Teaching Middle School ELA
Welcome to the Teaching Middle School ELA podcast, where we are dedicated to helping English Language Arts teachers create dynamic and engaging lessons for their students, while also managing the day-to-day responsibilities that come with being a Middle School ELA teacher.
As educators ourselves, we understand the challenges of finding a work-life balance that allows us to pursue our passion for teaching while also enjoying our personal lives. That's why each Tuesday, hosts Caitlin Mitchell and Jessica Cannata share practical and innovative solutions for managing your workload and staying inspired in your teaching practice.
Whether you are looking for fresh ideas to inspire your students, strategies for improving your writing instruction, or tips for managing your time more effectively, this podcast is designed to provide you with the tools you need to thrive as a Middle School ELA teacher.
Join us each week for curriculum and lesson ideas, classroom stories, and interviews with fellow educators who are experts in the field. We believe that with the right support and resources, you can create a classroom environment that encourages students to become strong and passionate learners.
If you teach reading and writing to middle schoolers and want to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in ELA education, then this is the podcast for you! Tune in every week and let us help you make a difference in the lives of your students and in your own teaching career.
Teaching Middle School ELA
Monday Mindset Favorite: A+ Player
Let’s take a moment to revisit one of our favorite Monday Mindset episodes! In this episode, I dive into the powerful impact our surroundings have on our mindset and overall happiness. I explore how intentionally surrounding ourselves with “A+ players” can lead to personal growth and a more fulfilling life.
By carefully choosing the company we keep and fostering a positive environment for ourselves and our students, we can create a ripple effect of positivity in our lives.
Here’s to another day of living intentionally.
Caitlin
Well, hello teachers, and welcome to your Monday Mindset podcast episode. These are short, little snippets of thoughts, reflections that I share with you on a weekly basis, that are focused around mindset things that we can do to live our best lives, to live an intentional life, and I invite you to not just listen to these for yourself and how they apply to you in your life, but consider sharing them with other people too. Consider sharing them with your students every Monday and having a conversation about it and doing a reflection together, because I think a lot of these thoughts, these topics, these questions are just a part of being human, and sometimes being human can feel lonely and to know that other people are struggling through some of the same challenges that you are and are benefiting from having these types of conversations is hugely powerful in allowing us to get to be the best version of ourselves, to take who we are and who we be and who we show up in the world as to that next level. So I really hope that you enjoy these Monday Mindsets and, if you do, let us know over on our Instagram at Evie Academics. Thanks so much for listening and let's dive into our Monday Mindset. I'm sure you know the old adage that we are who we surround ourselves with meaning, when we surround ourselves with Meaning, when we surround ourselves with A-plus players in life, we inherently and subconsciously get elevated to their level and vice versa. So if we're constantly surrounding ourselves with negative thinkers or people who always complain and aren't living that 100% version of their life, we will eventually get sucked in and stooped down to that level of living.
Speaker 1:It actually reminds me of a specific basketball game during my senior year of high school. At that time, our team was the best in the county. In fact, the girls varsity team had won the California state title just two years prior, one of those girls going on to play in the WNBA. I mean, this team was good, very good, and there was just one final game between us and a perfect season and it was against the worst team in the league and we had this thing in the bag like we were going to win. We were going to go undefeated yet another year and head to the CIF North Coast section playoffs. I am sure you can guess where this is going. We lost that game. I am sure you can guess where this is going. We lost that game and we did so because we played down to their level. The team who we showed up as on the court that night was not the team that had blown out every other team that season. We became who we surrounded ourselves with, and we paid for it by missing out on a perfect season.
Speaker 1:While this example is trivial at best compared to how important this concept is to our lives and our happiness, I think it's a perfect illustration of just how much of an impact our surroundings can have on us. So my invitation this week to you is this Stop spending your precious time around people who bring you down and make you miserable, not even just in person. Stop wasting your time consuming negativity in the online space. I mean, consider getting off of TikTok or Instagram or Facebook groups, where you are bombarded with negative messages that will subconsciously mold a negative narrative of your life. And then I want you to find the A-plus player at your school, at home, amongst your group of friends, and intentionally spend more time with them.
Speaker 1:And if you have someone in your life that you can't let go of, but they are bringing you down, right. Maybe they're a family member of, but they are bringing you down right. Maybe they're a family member whatever it is, but they are bringing you down. Perhaps you get to consider how you get to be their A-plus player in their life. How can you bring them up to your level in your way of being? Anyhow, just some food for thought this week, and I would love to invite you to join me in thinking about consciously finding that A-plus player. Here's to another great week, living intentionally.