Sarah Mulhern Gross

What a time to be an English teacher. My seniors just finished The Handmaid’s Tale and today we begin Parable of the Sower.

The American Indian Youth Literature Award for best young adult book goes to ‘Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories,’ edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith #ALAyma

As we kick off #alayma this morning, I want to say that I STILL THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA! What morning show wants to bring back the fun and glory, shine a little light on these beautiful books for kids?

Everyone says they care so much about getting kids reading. Help us make it happen!

#kidlit

The ALAYMA broadcast once again reminds me how angry I am that Twitter was destroyed by Musk. It also irritates me to see how many groups and companies exclusively post there.

American Indian Librarian Association
Youth Literature Award #ALAyma

Best Picture Book Honors
Braided Roots by Pasha Westbrook, illus Madelyn Goodnight
Fierce Aunties by Laurel Goodluck, illus Steph Littlebird
For a Girl Becoming by Jo Harjo, illus Adriana Garcia

Raven's Ribbons by Tasha Spillet, illus Daniel Ramirez
We Weave by Daniel W. Vandever, illus Deonoveigh Mitchell

Winner
Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers, illus by Rebecca Lee Kunz

Watching the ALA Youth Media Awards on my phone while attempting the Ticketmaster war on my laptop. Thank goodness it’s a snow day!

It’s Youth Media Award season. While we hope to see some #youngteenlit receive awards, we decided to create our own list. Introducing the First Annual Young Teen Lit Top 10 Award list, announced on January 25, honoring books from 2024-2025 that we and our MS students enjoyed the most.
#yma #yma2026

May the odds be ever in my favor.

Yes, It’s Fascism Until recently, I thought it a term best avoided. But now, the resemblances are too many and too strong to deny.

“Recent events have brought Trump’s governing style into sharper focus. Fascist best describes it, and reluctance to use the term has now become perverse. That is not because of any one or two things he and his administration have done but because of the totality.“

Better late than never.

Pope warns against risks of AI algorithms In a message marking the World Day of Social Communications, the pope said AI systems reflect the worldview of their creators.

"Pope Leo XIV on Saturday stressed the risks of generative artificial intelligence, how it could usurp human identities and relationships, influence public opinion and deepen social polarisation."

Oh good. 😡😩

This. If you make money pretending to teach or you only teach to shill TPT, you should be using that privilege right now.

A few days ago I set off the smoke alarms while cooking and now my dogs hide whenever I cook.

Get smart dogs, they said. It will be fun, they said.

What a time to be teaching Handmaid’s Tale followed by Parable of the Sower.

Not Mayor Mamdani telling everyone at his press conference that today is perfect for borrowing Heated Rivalry from the public library. 😂

We love pro-library announcements!

Reflect and relaunch: A semester social hour kickoff. Wednesday, January 21. 7pm ET. Literacy leaders will reflect on leadership and literacy strategies learned at #NCTE25 and #CEL25, discuss how to launch and maintain team initiatives, and network with a community of lifelong literacy leaders. CEL is a constituent group of NCTE.

Join us this Wednesday (1/21/26) at 7pm ET to debrief on #NCET25 and #CEL25.

We invite anyone who views themselves as classroom, school, district, community, or state-level leaders in ELA/literacy. Must be an NCTE member.

An hour of casual reflections!

#NCET26 #CEL26

ncte.org/reflect-rela...

Address at the 1992 Democratic National Convention - July 14, 1992 [July 14, 1992 | New York, New York] I'm Elizabeth Glaser.

Today is World Aids Day. The current administration has barred federal offices from acknowledging it. In middle school I memorized Elizabeth Glaser's Address at the 1992 Democratic Convention for a forensic competition, and I've never forgotten it. awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/2017/03/21/a...

I would pay a substantial amount of money to know how she chose her giant square emoji face to attach to this tweet.

#ThesisoftheWeek for Week 3 of October is inspired by a beautiful poem by Marjorie Saiser entitled "Crane Migration: Platte River." Find this prompt & others on the Poetry as Practice Blog! (Photo credits: Chris Helzer/The Nature Conservancy & USGS) poetryaspractice.blogspot.com/2025/09/intr...

Check out our upcoming #CEL virtual session open to all NCTE members & literacy leaders. @tanisleads.bsky.social @oonziela.bsky.social @hcodymiller.bsky.social @bnjmnkwdcck.bsky.social @sjeducate.bsky.social @thereadingzone.bsky.social @teachkate.bsky.social @angelastockman.bsky.social

screenshot of tweet from rose lavelle: @roselavelle: 13 yrs ago today Mary got chased down the street by a vicious neighbor dog & to this day it is still the funniest thing I have ever witnessed

feels like the holidays start earlier every year

The memes are the ideology. I really wish more people understood that over the past decade.

Every time I reported a student using a meme like Pepe as a school avatar I was told to calm down because “it’s just a joke”.

The jokes are a meme and the memes are the ideology now.

Launching a resource that I hope helps ELA teachers! Thesis of the Week = low-risk formative literary analysis practice. Weekly poems & practice w/ thesis statements are NOT for a formal grade, but intended to grow students' writing efficacy. poetryaspractice.blogspot.com/2025/09/intr...

“Don’t say thoughts and prayers. These kids were literally praying. They were in church.”- Mayor Jacob Frey

‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens theonion.com/no-way-to-pr...

Again. 😭 I’m so tired of being angry while politicians send thoughts and prayers.

Do. Something.

The freemium versions always let you use it for a limited time/number of users that’s not at all helpful in practice. And teachers can’t afford (nor should they pay for!) subscriptions to dozens of apps. 🫠😵‍💫😭

You know what’s great about the state of education? Every single tech company advertises an app/extension to teachers, lets them use it for free, and then makes it a paid subscription.