Mark Goodrich
@markgoodrich.bsky.social
Was a lawyer, now a primary teacher. Interested in politics, chess, citizenship and education. Has lived in 🇯🇵🇰🇷and 🇱🇦. https://open.substack.com/pub/markgoodrich
🎉 Steplab Summer Reads - Giveaway #4 Win: 📖 The Scaffolding Effect by Rachel Ball and Alex Fairlamb 📚 Steplab whitepapers 🎁 Steplab insulated water bottle, notepad and pen To enter: 1️⃣ Follow us 2️⃣ Like this post 3️⃣ Repost Enter by 9:00am Friday 14 August. Winner announced the same day. Good luck!
I regret to report that our family game of “flower, fruit and fish” last night included the category “things that could get you a detention at a strict academy.”
Very late to this but you really should make time for this long piece by @rosehorowitch.bsky.social in @theatlantic.com. Depressing but important read for #EduSky people from primary to university. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
The End of Reading Is Here
Optimists once believed that universal literacy was inevitable. Now it seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history.
theatlantic.com
Hi #EduSky - I think it is my latest ever #Saturday3 following a busy day with my wider family. Hopefully, you can enjoy these over a cup of something on Sunday morning. First up, @dylanpkane.bsky.social on motivation. fivetwelvethirteen.substack.com/p/three-type...
Three Types of Motivation
A framework for how motivation strategies fit together
fivetwelvethirteen.substack.com
Good thread from Stuart which taps into some of my concern about an “at risk of NEET” label in primary schools.
Stuart Rowntree@primarythink.bsky.social · 3d ago1/4 I think “future unemployment risk” is the wrong frame for primary schools. Too heavy & deterministic. Easy to turn into another label attached to children far too early. The better lens, for me, is future participation.
The replies to this don’t offer any reassurance…FWIW, I think the only remedy if you are in any customer-facing environment is to get ahead of the problems and build relationships where people can simply tell you what is going wrong without resorting to AI.
Giles Wilkes@gilesyb.bsky.social · 3d agoI need someone to reassure me that The Economist's vision of the British state drowning under an inundation of "agentic flooding" can be refuted or mitigated, because it's depressing the hell out of me www.economist.com/leaders/2026...
If you are a school struggling to get your head round the changes in KCSIE and their implic ations for schools, my blog may help. Also I have a webinar on August 24th at 11am, please join me at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1993776837... www.seainclusion.co.uk/post/kcsie-d...
Copy of KCSIE 2026: Changes and possible actions for schools
The key changes and actions from KCSIE 2026. Everything you need to know to be ready and compliant in the new year.
eventbrite.co.uk
The big Q for me is, “What are primary schools supposed to do with this information that they aren’t doing already?” IME, primaries already have a very good handle on who their most vulnerable children are and do their absolute best to make sure they are engaged and getting a strong education.
Jim Lauder@mrjlauder.bsky.social · 4d agoInteresting snippets from Milburn's thinking in this: www.theguardian.com/society/2026... With promises and pitfalls. Early identification will work in the context of supporting students to access a strong universal offer. But if the response is a different track, we are lowering expectations.
I’m reading the joyful Captain Sunshine by Alex Milway at the moment and it got me thinking that we haven’t done a week on early readers yet. What great kids books for newly independent readers would you recommend? #KidsBooksFriday #KidLitUK #KidLit #UKKidLit
Wake up with a happy story this morning! I think play streets are an important initiative and this looks like a fantastic example. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Leeds: The city closing down streets so children can play
In Leeds, streets are being temporarily closed to traffic so kids have more space to safely play - an initiative proving beneficial to both children and adults.
bbc.co.uk
Have listened to the first 3 episodes of this podcast this evening and would highly recommend to any teacher whether you are a literacy specialist or not. Great work from the @thinkreadhq.bsky.social team in putting this together- punchy, clear and well-structured with great expert voices.
Thinking Reading@thinkreadhq.bsky.social · 7d agoThe number of people who lack basic literacy skills are of epidemic proportions. We spoke to Rebecca Perry, Head of Adult Literacy & Criminal Justice @Literacy_Trust on "Inside the Reading Gap" - a 4 part podcast about the literacy crisis.
So much this! I can use an AI. If I am asking a question, I want a human answer.
Katie Finlayson@learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 7d agoPeople supply obviously-AI-generated answers to questions on support forums. I honestly don’t get what they’re hoping to achieve. If the poster wanted to ask an AI they could have done it themselves - they’re looking for actual individual experiences (and contact, often).
