Marcus Luther
@marcusluther.bsky.social
HS English teacher clinging to what the legendary Gwendolyn Brooks wrote: "we are each other's / harvest:" (yes, that line break feels heavier than ever these days)
Also: I share writings, resources + thoughts on education at thebrokencopier.substack.com!
Also: I share writings, resources + thoughts on education at thebrokencopier.substack.com!
Pinned
Marcus Luther
@marcusluther.bsky.social
· Sep 27
"But at the same time the stakes feel higher, I feel like the solutions feel smaller."
One of the places @mrneibauer.bsky.social and I arrived in our conversation: we don't think adults are meeting the moment with their "solutions" right now.
One of the places @mrneibauer.bsky.social and I arrived in our conversation: we don't think adults are meeting the moment with their "solutions" right now.
"Although it once seemed like a good idea to give every child his or her own device, it’s clear that those policies have been a failure."
I don't agree with everything here but I do worry a lot about the % of a school day a student is staring at a personal device...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/o...
I don't agree with everything here but I do worry a lot about the % of a school day a student is staring at a personal device...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/o...
Opinion | The Screen That Ate Your Child’s Education
www.nytimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
"Although it once seemed like a good idea to give every child his or her own device, it’s clear that those policies have been a failure."
I don't agree with everything here but I do worry a lot about the % of a school day a student is staring at a personal device...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/o...
I don't agree with everything here but I do worry a lot about the % of a school day a student is staring at a personal device...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/o...
What do you want to be true for students at the end of your course?
I continue to return to this document throughout the year to remind myself what the initial goals were and, of course, to see how they're going.
(Note: this is a document I share with students/families, too!)
I continue to return to this document throughout the year to remind myself what the initial goals were and, of course, to see how they're going.
(Note: this is a document I share with students/families, too!)
November 16, 2025 at 1:49 PM
What do you want to be true for students at the end of your course?
I continue to return to this document throughout the year to remind myself what the initial goals were and, of course, to see how they're going.
(Note: this is a document I share with students/families, too!)
I continue to return to this document throughout the year to remind myself what the initial goals were and, of course, to see how they're going.
(Note: this is a document I share with students/families, too!)
Reposted by Marcus Luther
Okay, so let's do officially do this! a slow-read of Macbeth with Sunday discussion threads starting November 23rd! #SundayMacbethChat
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
November 15, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Okay, so let's do officially do this! a slow-read of Macbeth with Sunday discussion threads starting November 23rd! #SundayMacbethChat
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
This time of year especially, it is critical to hold a lens of generosity as much as you can as a teacher towards those around you—kids (always) but also adults.
Start with their strengths. Your appreciations. Their potential.
(Because we need others to do that for us, too.)
Start with their strengths. Your appreciations. Their potential.
(Because we need others to do that for us, too.)
November 16, 2025 at 1:55 AM
This time of year especially, it is critical to hold a lens of generosity as much as you can as a teacher towards those around you—kids (always) but also adults.
Start with their strengths. Your appreciations. Their potential.
(Because we need others to do that for us, too.)
Start with their strengths. Your appreciations. Their potential.
(Because we need others to do that for us, too.)
Reposted by Marcus Luther
As a parent, unless your child is with a rouge teacher, chances are they’re reading even less than the bare minimum from your high school English class.
November 15, 2025 at 10:19 PM
As a parent, unless your child is with a rouge teacher, chances are they’re reading even less than the bare minimum from your high school English class.
Reposted by Marcus Luther
When students disengage, @mrrablin.bsky.social asks himself: When was their last win? 🤔
Some students have experienced so much failure that it just feels inevitable.
It’s tempting to tell a student, “You can do it!”—but what they need is actual evidence that success is possible. 💡⭐
🧵 1/4
Some students have experienced so much failure that it just feels inevitable.
It’s tempting to tell a student, “You can do it!”—but what they need is actual evidence that success is possible. 💡⭐
🧵 1/4
November 15, 2025 at 5:06 PM
When students disengage, @mrrablin.bsky.social asks himself: When was their last win? 🤔
Some students have experienced so much failure that it just feels inevitable.
