Erika Cooke
@weberhistorian.bsky.social
West Texas resident, HS teacher, now APUSH and Dual Credit, formerly AP World and APMicro/Macroecon, colonial and cultural Latin American history, US Constitutional history, wine and whisky enthusiast, cat lover
Pinned
Erika Cooke
@weberhistorian.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Well hello followers! I'm a teacher in the oil patch in West Texas. I didn't have many followers on the bird app, but I'm excited to meet new people. Posts may be sporadic, but about history, teaching, and cats. Sorry if I don't follow back, my school is phone free, so I'm not on it during the day.
Yep, they've popped up the last few fall seasons. So have crop tops and slip dresses.
I probably could do a series of posts of fashion mistakes that are back based on my high school students clothing.
I probably could do a series of posts of fashion mistakes that are back based on my high school students clothing.
They are selling stirrup leggings again.
I repeat: THEY ARE SELLING STIRRUP LEGGINGS AGAIN.
File that under: things you never imagined would come back.
I repeat: THEY ARE SELLING STIRRUP LEGGINGS AGAIN.
File that under: things you never imagined would come back.
November 30, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Yep, they've popped up the last few fall seasons. So have crop tops and slip dresses.
I probably could do a series of posts of fashion mistakes that are back based on my high school students clothing.
I probably could do a series of posts of fashion mistakes that are back based on my high school students clothing.
If this is the question that Jack Rakove is asking, I don't feel bad about taking my time to watch any episodes and I probably won't recommend it to students.
Having just watched the final episode of Ken Burns' series on the American Revolution reach its platitudinous conclusions, it did seem to me that there was one curious omission. It never asks the question, what was it that made the Revolution revolutionary? Who knows?
November 22, 2025 at 11:49 PM
If this is the question that Jack Rakove is asking, I don't feel bad about taking my time to watch any episodes and I probably won't recommend it to students.
What. The. Fuck.
This is so bad on so many levels.
And I want to read the article but I'm not a subscriber. Oof.
This is so bad on so many levels.
And I want to read the article but I'm not a subscriber. Oof.
This is a child. A CHILD.
Is there no one who cares about these children's wellbeing?!
Is there no one who cares about these children's wellbeing?!
October 28, 2025 at 2:24 AM
What. The. Fuck.
This is so bad on so many levels.
And I want to read the article but I'm not a subscriber. Oof.
This is so bad on so many levels.
And I want to read the article but I'm not a subscriber. Oof.
I will be sharing this with my principal. It's such an essential argument in response to how much AI is being forced on us everywhere.
Here’s where it gets personal for me. When I was 9, I started experiencing suicidal ideation … disinterested in living, and at least some of the time contemplating death and how it might happen … It’s easy to imagine how I would have used programs like these chatbots.
Perry: How can AI be used ethically when it’s been linked to suicide?
"It’s not on us, on you and me, to use AI ethically or responsibly. It’s on the companies to build safe, reliable, ethical products," David M. Perry writes.
www.startribune.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I will be sharing this with my principal. It's such an essential argument in response to how much AI is being forced on us everywhere.
I had this realization last year with the high school sophomores I taught. They were in kindergarten in 2015, so they have never known a political world not like this. Their behavior as students in the classroom really reflects this and some of them have no clue why I correct their behavior.
It's odd for me to realize that my first-year undergraduates are at an age where they don't really remember that there was a form of US politics prior to Donald Trump. For them, Trump is not an aberration from the normal course of political discourse, but just how US politics is done.
October 26, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I had this realization last year with the high school sophomores I taught. They were in kindergarten in 2015, so they have never known a political world not like this. Their behavior as students in the classroom really reflects this and some of them have no clue why I correct their behavior.
Saturday night dinner in three acts.
October 26, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Saturday night dinner in three acts.
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
Well this parent's email. . .
Well this parent's email. . .
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand
Manuscript lost in fire.
Manuscript lost in fire.
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
October 12, 2025 at 1:27 PM
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
Well this parent's email. . .
Well this parent's email. . .
Reasons to Teach High School History when the World is on Fire
Students in West Texas seeing the rest of the world for the first time when they study Song China and Srivajaya and the Abbasids fighting the Mamluks and Ethiopia and the Mexica and Inca. Seeing how the world developed from that point.
Students in West Texas seeing the rest of the world for the first time when they study Song China and Srivajaya and the Abbasids fighting the Mamluks and Ethiopia and the Mexica and Inca. Seeing how the world developed from that point.
Reasons to Teach High School English when the World is on Fire
Black girls in advanced academics who write literary analyses about “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Queer kids who call the English Department The Fruit Factory. Allowables and Legacies by Nikki Giovanni.
Black girls in advanced academics who write literary analyses about “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Queer kids who call the English Department The Fruit Factory. Allowables and Legacies by Nikki Giovanni.
October 5, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Reasons to Teach High School History when the World is on Fire
Students in West Texas seeing the rest of the world for the first time when they study Song China and Srivajaya and the Abbasids fighting the Mamluks and Ethiopia and the Mexica and Inca. Seeing how the world developed from that point.
Students in West Texas seeing the rest of the world for the first time when they study Song China and Srivajaya and the Abbasids fighting the Mamluks and Ethiopia and the Mexica and Inca. Seeing how the world developed from that point.
I would love to write a complimentary thread about Reasons to Teach High School History when the World is on Fire, but it would be a pale imitation of these beautiful words.
Reasons to Teach High School English when the World is on Fire
Black girls in advanced academics who write literary analyses about “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Queer kids who call the English Department The Fruit Factory. Allowables and Legacies by Nikki Giovanni.
Black girls in advanced academics who write literary analyses about “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Queer kids who call the English Department The Fruit Factory. Allowables and Legacies by Nikki Giovanni.
October 4, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I would love to write a complimentary thread about Reasons to Teach High School History when the World is on Fire, but it would be a pale imitation of these beautiful words.
This week has been one dumbass year. I deserve this Ardbeg Unicorn.
September 27, 2025 at 1:04 AM
This week has been one dumbass year. I deserve this Ardbeg Unicorn.
10/10. No notes.
September 14, 2025 at 3:03 AM
10/10. No notes.
I said what I said and I'll stand by it until the end.
September 9, 2025 at 2:25 AM
I said what I said and I'll stand by it until the end.
But they're still going to have to take standardized tests right? That, you know, have them read questions and choose an answer? That have them write a response to a prompt? SAT, ACT, AP tests, etc., aren't changing their format anytime soon.
My students hate AI. I do too.
My students hate AI. I do too.
Technologist Victor Riparbelli sees a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than read and write. We ask teachers and kids what they think and how they're using AI right now.
Will AI avatars eventually teach our kids?
Technologist Victor Riparbelli sees a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than read and write. We ask teachers and kids what they think and how they're using AI right now.
n.pr
September 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
But they're still going to have to take standardized tests right? That, you know, have them read questions and choose an answer? That have them write a response to a prompt? SAT, ACT, AP tests, etc., aren't changing their format anytime soon.
My students hate AI. I do too.
My students hate AI. I do too.
So Brooks is basically saying he doesn't like to give money to programs to help the poor because it shows a moral failing to be in poverty and he doesn't want to support that. How very Puritan of him.
This is a common conservative trope: Giving money to poor people isn't enough, we need to focus on "cultural values" like hard work and marriage.
The problem is that red states have been doing that for decades and it doesn't work! Telling people that jobs are good doesn't help if there's no jobs.
The problem is that red states have been doing that for decades and it doesn't work! Telling people that jobs are good doesn't help if there's no jobs.
September 7, 2025 at 5:48 PM
So Brooks is basically saying he doesn't like to give money to programs to help the poor because it shows a moral failing to be in poverty and he doesn't want to support that. How very Puritan of him.
My high school students have told me they're glad we're pretty much only on paper.
Which is going to be hard with my district trying to limit paper now. But I'll buy my own paper if I have to.
Which is going to be hard with my district trying to limit paper now. But I'll buy my own paper if I have to.
I haven’t banned devices in class yet, but I’m definitely thinking about it…
(This piece is about Harvard but is one of the rare cases in which it applies to nearly everywhere else in higher ed)
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
(This piece is about Harvard but is one of the rare cases in which it applies to nearly everywhere else in higher ed)
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
It’s Time To Ban Laptops at Harvard | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson
Perhaps if students were actually forced to listen in class (or at least to not actively ignore), they’d end up taking more classes they find legitimately interesting, and embracing the sort of vulner...
www.thecrimson.com
September 6, 2025 at 7:53 PM
My high school students have told me they're glad we're pretty much only on paper.
Which is going to be hard with my district trying to limit paper now. But I'll buy my own paper if I have to.
Which is going to be hard with my district trying to limit paper now. But I'll buy my own paper if I have to.
