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

SAMIRA AHMED: A Conversation About Internment, Part 1 [Ep 260]

Thu, 29 May 2025

Camp BNT is back for year three, and we’re kicking things off with bestselling author (and former high school English teacher!) Samira Ahmed. In this episode, Samira shares how her time in the classroom shaped her writing, the inspiration behind Internment, and how educators can use essential questions to spark powerful conversations. Plus, get a sneak peek at her upcoming projects—and hear why she’s so passionate about writing for teens. This is part one of a two-part conversation you won’t want to miss!

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SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode260

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TEACHING THE HERO’S JOURNEY: A Fantasy Choice Unit Approach for 11- 12 Grade ELA [Ep 259]

Thu, 22 May 2025

We’re wrapping up our Hero’s Journey series with a fresh twist—this time through the lens of fantasy in eleventh-grade American Literature. Marie shares how she took a bold leap by introducing a fantasy choice novel unit, transforming student engagement and challenging traditional ideas of what counts as “American Lit.” This episode ties together our vertical alignment approach from earlier grades and emphasizes how thoughtfully crafted essential questions and genre expansion can deepen student connection and critical thinking.

We also dive into the power of student choice, sharing how Socratic seminars, rhetorical analysis, and multimedia pairings help students explore themes like escape, identity, and morality. You’ll hear our favorite supplemental texts and movies, a suggested summative assessment, and four key features to focus on throughout the unit. And if you’re a Happy Hour member, you’ll get access to this entire unit! Join us next week as we kick off another summer of Camp BNT!

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SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode259 

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

TEACHING THE HERO’S JOURNEY: Studying the Odyssey for 9-10 Grade ELA [Ep 258]

Thu, 15 May 2025

Teaching The Odyssey doesn’t have to be stuck in surface-level plot points. It can be the unit where students are guided through their own epic journeys!

In this third episode of our Hero’s Journey series, we’re diving into how we’ve completely reimagined teaching The Odyssey to ninth graders. If you’ve been following along, you know we started this series with an overview of using the Hero’s Journey as a curriculum tool, then explored what it looks like in middle school using The Hobbit. Now we’re shifting the focus to high school—and it’s not just about leveling up content, it’s about deepening the purpose.

We’re talking essential questions, student-centered analysis, and ways to move from plot summaries to powerful conversations, like whether or not you can still be a hero if you never leave home. We’re also sharing how this unit can end with a project that feels more personal, more reflective, and way more meaningful than a traditional essay or presentation.

Resources and Related Episodes:

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode258

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Ready to make your summer reading program awesome? Head to bravenewteaching.com/summerreading

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

TEACHING THE HERO’S JOURNEY: Studying The Hobbit for Middle School ELA [Ep 257]

Thu, 08 May 2025

Let’s be honest—The Hobbit isn’t always a crowd-pleaser in middle school, but in this episode, we’re sharing how to turn it into a powerful, skills-based exploration of the hero’s journey. We dive into using essential questions, shifting focus from content to critical thinking, and using tools like our favorite evidence tracker to make Bilbo’s transformation come alive. Plus, we chat about modern pairings and why it’s okay if your students don’t read every page. This one’s all about making fantasy feel relevant, engaging, and fun—for you and your students.

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SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode257

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Ready to make your summer reading program awesome? Head to bravenewteaching.com/summerreading

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📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

TEACHING THE HERO’S JOURNEY: Dos and Don’ts of Unit Design [Ep 256]

Thu, 01 May 2025

We’re kicking off a new four-part series all about teaching the Hero’s Journey—starting with the dos and don’ts of unit design. In this episode, we share how this timeless framework can lead to deeper thinking, richer discussions, and yes… even a newfound love for fantasy (spoiler: one of us used to be a skeptic!). You’ll walk away with essential questions to anchor your units AND a free evidence tracker to help students go beyond surface-level plot.

Resources:

Related Episodes:

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode256 

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

Ready to make your summer reading program awesome? Head to bravenewteaching.com/summerreading

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

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