Helping ELA teachers build classroom experiences worth remembering…
Teachers— We all got into teaching for a reason.
Along the way, though, many of us got disenchanted by pacing guides, standards, grading, and the pressure to compete with TikTok for students’ attention.
In a world of instant gratification, how do we make students care about the academic content we put in front of them?
It’s not easy.
Still, I believe classrooms can be places of creativity, energy, authenticity, and unforgettable experiences for both students and teachers.
If you’re looking to bring more of that magic into your classroom, I’d love to help.
Let me tell you my story: Four years ago, I was finishing up my fourth year teaching, certain it would be my last. I was applying for jobs in Ed tech, copywriting, you name it. But teaching?— forget about it. I had seen education let down one too many kids and I didn’t want to be just another cog in a broken wheel.
Everything changed, though, when I saw an ad for a 7th and 8th grade talented and gifted literacy position just up the road. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Teaching TAG sounds like a cakewalk. And it certainly has its perks. But what really drew me to this particular job was the opportunity to teach “outside the box.”
What if I could be a little freer with my curriculum design, a little more modern, a little more authentic?
I was thrilled when I met my teaching partner and her approach aligned so beautifully with mine— we both wanted to maximize both the engagement and the rigor to build experiences for students that would really matter.
Our 7th grade mock trial was my first exposure to this type of learning— the kind that truly molds students, pushes them outside their comfort zones, changes them, and creates an experience they’ll never forget.
Once I got a taste of this, I knew I needed more.
I looked for opportunities to recreate this authenticity everywhere:
First, I added a shark tank unit to my 8th grade curriculum.
Then, the NPR student podcast challenge.
A “tales from the dark” writing experience full of twists, turns, chills, and thrills.
Then, an unsolved mysteries podcast for 7th graders.
A tiny memoir writing contest.
You catch my drift.
These experiences are the ones students never forget.
But they take time, organization, and trial-and-error to not only plan but to perfect. I’ve put a lot of intentional effort into refining these experiences and they feel a little easier every year— but when I first started, I felt overwhelmed by each and every one.
I’m excited to share with you what I’ve learned to ease some of that initial overwhelm and help you as you transform your lessons into experiences. Together, we can build a legacy of classrooms filled with authentically engaged students who don’t shy away from challenges but instead learn to see themselves as creators, thinkers, leaders, and storytellers.
I believe students deserve classrooms that feel alive.
If that’s the kind of classroom you’re trying to build too, you’re in the right place.