Andrew Duval
@andrewduval.bsky.social
Layer enthusiast. Teaching middle schoolers to write at Frankenstories.org.
Also, your logins will work on Writelike.org as well, which is great for short-form mentor text modelling activities!
Develop advanced writing skills by modelling great writers - Writelike
Writelike helps students learn to analyse and model mentor texts across diverse genres, using contemporary educational research.
Writelike.org
November 27, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Also, your logins will work on Writelike.org as well, which is great for short-form mentor text modelling activities!
Incidentally, each player has access to a My Version tab after the game, where they can make revisions to the final story. (Although in my classes, I assign each student their own Google Doc and use Copy>My Replies after each game to create a rolling portfolio of writing through the unit).
November 27, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Incidentally, each player has access to a My Version tab after the game, where they can make revisions to the final story. (Although in my classes, I assign each student their own Google Doc and use Copy>My Replies after each game to create a rolling portfolio of writing through the unit).
Oh hello! I didn't see this post until just now! I'm one of the creators of Frankenstories—it's so great to see footage of students playing the game! The eyeball prompt is one of my favourites! So squishy! And yes, the concentration during writing rounds and the babble during voting is 💚🧟😊
November 27, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Oh hello! I didn't see this post until just now! I'm one of the creators of Frankenstories—it's so great to see footage of students playing the game! The eyeball prompt is one of my favourites! So squishy! And yes, the concentration during writing rounds and the babble during voting is 💚🧟😊
(PS If this sounds like a LinkedIn parody, it kind of is, except everything here is true.
This really is a killer One Simple Trick, and if more LinkedIn posts were this useful, then the world would be a better place.)
This really is a killer One Simple Trick, and if more LinkedIn posts were this useful, then the world would be a better place.)
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
(PS If this sounds like a LinkedIn parody, it kind of is, except everything here is true.
This really is a killer One Simple Trick, and if more LinkedIn posts were this useful, then the world would be a better place.)
This really is a killer One Simple Trick, and if more LinkedIn posts were this useful, then the world would be a better place.)
So that's my advice.
Come back in 3-6 months and lmk how you go!
Come back in 3-6 months and lmk how you go!
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
So that's my advice.
Come back in 3-6 months and lmk how you go!
Come back in 3-6 months and lmk how you go!
And that was it: I started thinking of flossing as a morning thing, and I declared brushing a reward for flossing.
Haven't missed a day since, and while my dentist didn't actually weep, she remains impressed.
Haven't missed a day since, and while my dentist didn't actually weep, she remains impressed.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
And that was it: I started thinking of flossing as a morning thing, and I declared brushing a reward for flossing.
Haven't missed a day since, and while my dentist didn't actually weep, she remains impressed.
Haven't missed a day since, and while my dentist didn't actually weep, she remains impressed.
The point is, I *really want to brush my teeth in the morning*, and I thought, "If I simply say to myself, in the morning, 'You can brush after you floss', then it might be easier to floss consistently."
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
The point is, I *really want to brush my teeth in the morning*, and I thought, "If I simply say to myself, in the morning, 'You can brush after you floss', then it might be easier to floss consistently."
In the evening, I brush my teeth because that's just what you do, but it actually sucks because it's like erasing fun food memories.
But in the *morning*, I brush my teeth to purge the steaming hellscape that is my fermented mouth, like I'm scouring a necromancer's tomb.
But in the *morning*, I brush my teeth to purge the steaming hellscape that is my fermented mouth, like I'm scouring a necromancer's tomb.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
In the evening, I brush my teeth because that's just what you do, but it actually sucks because it's like erasing fun food memories.
But in the *morning*, I brush my teeth to purge the steaming hellscape that is my fermented mouth, like I'm scouring a necromancer's tomb.
But in the *morning*, I brush my teeth to purge the steaming hellscape that is my fermented mouth, like I'm scouring a necromancer's tomb.
My complaint about flossing was that there was *no* feedback, but I wondered if I could play with toothpaste & timing.
The epiphany was this: I value morning toothpaste way more highly than evening toothpaste.
The epiphany was this: I value morning toothpaste way more highly than evening toothpaste.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
My complaint about flossing was that there was *no* feedback, but I wondered if I could play with toothpaste & timing.
The epiphany was this: I value morning toothpaste way more highly than evening toothpaste.
The epiphany was this: I value morning toothpaste way more highly than evening toothpaste.
I said I would study some industrial chemistry, but finding that was more difficult than anticipated, I began to think about this feedback issue.
In theory, if you want to shape a behaviour, whack some intense positive feedback on the action *as close as possible to the action itself*.
