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

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