Maya retweeted
The first two episodes of @ehanford's Sold a Story, season 2, are excellent.
It was great to hear about Engelmann's background. I can't help but wonder whether, coming from outside of the field of education, and not having been influenced by the education echo chamber, contributed to his ability to design such an effective program.
Engelmann believed that all children could learn, and all children could be taught. If a child didn't learn, the problem was with the instruction, not the child.
"His lessons were intense, fast-paced, tightly structured, and his way of teaching was CONTROVERSIAL."
Engelmann gave us a program in the late 1960s that would help all children learn to read and learn math. And decades later we have teachers saying this:
"Everyone is repeating this mantra of inquiry learning is best. And the majority of our kids are two to three levels behind"
"I've literally been told by my district that I should not be teaching math. I should be facilitating math."
What an enormous mistake we have made as a society by allowing educational philosophies to take precedence over actual student learning.
I hope Emily Hanford's new season brings widespread attention to this. It's not just reading!
As I've said before, I believe what's happening in education is one of the biggest scandals out there. It will take not just educators, but parents, policymakers, and the public, to recognize what's happening and demand better education for children.
Thank you @ehanford!
Maya retweeted
History catches up with the education establishment in this important Season 2 of Sold a Story. Meaningful education advances could have been made in the last 50 years, as has occurred in other fields, where evidence is weighed more carefully and objectively. But they weren’t, and socioeconomic status continues to drive education outcomes, where classroom instruction should have the upper hand on this.
The new season of Sold a Story is coming tomorrow. I've seen speculation about it. I think there will be some surprises. I'm interested to know what you think.
First two episodes tomorrow. Then one a week on Thursdays until Nov 19. features.apmreports.org/sold…
Maya retweeted
People have asked why YES on G doesn't have commercials to counter NO on G's nonstop ads.
The answer is simple: money.
Joel Engardio pushed for the permanent closure of the Great Highway without a single town hall. Their campaigns backed by wealthy donors have the resources to spread their message across San Francisco. The rest of us have to figure it out ourselves.
And we have. People collected almost 16,000 signatures through an 100% volunteer effort.
Volunteers gave countless hours.
Then came signs and literature. Every step costs money, but we keep finding a way.
Lucas Lux, a Google lawyer, even sued the grassroots to keep Prop G off the November ballot. Although he lost, the grassroots still had to spend money defending against the lawsuit.
Advertising can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and mailers are expensive, too. I'm a working mom, like many YES on G volunteers. We are the 99%, trying to stand up for ourselves and our communities.
People warned me that campaigns need money and that holding the rich and powerful accountable would be impossible. I refuse to believe that.
Each of us has one vote. Together, we can prove that ordinary people have a voice even without the money to buy an election.
San Francisco can share. We can compromise.
Weekday access for everyone including commuters and car-free weekends and holidays can coexist. That's a fair share.
Don't give up. Vote YES on G. 🙏
What's a compromise? greathighwayforeveryone.com/
Need a window sign? docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…
Follow the money. campaign.sfethics.org/electi…
Of all the things that came out last week this was appalling. Days after Birchmore died her friend went to the police and they buried her concerns. Massachusetts still hasn't charged Farwell with murder. I hope this changes. Meanwhile MA needs a Serpico moment.
When Sandra Birchmore was found dead, her best friend, Lesley Davis, knew exactly where the fingers should point. Overcome with grief and suspicion, she did what any responsible citizen would do: she marched straight into the Canton Police Department to tell them that Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell needed to be investigated immediately.
"I implicated Matthew Farwell", she testifies to on October 15th, 2026.
But instead of triggering a swift, meticulous police response, her desperate warning seemingly vanished into thin air.
During her emotional testimony at the federal trial of Matthew Farwell, Davis revealed the jaw-dropping complacency of the Canton Police Department. Here is a breakdown of everything the Canton Police failed to do when a crucial witness walked through their doors:
🔹️They did not take a single note - Davis testified that she sat down and spoke with two men at the department, implicating Farwell directly. Despite the gravity of her allegations, neither man bothered to pick up a pen or record a single word she said.
