2026 is my 26th back-to-school season! But even as an experienced teacher, I'm reinvigorated every back-to-school season when I see all the new faces, teammates, and learning tools that will shape our year together.
Over the years, I have written several blog posts sharing my favorite tips and time-savers for ELA teachers. This page features all of my best back-to-school posts to help teachers find the topics and ideas most applicable to them. If you are looking for a few ways to make the most of your classroom instruction and organization, take a peek at my favorites below…
As you begin your school year, here are the free tools, easy ideas, and inexpensive items I use every year to add fun and engagement to student learning…
READ MORE: 25-Must-Haves for your ELA Classroom
Different groups of students, different building dynamics, and other factors bring on new ideas and demands. Despite changes in these components, there are three things I ALWAYS make sure to tackle on the first day of the year. If you are a brand-new teacher, have switched grade levels, or are a veteran with many years of experience, if you are working with BIG KIDS, here are the essentials…
READ MORE: It's the First Day, Now What?!
If you are like me, you are always looking for a few great read alouds to connect student learning and get those imaginations flowing on those first few days back to school. Check out this post to find out a few of my favorite middle grade read alouds to share during this exciting time…
READ MORE: First Day Read Alouds for Middle Grades
Here are some of my favorite classroom tools, management strategies, and activities to implement at the very beginning of the school year…
READ MORE: Classroom Management Ideas and Activities
I am ready for the incredible year ahead and am visualizing the tone I want to set with my students from the moment they head inside my classroom door for the very first time. I want them to know they are loved, that there is not a moment to waste in our classroom, and that we are going to do amazing things. As I consider the work we will take on, read this post to find creative assessment and engagement strategies I have used since the very first day.
READ MORE: Quick Strategies for Student Engagement and Assessment
While I tend to use my ELA word wall as a visual display for my students, here are a few additional ways I have found this learning tool to be really beneficial for my middle school learners.
READ MORE: 5 ELA Word Wall Activities
As we are heading back to school, an abundance of creative classrooms are filling my Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter feeds. I love seeing how other teachers organize their classroom spaces because it gives me inspiration and prompts me to reflect on the best way to structure my classroom so it is an inviting and engaging space for learning. This post outlines how I set up my classroom to be student-ready on Day 1.
READ MORE: ELA Classroom Set-Up Made Easier
I have always worked to find ways to enhance my classroom on a budget. Creating my own bulletin board and display letters with copy paper and a printer is far more cost-effective. Also, I don't have to worry about not having enough specific letters. If you are working on your bulletin boards, check out this simple way to use PowerPoint to generate your own displays.
READ MORE: Bulletin Board Letters Made Easy
Whether you are a new teacher or an experienced educator, I hope you find some useful tidbits from these posts. All the best this year! Your students can't wait to meet you!
