Welcome to
Commas in the Chaos
A podcast for upper elementary teachers who are juggling lesson plans, classroom chaos, and trying out what today’s grammar lesson is, all before lunch.
Listen to the Latest Episode
Episode Summary Have you ever taught a grammar lesson and felt like your students were staring at you as if you were speaking another language? You’re not alone — and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad teacher. It usually means your students are missing an earlier building block. In this
Episode Summary When you hear the phrase grammar centers, do you tense up a little? I used to. Back when I was juggling reading groups, math rotations, behavior charts, and the never-ending stack of ungraded essays, the thought of adding one more moving part to my day made me want
Episode Summary We talk about grammar a lot on this podcast, but today I want to press pause and zoom in on something just as important. Let’s talk about building classroom community. I know, I know… “building community” can sound like one of those fluffy buzzwords you see plastered on
Episode Summary Fragments and run-ons — the bane of every teacher’s grading stack. By the time back-to-school writing assignments roll in, you’ve probably already seen sentences like “Went to the park” or “The dog with a long tail and spots.” That’s why this episode is all about teaching subjects and
Episode Summary Have you ever taught a grammar skill on Monday, given the quiz on Friday, and by the next week your students act like they’ve never heard the word predicate before? 🙋♀️ Yep, been there. That’s why today’s episode is all about spiraling grammar—and why it’s one of the