Howdy y'all.
Richmond, Virginia.
September 6, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Howdy y'all.
They also break the law by not wearing a seatbelt driving around DC because they're afraid of being carjacked.
Important to remember that everyone involved in renaming the DoD to the Department of War is afraid to take the subway.
September 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
They also break the law by not wearing a seatbelt driving around DC because they're afraid of being carjacked.
This is up there with my fashion pet peeves of pajamas aren't clothes for outside the house and leggings aren't real pants.
Hills I will die on.
Hills I will die on.
A thing that annoys me completely irrationally is when someone calls a zip up hoodie a jacket.
That’s a sweatshirt don’t be weird.
That’s a sweatshirt don’t be weird.
September 1, 2025 at 12:49 AM
This is up there with my fashion pet peeves of pajamas aren't clothes for outside the house and leggings aren't real pants.
Hills I will die on.
Hills I will die on.
Listen, living in Texas is rough right now. Being a teacher is hard because of the interference from the legislature and my local school district board stacked with Tim Dunn picks. But this joke has never been more true:
Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf of Mexico?
Because Oklahoma sucks.
Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf of Mexico?
Because Oklahoma sucks.
Out of the first five questions, four are about gender identity.
There isn't even a pretense that they're looking for qualified educators. They're interviewing candidates for the bathroom police.
There isn't even a pretense that they're looking for qualified educators. They're interviewing candidates for the bathroom police.
Look at this sloppy question, which seems to ask for teachers' own opinions about ideal district policy, but offers answers about the scope of the First Amendment
August 31, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Listen, living in Texas is rough right now. Being a teacher is hard because of the interference from the legislature and my local school district board stacked with Tim Dunn picks. But this joke has never been more true:
Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf of Mexico?
Because Oklahoma sucks.
Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf of Mexico?
Because Oklahoma sucks.
I am a public school social studies teacher with graduate work in US Constitutional history. This isn't anywhere close to a civics test. #27 does not have a correct option. What an absolute embarrassment and insult to teachers with college degrees.
The most insulting part? PragerU is PROUD of this.
The most insulting part? PragerU is PROUD of this.
Here’s part of the test for Oklahoma teachers that Praeger U wrote.
This test—for *public school teachers*—combines middle school civics with religious Right (esp. anti-trans) ideology. And Praeger U is so proud of it that it took out a full-page NYT ad.
This test—for *public school teachers*—combines middle school civics with religious Right (esp. anti-trans) ideology. And Praeger U is so proud of it that it took out a full-page NYT ad.
August 31, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I am a public school social studies teacher with graduate work in US Constitutional history. This isn't anywhere close to a civics test. #27 does not have a correct option. What an absolute embarrassment and insult to teachers with college degrees.
The most insulting part? PragerU is PROUD of this.
The most insulting part? PragerU is PROUD of this.
To add to this: my school district won't allow teachers any fundraising. They don't want it to look like they can't support the teachers. So the only thing I could do is an Amazon wish list for personal classroom supplies. Donors Choose and other fundraising sites are essentially banned.
There are many small non-profits that need amazon wishlists and meta accounts to survive. That's just a hard reality that a lot of casual private users don't seem to understand. They don't have the option to simply boycott and lose all of the donations that flow through those channels.
August 31, 2025 at 3:40 AM
To add to this: my school district won't allow teachers any fundraising. They don't want it to look like they can't support the teachers. So the only thing I could do is an Amazon wish list for personal classroom supplies. Donors Choose and other fundraising sites are essentially banned.
JK and all her followers are the textbook example of being angry about not being the main character and the TERF shit is just their attempt to change that.
The mold in the castle is just *chefs kiss* and I am all in for team mold. May it ever have favorable growing conditions!
The mold in the castle is just *chefs kiss* and I am all in for team mold. May it ever have favorable growing conditions!
this was the funniest possible way for me to learn that I guess Joanne’s castle has black mold in it
several hundred of you are in my replies like “team mold” and it keeps making me laugh
several hundred of you are in my replies like “team mold” and it keeps making me laugh
August 16, 2025 at 1:16 PM
JK and all her followers are the textbook example of being angry about not being the main character and the TERF shit is just their attempt to change that.
The mold in the castle is just *chefs kiss* and I am all in for team mold. May it ever have favorable growing conditions!
The mold in the castle is just *chefs kiss* and I am all in for team mold. May it ever have favorable growing conditions!