Quotations about education and writing

 “I’ve spent a good portion of my career writing op-ed columns or guiding others to do so, and I always give the same advice to writers: your goal is not to change readers’ minds, but to expand their thinking by inserting an idea that embeds itself in their brains.”

Joanna Weiss in her debut editor’s letter in Harvard Magazine, July-August 2025 

(Vol. 127, #6, p. 4)

MM 1092: Building Thinking Classrooms: Thin-slicing, collaborative problem-solving - and Claude's suggestions for English

 MM 1092 - from Marshall Memo #1092

Following an approach suggested by Peter Liljedahl (Building Thinking Classrooms), Raab tried to establish a collaborative classroom community by beginning with non-cognitive tasks and getting students engaged with accessible math before teaching the ninth-grade curriculum. She gave her classes the Four 4’s Challenge, where students had to use four 4’s and choose from a variety of math operations (addition, subtraction, division, exponents…) to create expressions equivalent to numbers from 1 to 20 (for example, 4 + 4 + 4 – 4 = 8).

Students were hesitant to get started, so Raab showed one possible answer, formed groups, encouraged students to share ideas, and said, “Do not ask me for help unless everyone in your group is stuck.” It wasn’t long before students were so engaged they didn’t want to stop. For two weeks, Raab continued to give non-cognitive, low-floor/high-ceiling problems, showing the whole class a starting-point strategy to nudge students’ thinking. They began jumping in more quicky, enjoying the feeling of thinking through challenges. 

But when Raab began assigning tasks from the regular curriculum, students regressed to their previous mindsets, crumpling up papers before even trying. “Miss, I’ve been failing math since 4th grade,” said one. “I don’t know how to do math.” Raab recalled something Keazer had said in her methods class: “Kids are not born lazy; they have just developed coping mechanisms that can lead to learned helplessness.” 

Raab gently refused to accept blank papers and encouraged and supported students to keep trying. Three factors were responsible for gradually turning things around:

• Building trust – Raab got to know each student personally and built relationships based on empathy and respect. 

• Providing confidence-building experiences – She found the only way to break through students’ shutdowns and negative attitudes was scaffolding lessons that started with students’ current familiar knowledge. 

• Thin-slicing math tasks – Raab broke concepts down and experimented with sequences that moved from simple to more-advanced concepts and skills. These problem strings helped students incrementally discover new material. 

Here’s an example with solving equations or formulas for a given variable. Raab started with a low-floor problem she knew students could solve:

If 2x + 3 = 13, how can we solve for x?

“Subtract 3, then divide by 2,” students responded. 

What if I said, ax + b = c, solve for x?

Students hesitated but eventually came up with the parallel steps.

Then Raab presented a set of problems where the left column was a less-abstract problem, the right column a more-abstract literal equation with a parallel structure:

x + 3 = 0 x + y = 0, solve for x

x + 6 = 3 x + 6 = y, solve for x

p – 2 = 4 p – q = t, solve for p

2a = 12 ab = 12, solve for b

5y = 15 xy = z, solve for y

7b – 2 = 12 7b – c = d, solve for b

x/4 = 2 x/4 = y, solve for x

w/5 = 6 w/p = r, solve for w

3w/5w = 6 3w/r = s, solve for w

3/5w + 1 = 10 3/5w + y = x, solve for w

“You only have to complete the right column,” Raab told students, “but you can use the left column as a scaffold if you get stuck.” As she circulated, she was delighted to hear comments like, “Wow, Miss, that’s actually really smart! I just got stuck and looked at the other equation and remembered how to solve it!” Students found the new content accessible and their confidence grew.

From Claude:

This is a fascinating example of how Building Thinking Classrooms can transform student engagement! The principles absolutely translate to AP Literature, and I can see several powerful applications:

Non-Cognitive Entry Points for Literature

Just as Raab used the Four 4's Challenge, you could start with engaging, low-stakes activities that get students thinking literarily without the pressure of "analysis." Consider:

• Found Poetry: Give students a newspaper article or random text and have them create poems by circling/highlighting words in sequence. This gets them manipulating language and thinking about word choice and meaning without the intimidation of "interpreting literature."

• Story Spine Challenges: Using the "Once upon a time... Every day... Until one day... Because of that... Until finally..." structure, have students create stories collaboratively. This builds narrative thinking skills.

• Character Speed Dating: Students get brief character descriptions from various works and must "speed date" - quickly deciding compatibility, conflicts, or alliances between characters from different texts.

Building Confidence Through Scaffolding

Your version of Raab's parallel problem approach could look like:

Concrete → Abstract Literary Analysis

• Start with: "What emotions do you feel when you read this passage?"
• Then: "What specific words or phrases created those emotions?"
• Finally: "How does the author's diction contribute to the overall tone?"

