Brave New Teaching: A Podcast for High School and Middle School Teachers

Super Bowl weekend is here, and while the game is fun, we’re really here for the commercials, and how to teach them well! In this team meeting, we share book talk and a clear plan for tackling Super Bowl commercial analysis. You’ll hear practical, classroom-ready steps using tools like the Four Reading Realms and SPACE CAT to help students have stronger conversations, deeper analysis, and way more buy-in!
Resources:
My 2026 Amazon List
4 Reading Realms Webinar (free!)
Rhetorical Analysis Starter Kit
Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
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Related Episodes:
Episode 178, Unit Makeover: Rhetorical Analysis
Episode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real Talk
Episode 282, We’re Building Our ELA Units WRONG. Here’s How to Fix it.
Episode 283, Resistant Readers Need the Four Reading Realms: A Walkthrough - BNT Team Meeting
SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode284
"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"
Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!
Support the show
📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻
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Curriculum Rehab
Down with the Reading Quiz
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Resistant readers are often reacting to confusion, not a lack of ability, and that’s exactly where the Four Reading Realms come in! In this episode, we walk through a framework Amanda developed to clarify the purpose behind different reading tasks, helping students understand what kind of thinking is required and why it matters. By separating reading into intentional realms (focused on identity, perseverance, efficiency, and discernment), we can set clearer expectations, build trust, and support deeper engagement, even for students who have struggled with reading in the past.
🔗 Resources: 
Webinar: The Four Reading Realms
Become a founding beta tester of Brave New Teaching University!
Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
Shop Our Faves.
Related Episodes:
Episode 276, Ok, but what if the secret to getting them to read is getting them to WRITE???
Episode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real Talk
Episode 282, We’re Building Our ELA Units WRONG. Here’s How to Fix it.
SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode283
"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"
Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!
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

What if our obsession with data is actually distracting us from the real work? In this team meeting, we dig into how a “data first” or “book first” approach can miss the human side of learning and why culture and engagement have to come first. We look ahead to what teaching needs to look like in 2026, sharing a conversation-first planning workflow that starts with what students actually care about and then selects the skills and texts that support those conversations!
Resources:
Become a founding beta tester of Brave New Teaching University!
Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
Shop Our Faves.
Related Episodes:
Episode 221, Back to School Survival Kit for Teachers
Episode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real Talk
Episode 281, SEL and Organic Community Really Are This Simple
SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode282
"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"
Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!
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

Are you absolutely crawling through January molasses, too? I know I am! In this week’s Team BNT meeting we’re talking honestly about what happens when tired, overwhelmed students are trying (and failing) to keep everything in their heads as finals approach. I share simple, repeatable routines that help students reduce anxiety, take control of their time, and build real classroom community. 
We also touch on real teacher life during this stretch, from finals grading and midyear resets to Costco snack runs, and wrap up with a sneak peek at Brave New Teaching University, our upcoming space designed to make everything we’ve created more organized, usable, and supportive for teachers in 2026 and beyond!
Resources:
NEW: Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
Shop Our Faves.
Related Episodes:
Episode 276, Ok, But What if the Secret to Getting Them to Read is Getting Them to WRITE??
Episode 277, Phones, Chromebooks, AI, and the Battle for Their Attention (Send Help!)
Episode 278, Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We're Going to Help Them Remember!
Episode 279, 2026 Will Bring Uncomfortable Shifts, and That’s a Really Good Thing 
Episode 280, New Year Teacher Trends for 2026: Goals, Books, and Real Talk - BNT Team Meeting
SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode281
"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"
Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!
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

New year, new team meeting, and it’s Amanda behind the mic kicking off 2026 with what’s been on my mind lately. In this episode, I share updates from my move into an elementary school library role, why curated is my word of the year, and how that mindset is shaping everything from my home to my business. We also talk reading goals, audiobooks, and how my feelings about reading numbers have shifted over time. I wrap things up by zooming out to the bigger picture of teaching and leave you with one essential question every department should be asking as we plan for what’s next!
🔗 Resources:
Amanda’s Top Reads of 2025
My One Word Activity
Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
Shop Our Faves.
Related Episodes:
Episode 275, Fine, We Can Game-ify Reading (But No Gimmicks!)
Episode 276, Ok, But What if the Secret to Getting Them to Read is Getting Them to WRITE??
Episode 277, Phones, Chromebooks, AI, and the Battle for Their Attention (Send Help!)
Episode 278, Kids Have Officially Forgotten How to Play, and We're Going to Help Them Remember!
SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode280
"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"
Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!
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