Live look at the @nytimes.com right now.

The best feedback from all the back-to-school PDs is about my simple slide letting participants know I haven't used AI to create any part of the presentation + asking them not to use AI while we're learning together.

Simple, informal steps toward #AIRefusal can have powerful impacts.

We're rapidly entering an era where interaction with other humans--whether in education, mental health services, or even basic companionship, as evidenced by the headline below--will be only for the privileged few.

The rest of us will interact with surveillance chatbots with cute names.

These arguments would be less disingenuous if Haidt + his followers put the same energy into pushing back against ed tech's hostile classroom takeover. Even the youngest learners are very literally trapped on corporate software, like IXL, for hours each week. This is equally as pernicious + harmful.

This is a great example of why supporting workers doesn't always mean supporting unions.

AFT is aligning themselves with corporate interests + technologies that are an existential threat to the workers they represent. AFT + other unions should work to mitigate AI's harm to teachers, + kids.

School in 2025: "SCREENS ARE FRYING KIDS' BRAINS!"

Also School in 2025: "Log on to Schoology to complete the Do Now in Class Dojo, then do your mandatory 15 minutes of IXL, after that we'll do our SAT prep on Khanmigo + wrap up with a little historical simulation on Magic School AI."

How will the "reading science is settled science" crew respond to the Fordham Institute--Michael Petrilli, no less-- cheering this on when saying this exact same thing would have subjected you to a Calkins-style takedown just a year or two ago?

Jonathan Haidt claiming that the SAT's move to short passages is because of a screen-addled generation rather than a decades-long systemic disinvestment from robust literacy instruction in favor of "skills" by the College Board is the most self-serving thing I've seen in a minute.

#PairedTexts

Michigan is an unserious state when it comes to literacy, but very serious when it comes to corporate handouts. These mandated curricular materials destroy local control + put profits over kids, teachers + communities. Thanks Democratic trifecta!

One of our local journalists posted that we should abandon research writing in schools for op-eds that we read as editors. This is bad advice, IMO.

Students should practice with different forms of writing so that they can meet their audience + purpose in a variety of rhetorical contexts.

The goal was to think about how Morrison reimagines/plays with/challenges/complicates the prototypical hero's journey + how we can reconceptualize/remix the idea.

I see that the Science of Reading movement, brought to you by big ed tech + publishing companies, continues to be line the pockets of the DI bros, corporate ed reformers + right-wing edu darlings who are willing to do their bidding in the media + in schools.

There are many grounds on which to oppose AI-generated feedback. For me, the biggest issue is that it shatters the ethical, trusting + consenting feedback requires. Feedback requires intentionally hospitable pedagogy, which AI cannot provide.

I made this case with my colleague recently...

I just presented with my colleague about this at a statewide tech conference + the reception was better than we anticipated.

Many people have ethical misgivings about the deployment of AI, but have been scared into silence by their schools + districts.

We're excited to welcome @mraleosays.bsky.social to our 2024-2025 Equity Literacy Leaders Series!

📆 Thursday, December 5, 2024
🕐 4:30-6:00 PM
🌍 Virtual (Free + open to everyone!)

Register here: reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_pa...

So, here in Michigan, the state government has given large sums of money to vendors to get kids to "catch up" from "learning loss." Many of these vendors use AI chatbots framed as "homework help" + they brag about their "individualized learning" plans.

Here's one of their descriptions...

Here's a glimpse into a discussion I just had with teachers + coaches last week about AI-free writing futures.

Join our Wayne RESA Equity-Based Disciplinary Literacy Network on Tuesday, January 16th (tomorrow!) at 4:30 PM ET for a conversation with @covingtonedu.bsky.social!

The event is virtual, free + open to anyone who registers.

See you there!

🔗 bit.ly/ebdlnregistration