🔹️They did not log an official report - Because no notes were taken, no official police report or paper trail was generated to document her visit or the critical intelligence she provided.
🔹️They did not follow up - Her warning was treated with complete indifference, leaving a grieving friend unheard and a potential suspect uninvestigated by the local department at a critical juncture.
It shouldn't take a federal investigation to get the police to do basic paperwork. Davis did her part to seek justice for Sandra; the Canton Police Department completely failed to do theirs.
Maya retweeted
She was just a child. The text messages that exploded into public view during the trial of Matthew Farwell for killing Sandra Birchmore are a blueprint for dangerous predators.
Farwell exploited Sandra's vulnerabilities. He gained her trust, convinced her that he cared about her, drew her into his sick and dark world, and used the authority of his badge to create the illusion that she was safe with him.
Devoid of human decency and any redeemable human qualities, he sexually exploited her, repeatedly, for years. The very person she trusted to protect her became the person she needed protection from.
I spent more than two decades on the Juvenile Court bench. I saw the devastation of grooming and sexual exploitation in the faces of young teens who came into my courtroom. Children who had been manipulated by predatory adults who knew exactly how to exploit their vulnerabilities.
I know what sexual exploitation looks like. I know the destruction it leaves behind.
What Farwell did to Sandra was the carefully calculated predatory grooming and sexual exploitation of a vulnerable child. He knew exactly how much power he held over her.
Amid the testimony, the text messages, and the legal arguments, never lose sight of who Sandra was when this began. She was a child.
Maya retweeted
Great video from @ehanford on Direct Instruction. She links to it in her latest Sold a Story 2 episodes. youtube.com/watch?v=gDUMHdqc…
Maya retweeted
🚨 New episode now live!
In this episode of Chalk & Talk, I talk with @Kris_Boulton about the science of clear math teaching.
How can we reduce confusion in math class? What is atomisation and why does it matter? And how can we help more students succeed in math?
🎧 Listen to the full episode - link below
This is so important. @SFUSD_Supe @SFUnified District had refused to use explicit math instruction. Currently they are using the problematic inquiry based illustrative Math. I hope this podcast changes the way people approach math education. @NCTM @CADeptEd @savemathnow
You can listen to the first two episodes of Sold a Story Season 2 today.
We also have things for you to WATCH! youtube.com/watch?v=gDUMHdqc…
What is Direct Instruction?
Maya retweeted
I'm super excited about this week's episode!
How do we make math teaching clear and more effective for every student?
I talk with @Kris_Boulton about designing better lessons by considering the four types of mathematical knowledge, and how we can ensure success for all students.
🎙️ Coming October 16. Don't miss it!
Anybody following the Sandra Birchmore case should follow this account. He's live tweeting. It's unfortunate this is a federal case so we can't watch it live. Such a sad case. With many of the same corrupt police officers from the Read case. My home state is not shining here
Maya retweeted
“Murder-suicide” makes it sound like some kind of pact.
The term you’re looking for is “family annihilation”
Members of the SFPOA, friends, family and community members:
It is with profound sadness, shock, and heavy hearts that we address the devastating news that emerged out of Marin County on Sunday evening. The tragic loss of retired Deputy Chief Ann Mannix, her daughter Katie, and retired Sergeant Kevin Mannix in a suspected murder-suicide has left our entire SFPD family reeling.
There are no words that can fully capture the depth of this tragedy, nor are there simple answers to the painful questions we are all asking. Ann Mannix was a trailblazer in our department—becoming the first woman to join and lead the SWAT team, and rising to lead both the Field Operations and Special Operations Bureaus. Many worked alongside Kevin during his 27 years of dedicated service at Taraval Station and beyond. To see their lives, and the life of their 24-year-old daughter Katie, end in such a horrific and senseless manner is a burden that weighs heavily on every officer, active and retired.