It’s tempting to tell a student, “You can do it!”—but what they need is actual evidence that success is possible. 💡⭐
🧵 1/4
Some students have experienced so much failure that it just feels inevitable.
It’s tempting to tell a student, “You can do it!”—but what they need is actual evidence that success is possible. 💡⭐
🧵 1/4
I sometimes wonder what it would look like if Schools of Education were embedded more in actual public K-12 schools rather than colleges—with the "professors" being active practitioners with their own K-12 classrooms.
Yes, messier, but maybe...better? 🤔
Yes, messier, but maybe...better? 🤔
November 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I sometimes wonder what it would look like if Schools of Education were embedded more in actual public K-12 schools rather than colleges—with the "professors" being active practitioners with their own K-12 classrooms.
Yes, messier, but maybe...better? 🤔
Yes, messier, but maybe...better? 🤔
Okay, so let's do officially do this! a slow-read of Macbeth with Sunday discussion threads starting November 23rd! #SundayMacbethChat
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
November 15, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Okay, so let's do officially do this! a slow-read of Macbeth with Sunday discussion threads starting November 23rd! #SundayMacbethChat
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Everyone's welcome! And just like Beloved, I am definitely going to be looking at this with very-fresh (i.e. humble) eyes!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
If you're at that point in the school year that you need to mix it up a bit with student writing, these continue to be a great tool in our own room—feel free to use/adapt for your own space!
docs.google.com/presentation...
docs.google.com/presentation...
November 15, 2025 at 1:44 AM
If you're at that point in the school year that you need to mix it up a bit with student writing, these continue to be a great tool in our own room—feel free to use/adapt for your own space!
docs.google.com/presentation...
docs.google.com/presentation...
Reposted by Marcus Luther
It's a useful reminder that sometimes tech can make a task more efficient for one side (applying for jobs), and more efficient for the other side (writing job adverts), and yet make the system as a whole completely inefficient.
November 14, 2025 at 10:14 AM
It's a useful reminder that sometimes tech can make a task more efficient for one side (applying for jobs), and more efficient for the other side (writing job adverts), and yet make the system as a whole completely inefficient.
"They were right to be distrusting: evaluations of the work done by the people hired in the post-LLM period no longer had any correlation to cover letter quality."
We aren't talking nearly enough about drastically (and consequentially) the way we communicate with each other is shifting.
We aren't talking nearly enough about drastically (and consequentially) the way we communicate with each other is shifting.
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM
"They were right to be distrusting: evaluations of the work done by the people hired in the post-LLM period no longer had any correlation to cover letter quality."
We aren't talking nearly enough about drastically (and consequentially) the way we communicate with each other is shifting.
We aren't talking nearly enough about drastically (and consequentially) the way we communicate with each other is shifting.
“What happened to helping them interrogate what it means to be human?”
This entire conversation with Scott F. Parker felt like such a divergence from "transactional charade" (his words) that education too often is.
The big questions matter!
This entire conversation with Scott F. Parker felt like such a divergence from "transactional charade" (his words) that education too often is.
The big questions matter!
November 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
“What happened to helping them interrogate what it means to be human?”
This entire conversation with Scott F. Parker felt like such a divergence from "transactional charade" (his words) that education too often is.
The big questions matter!
This entire conversation with Scott F. Parker felt like such a divergence from "transactional charade" (his words) that education too often is.
The big questions matter!
Three thoughts here in response to this:
1️⃣ In my opinion, all of this starts with building culture and trust—if teachers feel affirmed and supported, then they're open to observations, feedback, etc.
Too often policies skip culture-building, and words like "incentivize" are usually a red flag...
1️⃣ In my opinion, all of this starts with building culture and trust—if teachers feel affirmed and supported, then they're open to observations, feedback, etc.
Too often policies skip culture-building, and words like "incentivize" are usually a red flag...
What comes up for folks in response to these points?
1. School leaders should be incentivized to normalize filming instruction.
2. Teachers must get comfortable with filming themselves and discussing it.
I’ve seen this done well (current school) and poorly…and curious about necessary conditions.
1. School leaders should be incentivized to normalize filming instruction.
2. Teachers must get comfortable with filming themselves and discussing it.
I’ve seen this done well (current school) and poorly…and curious about necessary conditions.
![An excerpt from an article titled, “Dead LETRS: What good is a mandate without great PD?” The following line is highlighted:
“[Districts] should incentivize school leadership to normalize filming classroom instruction.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:j2fc735mnytrnynqdlmemfme/bafkreiansaf6nxo25jjv246mrk76xfxarbp7m3watavox7hdv4gxqdb3v4@jpeg)
November 14, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Three thoughts here in response to this:
1️⃣ In my opinion, all of this starts with building culture and trust—if teachers feel affirmed and supported, then they're open to observations, feedback, etc.
Too often policies skip culture-building, and words like "incentivize" are usually a red flag...
1️⃣ In my opinion, all of this starts with building culture and trust—if teachers feel affirmed and supported, then they're open to observations, feedback, etc.
Too often policies skip culture-building, and words like "incentivize" are usually a red flag...
Teaching Macbeth for the first time ever next semester—and selfishly thinking of doing a slow-read with a Sunday discussion for each of its five acts across the month of December.
If anyone wants to nerd out over Shakespeare, I'll come up with a schedule in the next week or so!
If anyone wants to nerd out over Shakespeare, I'll come up with a schedule in the next week or so!
November 14, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Teaching Macbeth for the first time ever next semester—and selfishly thinking of doing a slow-read with a Sunday discussion for each of its five acts across the month of December.
If anyone wants to nerd out over Shakespeare, I'll come up with a schedule in the next week or so!
If anyone wants to nerd out over Shakespeare, I'll come up with a schedule in the next week or so!
Teaching Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men and Chapter 16 of Their Eyes Were Watching God in back-to-back units is quite a thing
November 14, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Teaching Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men and Chapter 16 of Their Eyes Were Watching God in back-to-back units is quite a thing
the cool thing about hosting an education podcast is that you not only get to read really thoughtful books that you never would have stumbled across before—you get to talk to the incredible people who wrote them
(this conversation dropping tomorrow!)
(this conversation dropping tomorrow!)
November 14, 2025 at 2:23 AM
the cool thing about hosting an education podcast is that you not only get to read really thoughtful books that you never would have stumbled across before—you get to talk to the incredible people who wrote them
(this conversation dropping tomorrow!)
(this conversation dropping tomorrow!)
Every 3 weeks or so students get a blank piece of paper returned to them that they "mindmap" their reflections on throughout the year. They get 5-7 minutes to add to it, then I take it back up until the next time. (I don't read them!)
Several years into doing this, zero regrets.
Several years into doing this, zero regrets.
November 14, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Every 3 weeks or so students get a blank piece of paper returned to them that they "mindmap" their reflections on throughout the year. They get 5-7 minutes to add to it, then I take it back up until the next time. (I don't read them!)
Several years into doing this, zero regrets.
Several years into doing this, zero regrets.
Reposted by Marcus Luther
In Sept, @homelandgov.bsky.social raided a Chicago complex and took dozens of immigrants — under the cover of darkness.
Officials called it a victory against terrorism.
A team @propublica.org set out to check the claims, and find and talk with the Venezuelans:
www.propublica.org/article/chic...
Officials called it a victory against terrorism.
A team @propublica.org set out to check the claims, and find and talk with the Venezuelans:
www.propublica.org/article/chic...
“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime
Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...
www.propublica.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:18 PM
In Sept, @homelandgov.bsky.social raided a Chicago complex and took dozens of immigrants — under the cover of darkness.
Officials called it a victory against terrorism.
A team @propublica.org set out to check the claims, and find and talk with the Venezuelans:
www.propublica.org/article/chic...
Officials called it a victory against terrorism.
A team @propublica.org set out to check the claims, and find and talk with the Venezuelans:
www.propublica.org/article/chic...
"By virtue of those changes, digitizing college life has led to grade inflation, too."
I get exhausted more than anything by the "grade inflation" debate but the point about how digitizing the education experience has exacerbated the fixation on grades?
That tracks.
I get exhausted more than anything by the "grade inflation" debate but the point about how digitizing the education experience has exacerbated the fixation on grades?
That tracks.
November 13, 2025 at 2:14 PM
"By virtue of those changes, digitizing college life has led to grade inflation, too."
I get exhausted more than anything by the "grade inflation" debate but the point about how digitizing the education experience has exacerbated the fixation on grades?
That tracks.
I get exhausted more than anything by the "grade inflation" debate but the point about how digitizing the education experience has exacerbated the fixation on grades?
That tracks.
Sometimes you open your email in the middle of a quite-stressful day + out-of-the-blue there is an email a student wrote just to say they appreciate how the class is going so far + yes, for the thousandth time, this work is really, really difficult but students, despite everything, are incredible.
November 13, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Sometimes you open your email in the middle of a quite-stressful day + out-of-the-blue there is an email a student wrote just to say they appreciate how the class is going so far + yes, for the thousandth time, this work is really, really difficult but students, despite everything, are incredible.
I was today years old (and in Year 14 as a teacher) to realize the value of setting a chair in the hallway as a "read aloud" chair for students to step outside and read their own drafts out loud to themselves during the writing process 1 at a time
(Seriously: this was a major win!)
(Seriously: this was a major win!)
November 13, 2025 at 2:33 AM
I was today years old (and in Year 14 as a teacher) to realize the value of setting a chair in the hallway as a "read aloud" chair for students to step outside and read their own drafts out loud to themselves during the writing process 1 at a time
(Seriously: this was a major win!)
(Seriously: this was a major win!)
Not saying this would change everything but sure would be nice to get open access to scholarly journals as a K-12 teacher
November 12, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Not saying this would change everything but sure would be nice to get open access to scholarly journals as a K-12 teacher
Reposted by Marcus Luther
My amazing, brilliant mutuals who are not literacy scholars—pleaaaasseee do not spread the moral panic about three-cueing v. phonics. The idea that this is what we should blame for our so-called literacy crisis is the product of a literal podcast & click-bait articles, not actual scholarship.
ever since I learned about three-cueing I've developed infinitely more patience for replies on social media. mfers literally do not know how to read. people are walking around conjuring random meanings into words they don't know, and they don't know a lot of words. it's crazy
November 12, 2025 at 1:20 AM
My amazing, brilliant mutuals who are not literacy scholars—pleaaaasseee do not spread the moral panic about three-cueing v. phonics. The idea that this is what we should blame for our so-called literacy crisis is the product of a literal podcast & click-bait articles, not actual scholarship.
In an imaginative place and want to lean into multimodal projects much more frequently this school year (rather than just as culminations)—especially in new ways
Curious: what have been some creative ways folks have done this?
Curious: what have been some creative ways folks have done this?
November 12, 2025 at 1:13 AM
In an imaginative place and want to lean into multimodal projects much more frequently this school year (rather than just as culminations)—especially in new ways
Curious: what have been some creative ways folks have done this?
Curious: what have been some creative ways folks have done this?
"I've seen _______ make great strides throughout this year."
Regularly asking students to anonymously nominate their classmates for how they are living out our classroom values and making our space better?
One of my favorite traditions in our room:
Regularly asking students to anonymously nominate their classmates for how they are living out our classroom values and making our space better?
One of my favorite traditions in our room:
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 PM
"I've seen _______ make great strides throughout this year."
Regularly asking students to anonymously nominate their classmates for how they are living out our classroom values and making our space better?
One of my favorite traditions in our room:
Regularly asking students to anonymously nominate their classmates for how they are living out our classroom values and making our space better?
One of my favorite traditions in our room: