

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text!Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA! Today we’re diving into the #1 writing skill to focus on during the first month of school — and it’s probably not what you think. If you want your students to grow as confident, capable writers this year, this is where it all starts. Let’s simplify your writing instruction and set the foundation for success, without the overwhelm. Save your spot at ebteacher.com/writing-workshop