Familiar → Unfamiliar Texts

• Begin with song lyrics, social media posts, or contemporary texts students know
• Move to excerpts from works they'll study
• Progress to full complex texts

Thin-Slicing Complex Skills

Instead of jumping into full literary analysis essays, break down the thinking:

1. Observation Phase: "What do you notice?" (no interpretation required)
2. Pattern Recognition: "What do you notice happening more than once?"
3. Questioning Phase: "What questions does this raise?"
4. Connection Phase: "How does this connect to other elements?"
5. Interpretation Phase: "What might this suggest about the author's purpose?"

Collaborative Problem-Solving

Use Raab's "don't ask me unless everyone in your group is stuck" approach with:

• Text annotation parties where groups work together to unpack challenging passages
• Thesis workshops where students help each other refine arguments
• Evidence hunts where groups compete to find the most compelling textual support

The Key Mindset Shift

The most powerful aspect is addressing that "I'm not good at English" learned helplessness. Many students think literary analysis is about finding the "right" answer the teacher wants, rather than developing their own thinking. Your approach could emphasize that there are multiple valid interpretations supported by evidence, just as there were multiple ways to make expressions in the Four 4's Challenge.

What aspects of this approach most intrigue you? Are there particular skills or concepts your AP Lit students struggle with that we could think about "thin-slicing"?

MM 1092: A Connecticut Teacher Tries AI with Student Writing

 

A Connecticut Teacher Tries AI with Student Writing 

MM 1092: Effective Use of Technology in Classrooms

Effective Use of Technology in Classrooms

Summary:

This article outlines seven research-based strategies for using technology to deepen learning—from student-created videos and AI tutors to assistive tools and streamlined digital spaces. It emphasizes that purposeful, well-structured tech use can enhance student engagement, comprehension, and independence, while also helping students build future-ready digital literacy.

Danielson Domain:

Domain 3c: Engaging Students in Learning and 3d: Using Assessment in Instruction 

MM 1092: How Police Officers Can Diffuse Distrust

 

How Police Officers (and Other Authority Figures) Can Defuse Distrust

MM 1092

Summary:
This article highlights how police officers can reduce distrust by using transparency statements—brief, authentic explanations of their intentions offered at the very start of an interaction. These early, benevolent clarifications help neutralize fear and foster trust, especially in communities that may already feel vulnerable or suspicious.

Danielson Domain: Domain 2: The Classroom Environment — Specifically 2a: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport.

AI prompts to support student well-being

 

Supporting Student Well-Being

Your students are also feeling the weight of current events and daily pressures. These prompts are designed to help you support their emotional and mental health.

• Calming Classroom Environment: “What are 5 low-cost ways to create a more calming classroom atmosphere, considering lighting, seating arrangements, and sensory elements?”

• Stress Management Tips for Students: “Provide 3 simple techniques I can teach my students to manage anxiety, suitable for [specific age group] and adaptable to a classroom setting.”

• Mindful Transitions: “How can I incorporate a 2-minute mindfulness break during transitions between subjects, using simple activities like breathing exercises or guided visualizations?”

• Positive Affirmations for Students: “Generate 5 affirmations I can share with my students to promote self-confidence, focusing on their strengths and potential.”

• Social Stories for Emotional Regulation: “Write a social story for elementary students about identifying and managing their emotions, using relatable characters and scenarios.”

• Empathy and Conflict Resolution: “Generate 3 activities I can do with my middle school students to teach them about empathy and conflict resolution, promoting positive social interactions and understanding.”

• Books About Resilience: “Suggest 5 age-appropriate books I can read aloud to my students that address themes of anxiety, stress, or resilience, providing opportunities for discussion and reflection.”

• Self-Regulation Strategies for Focus: “Suggest 3 self-regulation techniques that I can teach my students to help them improve their focus and concentration in the classroom. Provide specific examples and instructions suitable for [age group].”

• Gratitude Jar Activity: “Provide step-by-step instructions for creating a gratitude jar activity with my students. Explain how to introduce the concept of gratitude, how to decorate the jar, and provide examples of prompts to encourage students to express what they are thankful for.”

• Classroom Community Building: “Suggest some team-building activities I can do with my students to foster a sense of community in the classroom, promoting collaboration, communication, and respect for individual differences.”

• Creativity Boost: “Suggest 3 simple, creative art activities I can do with my students that also help me relax and unwind, using easily accessible materials. Focus on activities that promote mindfulness and self-expression.”

Comparative Judgement

 Comparative judgment is indeed a powerful tool for deepening students' understanding of quality in writing. This method has strong roots in British educational research, particularly in the work of researchers like Alastair Pollitt and his "Comparative Judgement" methodology.

The comparative approach offers several key benefits:

1. Develops evaluative expertise: When students must decide which essay is "better" and justify their reasoning, they're forced to articulate their understanding of quality criteria rather than just recognizing them.
2. Builds metacognitive awareness: Students must reflect on what makes writing effective, which helps them internalize those standards for their own work.
3. Creates concrete examples: Abstract concepts like "effective source integration" become clearer when students can see two different approaches side by side.
4. Reduces cognitive load: Sometimes it's easier to recognize quality differences between two works than to evaluate a single work against abstract criteria.