How to Integrate Writing Into Your Mandated Curriculum Without Losing Your Mind

If you’ve ever been told to “do more writing” but no one could tell you where it fits, this episode is for you.

Most teachers aren’t struggling because they’re bad at pacing or time management. They’re struggling because district curricula are bloated, coverage-heavy, and missing one critical piece: a clear, repeatable writing structure.

In this episode, Caitlin sits down with our membership manager, who also teaches using a mandated curriculum and EB Academics in real classrooms. Together, they break down why fitting it all in feels impossible and what actually fixes the problem.

We talk about why you don’t need a new curriculum, how to integrate EB without blowing up your pacing guide, and the exact framework that helps students write more clearly while making grading lighter, not heavier.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing something “wrong” by adjusting how you teach writing, this conversation will give you clarity and reassurance.

3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ “Fitting it all in” isn’t a teacher problem
Most district curricula aren’t designed for mastery. They’re packed with coverage and comprehension questions, but they don’t give students a consistent writing framework. That’s the real issue.

2️⃣ You don’t replace your curriculum, you layer onto it
The 3-layer integration framework helps teachers keep mandated texts, add a clear writing structure, and use EB routines in time they already have.

3️⃣ Structure makes grading easier, not harder
When students write within a consistent framework using graphic organizers, sentence stems, and routines, their thinking is clearer and grading takes less time.

Resources Mentioned:

The EB Writing Approach
EB Grammar and Writing Routines
EB Graphic Organizers and Sentence Stems
Skill-Based Passages (Pro and All-Access members)

More from EB Academics

If you want aligned units, writing structures, routines, and pacing support already mapped so you can plug them into your district curriculum, the EB membership is designed to give you clarity without adding more work.

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