S4-E15: How to motivate middle schoolers: Kamilah Simpson

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This is a podcast episode titled, S4-E15: How to motivate middle schoolers: Kamilah Simpson. The summary for this episode is: <p>In <a href='https://go.info.amplify.com/e3t/Btc/5A+113/cktt404/VWVpt41JCV5WW18xRRC6Y1JB_W9h8NV34DBmG7N8kT_C93q3n_V1-WJV7CgFz9N5___JYgfnStW2mflMG8GMd-8W13clvX2-qSpTW8J3clc4S3882W3c2L4X9fGtRsMyLjNhXHzWYW82yyMQ1h2tJcN163Nl86DhGNW8KkhNM7RrXZPW7xCkg85Jb___W4Z032d7rKN7lW70tg4l8wDrsCW4CsclP2JPfQQW3K8qp6314s75W5tXbHn4SW5JyVRqB3w6gQ9zzW5yqpxd3GDvmyW1fmwF08ZN76wW8JC3fk5wTgvQW6HBJH_1pk7t3W6qY7QC6QLtD8W78qjPK2XCr1SW2nHT_V2rD9PQVf-xrG4tsZcgW4X9zG98BvmtlW8rqYly32qTsb2KK1'><b>this episode</b></a>, Susan Lambert joins senior product specialist at Amplify, Kamilah Simpson. Kamilah’s roots in education took shape when she was a Title 1 middle school intensive reading teacher and from there she became an instructional coach. Kamilah shares her knowledge with podcast listeners as she dives into teaching reading to middle school students. She gives tangible advice on how to allow for productive struggle so that students can learn through discovery. Some of the topics Kamilah highlights include complex text and rigor, learning to scaffold, the importance of having students listen to text, incorporating writing practice, and supporting students without <em>over-</em>supporting. Finally, Kamilah stresses the importance of motivating middle school students to read by providing texts that they can see themselves and their world in.<br/><br/><b>Quotes: </b><br/><br/>“Students are going to write more when they have something to write about. It goes back to that discovery. It goes back to allowing them to have a productive struggle.” —Kamilah Simpson</p><p><br/>“Are these texts that my students can find something of themselves in? Or are these just texts that have absolutely nothing to do with anything pertaining to their lives, their world, or their peers? What would motivate them?” —Kamilah Simpson</p>
Intro and topics of conversation
00:36 MIN
Kamilah's background, and why she loves to teach middle school students
04:33 MIN
What reading instruction looks like for reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
04:38 MIN
The importance of students handling the cognitive load of their studies to gain independence
05:04 MIN
Encouraging students to listen to texts in addition to reading
02:52 MIN
Using scaffolding as a way to encourage students to gain background knowledge, not have it given to them.
03:11 MIN
Making afternoon class different than morning class
01:39 MIN
Developing skills for success in middle schoolers as they transition to independent high schoolers
02:35 MIN
How vital writing is for middle schoolers to claim ownership of their comprehension and expression
07:41 MIN
How motivation is related to classroom culture, individual struggle, and finding excitement in the material
05:51 MIN
Kamilah encourages listeners to think about how to make a change in the instruction, how to allow for more discovery
01:19 MIN

DESCRIPTION

In this episode, Susan Lambert joins senior product specialist at Amplify, Kamilah Simpson. Kamilah’s roots in education took shape when she was a Title 1 middle school intensive reading teacher and from there she became an instructional coach. Kamilah shares her knowledge with podcast listeners as she dives into teaching reading to middle school students. She gives tangible advice on how to allow for productive struggle so that students can learn through discovery. Some of the topics Kamilah highlights include complex text and rigor, learning to scaffold, the importance of having students listen to text, incorporating writing practice, and supporting students without over-supporting. Finally, Kamilah stresses the importance of motivating middle school students to read by providing texts that they can see themselves and their world in.


Quotes:


“Students are going to write more when they have something to write about. It goes back to that discovery. It goes back to allowing them to have a productive struggle.” —Kamilah Simpson


“Are these texts that my students can find something of themselves in? Or are these just texts that have absolutely nothing to do with anything pertaining to their lives, their world, or their peers? What would motivate them?” —Kamilah Simpson

Today's Host

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Susan Lambert

|Science of Reading: The Podcast Host

Today's Guests

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Kamilah Simpson

|Senior Product Specialist, Amplify