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Literacy advocate, children’s advocate, mom.
Many teachers don’t know how to translate the concepts around explicit instruction into practice. It doesn’t help that most think explicit instruction simply equals “lecture.”
This is why I am a curriculum person. Curriculum offers exemplars. A roadmap. The HOW.
In year after year of reform efforts, teachers had been told to “do explicit instruction,” with no roadmap on how to do it, or how to do it well.
@gtavernetti.bsky.social and @hollykorbey.bsky.social discuss.
open.substack.com/pub/hollykor...
What does an explicit instruction lesson look like in real life?
A small sample size, non-standardized assessments, and a reluctance to name schools where she was supposedly creating gains.
Anyone following Boaler saga won’t be surprised.
“We show that there is no external evidence for improved student outcomes at Railside after the Boaler/Staples treatment.”
Fascinating thread on Jo Boaler’s efficacy claims:
And we have parent after parent looking for “rigorous academics.” It isn’t clear from the article that the schools are considering improving the product to meet that need as much as they are marketing arts programs and career education.
Quite a read.
Whew. This article on public schools trying to market their way out of enrollment drops is a heckuva ride.
We see FL reporting 29% of Ss attending something other than public schools, districts marketing larger class sizes, districts toying with tech-free schools.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/u...
Honestly, question 2 is a head-scratcher for me. I see him posting anti-Hanford, anti-systematic phonics content, but I don’t see many instances where he explains how reading should be taught. Curious what others have seen.
What kind of influence do you see Thomas having on the field? Are his pieces being used in schools, and if so, how? I hear mixed things.
What type of instruction do you see him advocating for?
Paul Thomas dropped a lot of jaws with his WaPo OpEd, esp the part that shrugged off the high % of American children below-basic in reading proficiency.
Heckuva display of luxury beliefs, right there. Read it: www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
I’d love to hear from educators on 2 points…
Great reporting from @gtoppo.bsky.social, featuring @dtwuva.bsky.social @benjaminjriley.bsky.social @mrzachg.bsky.social @sarahoberle.bsky.social @tombennett71.bsky.social and more.
Sarah takes the cake for my favorite quote:
