Consider this your official invite to our Brave New Teaching team meeting! We’re catching you up on life, sharing what’s happening in our classrooms and libraries, and digging into why fun and whimsy are essential for bringing joy back to reading. We talk about the real challenges of getting students excited about books, our evolving thoughts on “gamifying” reading, and the gimmicks (or whimsy!) that actually work.

Resources:

• The Atlantic article: America is Sliding Toward Illiteracy
• Noa App
• Flipster App
• NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
• Shop Our Faves.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 250, Teachers React: The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books - Part 1
• Episode 251, Teachers React: The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books - Part 2
• Episode 271, Back to School: State of the BNT Union + Reading Update

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode275

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Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudy
Check out Curriculum Rehab here!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Think you’ve seen all the dystopia books out there? Think again! In part three of our “Teaching Dystopia” series, we share hidden gems, fresh picks, and classics, from middle grade survival stories to YA novels exploring climate change and government control. We highlight favorites like Alone and Station Eleven, plus TV and movie options like The Simpsons and Fringe to spark discussion and critical thinking. Want more on this topic? Join us in Happy Hour, where we’ll keep the conversation going!

Check out the show notes for the full list of books we mentioned in this episode: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode274

Resources:

• NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
• Teaching Dystopia Workshop
• Shop Our Faves.

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudy
Check out Curriculum Rehab here!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Have you ever felt like dystopia is the genre that just keeps on giving? In part two of our dystopia series, we focus on the essential skills that make these texts come alive in your classroom, showing why depth beats covering everything superficially. We explore how teaching students to notice author moves like juxtaposition helps them analyze tension, themes, and contrasts, keeping analysis at the heart of your unit. Plus, we share practical tips for streamlining your dystopia units, staying focused, and even embracing a little boredom to spark creativity. Hang tight for our next episode, packed with new text recommendations and ideas to refresh your curriculum!

Resources:

• NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
• Teaching Dystopia Workshop
• Shop Our Faves.
• Episode 272, Teaching Dystopia: New Essential Questions to Try

Related Episodes:

• Episode 61, Living in a Dystopian World
• Episode 81, Essential Question Workshop: Dystopia (Woohoo!)
• Episode 171, New Dystopian Texts & Supplements for Your ELA Classroom
• Episode 172, 3 Secrets to Teaching Dystopia

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode273

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudy
Check out Curriculum Rehab here!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel