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!
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!)
As we go, I'll without question be compiling resources! (including some already shared) — and my personal goal is to have 10 ideas/priorities going into my own first time teaching Macbeth in March/April!
November 15, 2025 at 3:10 PM
As we go, I'll without question be compiling resources! (including some already shared) — and my personal goal is to have 10 ideas/priorities going into my own first time teaching Macbeth in March/April!
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...
“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!
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!
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.
"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.
"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:
One unexpected benefit of "color-coding" our weekly updates to indicate when students need Chromebooks is a way of reflecting back on how frequently students have been on their computers this year in my classroom
(Thankfully? Not much at all. Also? Don't plan on changing that.)
(Thankfully? Not much at all. Also? Don't plan on changing that.)
November 11, 2025 at 2:19 PM
One unexpected benefit of "color-coding" our weekly updates to indicate when students need Chromebooks is a way of reflecting back on how frequently students have been on their computers this year in my classroom
(Thankfully? Not much at all. Also? Don't plan on changing that.)
(Thankfully? Not much at all. Also? Don't plan on changing that.)
"Teaching is hard. Being a parent is hard. Being a good human can be hard some days. There are so many aspects to our lives that make it easy to numb and remain stagnant."
🎯 Starting with generosity, in conferences and elsewhere, is the way. (As always, read @mrneibauer.bsky.social)
🎯 Starting with generosity, in conferences and elsewhere, is the way. (As always, read @mrneibauer.bsky.social)
November 11, 2025 at 2:12 PM
"Teaching is hard. Being a parent is hard. Being a good human can be hard some days. There are so many aspects to our lives that make it easy to numb and remain stagnant."
🎯 Starting with generosity, in conferences and elsewhere, is the way. (As always, read @mrneibauer.bsky.social)
🎯 Starting with generosity, in conferences and elsewhere, is the way. (As always, read @mrneibauer.bsky.social)
Continue to love having this thing as a "teaching tool" in my classroom after a rewatch of The West Wing and a reminder of how much I love Toby (and at times empathize with him as a teacher)
November 11, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Continue to love having this thing as a "teaching tool" in my classroom after a rewatch of The West Wing and a reminder of how much I love Toby (and at times empathize with him as a teacher)
I mean, I could choose pretty much any page of this book, but the one I always find myself floored by is this paragraph and how Zora Neale Hurston so poignantly and presciently names the human condition of how we share "crayon enlargements" of our life because they are "nicer to listen to."
November 9, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I mean, I could choose pretty much any page of this book, but the one I always find myself floored by is this paragraph and how Zora Neale Hurston so poignantly and presciently names the human condition of how we share "crayon enlargements" of our life because they are "nicer to listen to."
"If you needed proof that the ‘Mississippi Miracle’ has jumped the shark..."
⬆️🦈⬇️
⬆️🦈⬇️
November 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
"If you needed proof that the ‘Mississippi Miracle’ has jumped the shark..."
⬆️🦈⬇️
⬆️🦈⬇️
Reason #192391 that I continue to love connecting with other teachers here:
1️⃣ found a poem activity from @thevogelman.bsky.social
2️⃣ had students to read/annotate/discuss
3️⃣ then asked them to write their own "ingredients" poem
4️⃣ each student shared one line to create our "classroom ingredients"
1️⃣ found a poem activity from @thevogelman.bsky.social
2️⃣ had students to read/annotate/discuss
3️⃣ then asked them to write their own "ingredients" poem
4️⃣ each student shared one line to create our "classroom ingredients"
November 8, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reason #192391 that I continue to love connecting with other teachers here:
1️⃣ found a poem activity from @thevogelman.bsky.social
2️⃣ had students to read/annotate/discuss
3️⃣ then asked them to write their own "ingredients" poem
4️⃣ each student shared one line to create our "classroom ingredients"
1️⃣ found a poem activity from @thevogelman.bsky.social
2️⃣ had students to read/annotate/discuss
3️⃣ then asked them to write their own "ingredients" poem
4️⃣ each student shared one line to create our "classroom ingredients"
Then 3️⃣ students got their original slide deck to determine "big idea" based on what they saw across the analyses—and we shared out "big ideas" as a class
Super-engaging, and also a great end-product of resources that they can lean on—all built collaboratively in the classroom! [2/2]
