This is hardly the first time I’ve written about this. For years, I’ve been trying to nail down a format to cover what could essentially be two (maybe even three!) subjects in one class period.
I’ve tried… and failed.
And tried… and failed.
And tried… and failed!
Now, this time I have something that is working pretty well for me. And surprisingly, I have virtual and hybrid instruction to thank for it!
Thank You, Pandemic Teaching
One of the best things I learned while teaching last year was that adequate front-loading allowed for me to cover a lot more material in a shorter period of time. Prior to last year, it had never really occurred to me to video tape the most essential parts of my teaching and upload it so kids could access it at any time. But, that was how I spent a big part of my planning time last year. At first, it seemed so tedious to share stuff with kids prior to teaching them the same stuff during class, however, I was quick to discover that by doing so, kids had a lot less questions during instruction time. It also cut down on having to reteach information from a previous lesson.
By Christmas, I had a solid routine down. And by the end of last school year, I’d covered MORE than I’d ever done before in less time and with relatively the same learning outcomes (based on benchmark assessments and report card grades).
ELA in 55 Minutes a Day
So this year I’m taking the lessons that learned from online instruction into my in-person setting. Below, you’ll find my Year-at-a-Glance and my Daily Schedule. Our district just switched to the HMH Into Literature program. While this is my first year using this curriculum, the content is based on our standards, so that is the same.
For each new skill, concept, or strategy, I upload a video or slide show of me going over the most important information. These videos are stored in Google Classroom for the kids to access prior to the lesson and at any time after the lesson. Believe me, they are nothing fancy!! Just covering the most important stuff they need to know.
If you’d like your own copy of this, you can find it here.
I’m sure you’ll have questions, so ask away! Also, it’s also helpful to follow me on Facebook and Instagram where I am always talking about the ins and outs of my classroom.
I recently took over a 6th grade language arts class. I have been out of the classroom for a few year and happy to be back and share my love of teaching reading and writing to students.
I am really trying to encourage all my kiddos to be reading in books of their choice. I have many kids who already love to read…
Although I have a handful that are reluctant readers..
Do you have a list of books (possibly graphic novels too) that catch readers both boys and girls?
I am also thinking of starting a book club for those kiddos who need that extra push to fall in love with reading:)
thanks for your help
Thank you so much for providing your pacing guide and time layout of a middle school ELA class. Fitting in so many subjects in one class period has always been my biggest struggle!