In theory, if you want to shape a behaviour, whack some intense positive feedback on the action *as close as possible to the action itself*.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
I said I would study some industrial chemistry, but finding that was more difficult than anticipated, I began to think about this feedback issue.
In theory, if you want to shape a behaviour, whack some intense positive feedback on the action *as close as possible to the action itself*.
In theory, if you want to shape a behaviour, whack some intense positive feedback on the action *as close as possible to the action itself*.
I said, "What we really need is some kind of Pop Rocks-style coating on dental floss so it fizzes as you use it. Next time you're at a dental conference, grab someone from P&G and pitch the idea."
My dentist said, "That sounds great, but *in the meantime*, could you floss more?"
My dentist said, "That sounds great, but *in the meantime*, could you floss more?"
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
I said, "What we really need is some kind of Pop Rocks-style coating on dental floss so it fizzes as you use it. Next time you're at a dental conference, grab someone from P&G and pitch the idea."
My dentist said, "That sounds great, but *in the meantime*, could you floss more?"
My dentist said, "That sounds great, but *in the meantime*, could you floss more?"
Toothpaste and shampoo have foaming agents (plus mint flavour and citric acid for that spicy bite in toothpaste) that are only there to give you the impression that they are "working", that something is happening while you use this product.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Toothpaste and shampoo have foaming agents (plus mint flavour and citric acid for that spicy bite in toothpaste) that are only there to give you the impression that they are "working", that something is happening while you use this product.
18 months ago, my dentist was politely suggesting for the millionth time that my flossing could be more conscientious.
I politely pointed out that the issue with flossing is there's no immediate feedback.
I politely pointed out that the issue with flossing is there's no immediate feedback.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
18 months ago, my dentist was politely suggesting for the millionth time that my flossing could be more conscientious.
I politely pointed out that the issue with flossing is there's no immediate feedback.
I politely pointed out that the issue with flossing is there's no immediate feedback.
But I suspect you need to know the rationale for the advice to work, like there's a quasi-placebo effect involved.
So here's the backstory:
So here's the backstory:
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
But I suspect you need to know the rationale for the advice to work, like there's a quasi-placebo effect involved.
So here's the backstory:
So here's the backstory:
I'm going to share the One Little Trick that cured my dentist's nervous tic and made them glow like they'd been bathed in stem cells.
It's simple, it's concrete, and I have not missed a day of flossing in over a year since hitting on it, despite having to use Super Floss and all that fiddly stuff.
It's simple, it's concrete, and I have not missed a day of flossing in over a year since hitting on it, despite having to use Super Floss and all that fiddly stuff.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
I'm going to share the One Little Trick that cured my dentist's nervous tic and made them glow like they'd been bathed in stem cells.
It's simple, it's concrete, and I have not missed a day of flossing in over a year since hitting on it, despite having to use Super Floss and all that fiddly stuff.
It's simple, it's concrete, and I have not missed a day of flossing in over a year since hitting on it, despite having to use Super Floss and all that fiddly stuff.
However, if your approach to flossing is more haphazard and your dentist struggles to maintain their supportive demeanour while reminding you, yet again, that flossing is important, then this is for you.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
However, if your approach to flossing is more haphazard and your dentist struggles to maintain their supportive demeanour while reminding you, yet again, that flossing is important, then this is for you.
Caveat: If you are already such a consistent flosser that your dentist loves you, congratulations, your smugness is justified, this is not for you.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Caveat: If you are already such a consistent flosser that your dentist loves you, congratulations, your smugness is justified, this is not for you.
...if you've been waiting 6 months for my pinky-promised advice on dental flossing if we got selected, I'm going to add that post now, and I promise you and your dentist will be blown away. 🪡🦷🧵
November 27, 2025 at 12:41 AM
...if you've been waiting 6 months for my pinky-promised advice on dental flossing if we got selected, I'm going to add that post now, and I promise you and your dentist will be blown away. 🪡🦷🧵
No worries it really is an excellent book! And I love that you write about something that I always bang on about: students and teachers overindex on transition words & cohesive devices, when much of the work in argument is done by evocative & precise description of evidence. High five on that one!
November 23, 2025 at 11:39 PM
No worries it really is an excellent book! And I love that you write about something that I always bang on about: students and teachers overindex on transition words & cohesive devices, when much of the work in argument is done by evocative & precise description of evidence. High five on that one!
Workshop was a total party by the end, so teachers were very receptive to the rec!
November 23, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Workshop was a total party by the end, so teachers were very receptive to the rec!