Interesting that not only has LinkedIn introduced a “looks like AI slop” button but Substack has now introduced a Pangram scanner so you can check, presumably using AI, whether the post you are reading is AI-generated or assisted. Is this a sign of people craving fully-human writing?
Where's the best place online for a teacher planner? Managed to get myself 2 last year (teacher and HoD) but cant worm it this year. Suggestions please!
I think a big public policy challenge of our time is how to influence people to drive smaller cars. There is a deadly spiral pushing cars bigger, heavier and higher and very few incentives pushing the other way.
Lewis Baston@lewisbaston.bsky.social · last wk.I saw one of these over the weekend in Hampstead and I assumed it was a US import as it was so hypertrophic, ugly and dangerous-looking.
I haven’t weighed in because there are definitely others with more expertise but I found this very convincing. If there are flaws in what Daisy is saying, i’d love to know what they are.
Daisy Christodoulou@daisychristo.bsky.social · last wk.I've weighed in on the great vocational education debate. From what we can see of the govt plans, I think they will repeat mistakes of the past. Also, we need to retire the phrase "parity of esteem". It's not helping. substack.nomoremarking.com/p/the-proble...
I reposted the equivalent article on primary books in my #Saturday3 yesterday and I’d really recommend comparing the two lists. In my experience, most of the books on the primary list are read widely by boys and girls but we get here and, suddenly, it’s dominated by books read by girls.
Tes magazine@tesmagazine.bsky.social · last wk.The bestselling books list for teens shows the ‘chasm’ between GCSE texts and ‘what young people actually enjoy reading’ – how do you close the gap? Tes explores www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Hi #EduSky - late to my #Saturday3 this week because, well, it's lovely weather where I am and I have enjoyed being out most of the day. The big education story this week is Burnham's proposals for technical education but I don't feel qualified enough to evaluate blogs on that so...
Ok so I started blue-sky last summer when lots were boycotting X, but when term time started I struggled to keep up both and moved back to X. However a year later and I barely post on X any more so hopefully can start this up again and keep it going in September. Who is still here posting? Say Hi
There’s a fair few sequels being published at the moment, but I confess that, whilst I often buy sequels, I don’t often get round to reading them. So for this week’s #KidsBooksFriday, what kids’ book sequels are well worth making the time for in and of themselves? #KidsLitUK #UKKitLit #KitLit
Random post about cultural knowledge prompted by watching The Sheep Detectives with my teens. When the Brett Goldstein-voiced twin sheep of Ronnie and Reggie came on, I chuckled knowingly. Kids had no idea who the Kray twins were.
Pleasingly short summary from @danielmuijs.bsky.social on what research says about the effects of motivation on achievement and vice-versa. open.substack.com/pub/danielmu...
Motivation - no, it's not 90% of learning, but it does matter to an extent
But not as much as you might think
open.substack.com
Hi #EduSky - late with my #Saturday3 this week because it turns out that going to see The Odyssey takes a big chunk out of your day. First up, a report on a huge Chinese study on AI and its effects on children which should worry us all. fortune.com/2026/07/21/g...
Study finds AI boosted homework scores 18%—then tanked exam results 20% | Fortune
There’s a massive debate over whether Gen Z is the first generation to be less cognitively capable than their parents. A study of 26,800 high school students suggests AI incentives only point in one d...
fortune.com
My kids have been attempting to do a learn a bit more cookery these holidays. So for this week’s #KidsBooksFriday I thought we could do books featuring/celebrating food and cooking. (Take the theme as loosely as you please). #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit
A kind offer for anyone who is struggling with stuff at work.
If school is dragging this term out as long as it can, then TGT has your back until the bitter end. Discuss the tough start in life of artist Eugene J. Martin, choosing visual art over music, painting in public or whether of not you can see a golfer in Midnight Golfer. bit.ly/TutorGroupThink
If any Norfolk teachers, librarians or school support staff are interested, I'm restarting the East Norfolk Teachers' Reading Group in September. Please get in touch for further details and do share with colleagues.
New one from today was "thank you for believing in me, even when I couldn't believe in myself"
Fun to hear that they actually get sent over to the advisors!
Laura McInerney@missmc.bsky.social · 3w agoMy absolute favourite question on @teachertapp.bsky.social today. (Nb: we do actually compile and send over to their advisors, if they’re willing to receive them… so don’t forget to get onto TT and answer!)