As a union and a family, we must navigate this dark moment together. While the Marin County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation, our immediate focus must be on supporting the surviving family members, processing our collective grief, and taking care of one another.
Please remember that you do not have to carry this weight alone. This tragedy is a stark and painful reminder of the critical importance of mental health and wellness within our ranks. If you are struggling, hurting, or just need someone to talk to, please lean on the resources available to you:
SFPD Behavioral Science Unit (BSU):
Peer support and professional clinicians are available 24/7 to help you process this trauma.
The SFPOA Employee Assistance Programs: Confidential counseling services are readily accessible to all members and their families.
Copline (1-800-267-5463):
A 24/7 strictly confidential hotline answered exclusively by retired law enforcement officers who understand the unique pressures of this life.
The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:
Call or text 988 at any time for immediate, confidential support.
Look out for your watch partners, check in on your retired colleagues, and do not hesitate to reach out if you see someone who is struggling. Let us keep the extended Mannix family and all those affected by this profound tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.
In solidarity and sorrow,
Louis Wong, SFPOA President
Maya retweeted
Which is why voters should vote NO on Prop D. It makes it much harder for everyday residents to gather signatures for citizen ballot initiatives, requiring THREE TIMES more signatures. @growSF, Mayor Lurie, the majority of the BoS & Wiener all support it. It's anti-democratic!
Maya retweeted
❓Why are student wellbeing and academic achievement often treated as opposing priorities? For example, there's the idea that we should eliminate or reduce tests because they cause students stress.
What about the sense of accomplishment someone can feel from working hard towards a goal and achieving that? Doesn't academic success actually contribute to student wellbeing?
Great quote from this article by Montse Gomendio: "operating on the notion that equity and student wellbeing can and should be achieved at the expense of academic performance will hurt future generations, who will suffer dire consequences"
She argues that policies implemented during COVID that reduced academic rigour made struggling education systems worse. In some countries, these policies (like relaxing exam requirements and making it easier to graduate) became the new normal after COVID.
educationnext.org/how-viral-…
She and Jo Boaler have caused so much damage to a generation. There is no accountability either.
I met Lucy Calkins at The Reading League Conference, and I’ve been simmering on that moment ever since.
I believe people can learn. I believe people can change. But when your work helped shape how an entire generation of teachers was taught to teach reading, learning something new isn’t the end of the story. It’s where the responsibility begins.
So I wrote about it. And I still have questions: misspurcell.substack.com/p/i…
Do you feel the same? Do you see it differently? What questions would you have asked?
#LucyCalkins #BalancedLiteracy #ScienceOfReading #Reckoning #knowbetterdobetter
This is so gross. Why don't people report this? Because of attitudes like this. If frat houses (houses filled with drunk men) are dangerous places then it's time to close down the fraternities.
Maya retweeted
Great Questions about Direct Instruction and Gaslighting! Every math curriculum publisher in the country will start slapping DI stickers on their websites and claim they are DI when just yesterday they were lock step with the NCTM nonsense on “Productive Struggle.”
With mainstream articles on education and Sold a Story 2 coming out, we are about to experience a period of intense gaslighting.
It’s already started.
We will be told, repeatedly, that nobody is—or has ever been—against explicit teaching. Which is easily falsified, but these falsifications will be dismissed.
We will be told, repeatedly, that all teachers use explicit teaching. Which is true to some extent because the alternatives are so ineffective. But they’re using it without knowing the research and often under pressure to do something else.
Why do people try to deny the debate in this way? Why don’t they just come out and make an honest argument?
Maya retweeted
"Math instruction of the past 20 years has treated kids like experts before they're ready."
Article about John Mighton and his views on math education.
cbc.ca/news/canada/math-skil…
@rastokke @RCsEvilTwin @sandstorms @Educhatter @nsachdeva2019 @JimHewittOISE @ToddTruitt76508
Maya retweeted
If you can't actually do it, you can't possibly understand it that well, can you?
And, as my friend Steve Wilson says "It's easier to understand something you can do than something you can't do"