Super-engaging, and also a great end-product of resources that they can lean on—all built collaboratively in the classroom! [2/2]
November 7, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Then 3️⃣ students got their original slide deck to determine "big idea" based on what they saw across the analyses—and we shared out "big ideas" as a class
Super-engaging, and also a great end-product of resources that they can lean on—all built collaboratively in the classroom! [2/2]
Super-engaging, and also a great end-product of resources that they can lean on—all built collaboratively in the classroom! [2/2]
Super-cool activity adapted from @briansztabnik.bsky.social to mix things up at the halfway point of our novel:
1️⃣ groups determine 5 key moments in reading so far, summarize them on slide deck
2️⃣ groups trade slide decks to complete analysis of each moment that the other group summarized
(1/2)
1️⃣ groups determine 5 key moments in reading so far, summarize them on slide deck
2️⃣ groups trade slide decks to complete analysis of each moment that the other group summarized
(1/2)
November 7, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Super-cool activity adapted from @briansztabnik.bsky.social to mix things up at the halfway point of our novel:
1️⃣ groups determine 5 key moments in reading so far, summarize them on slide deck
2️⃣ groups trade slide decks to complete analysis of each moment that the other group summarized
(1/2)
1️⃣ groups determine 5 key moments in reading so far, summarize them on slide deck
2️⃣ groups trade slide decks to complete analysis of each moment that the other group summarized
(1/2)
My one consistent point about doing check-in surveys, etc., in the classroom: you HAVE to share the results with students.
(Even if the numbers go down!)
(Even if the numbers go down!)
November 6, 2025 at 2:16 PM
My one consistent point about doing check-in surveys, etc., in the classroom: you HAVE to share the results with students.
(Even if the numbers go down!)
(Even if the numbers go down!)
I'm referring much more to how seriously you seem to take the movement as driven by a sincere desire for "teaching culture" and valuing books.
In my eyes, it is culture-war grift. Being forced upon people, not flocked to.
More was referring to posts on here not formal writings, but even still:
In my eyes, it is culture-war grift. Being forced upon people, not flocked to.
More was referring to posts on here not formal writings, but even still:
November 4, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I'm referring much more to how seriously you seem to take the movement as driven by a sincere desire for "teaching culture" and valuing books.
In my eyes, it is culture-war grift. Being forced upon people, not flocked to.
More was referring to posts on here not formal writings, but even still:
In my eyes, it is culture-war grift. Being forced upon people, not flocked to.
More was referring to posts on here not formal writings, but even still:
The guy who is trumpeting bullshit like this? I'm not following why in the world we are holding this up as an alternative...
November 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The guy who is trumpeting bullshit like this? I'm not following why in the world we are holding this up as an alternative...
"The world does not have to be stagnant to be comfortable"
Students write cool things—and, without question, it is worth it to take the time to showcase and celebrate those cool things
(Probably favorite space in our classroom!)
Students write cool things—and, without question, it is worth it to take the time to showcase and celebrate those cool things
(Probably favorite space in our classroom!)
November 4, 2025 at 1:06 AM
"The world does not have to be stagnant to be comfortable"
Students write cool things—and, without question, it is worth it to take the time to showcase and celebrate those cool things
(Probably favorite space in our classroom!)
Students write cool things—and, without question, it is worth it to take the time to showcase and celebrate those cool things
(Probably favorite space in our classroom!)
New month, new calendar!
(And it was a good Monday: there was a lot to choose from for the first box!)
(And it was a good Monday: there was a lot to choose from for the first box!)
November 4, 2025 at 12:59 AM
New month, new calendar!
(And it was a good Monday: there was a lot to choose from for the first box!)
(And it was a good Monday: there was a lot to choose from for the first box!)
"I'm trying to almost like work backward from what is most meaningful in the classroom—and how can we find ways to make it more meaningful for students."
If AI is part of the path to that? I'm open-minded.
But right now, it feels like the exact opposite...
If AI is part of the path to that? I'm open-minded.
But right now, it feels like the exact opposite...
November 1, 2025 at 11:02 PM
"I'm trying to almost like work backward from what is most meaningful in the classroom—and how can we find ways to make it more meaningful for students."
If AI is part of the path to that? I'm open-minded.
But right now, it feels like the exact opposite...
If AI is part of the path to that? I'm open-minded.
But right now, it feels like the exact opposite...