Sign in

Laura Hollister

@xenolith.bsky.social
7.9K followers 7.7K following 6.2K posts

Mother, Wife, Geoscientist, Feminist, & Educator. NAGT-TED Past President, 2009 OEST Recipient. BS /MS Env. Geoscience

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Okay, well ⓵ I did way better than I thought I would and ⓶ definitely learned a few terms I had never heard of before! Anyone think they can beat 77% on this @edutopia.org quiz? www.edutopia.org/quiz/quiz-wh...
77% results on Edutopia quiz
683
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Cian 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (he/him) @cbdawson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Money. Donate money, not goods. So many people like donating something concrete, like a can of food. But food banks can make that dollar go much, much further than you can. Berkeley Food Network: www.berkeleyfoodnetwork.org/get-involved... Alameda County Food Bank: www.accfb.org/give/
268
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"The goal was to destabilize U.S. educational infrastructure and carve out a large space for reactionary indoctrination within it." This is 100% part of the story—of Alpha School's momentum and education overall—and far too often gets left out. Very glad it's appropriately hammered here.
02413
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Dr. Merritt Rae Turetsky @queenofpeat.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I am a mom and scientist begging everyone to look closer at the muck. We’ve been conditioned to see wetlands as wastelands. But three decades of research, I see a fiercely defiant wilderness. The boreal mire is a dynamic carbon-trapping vault that in some places has outlasted ice ages. 1/
A woman scientist - me! - standing over the boreal forest in interior Alaska.
11456122
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Matt Seybold @mattseybold.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
When she suggests that Alpha School is building (& yes marketing) an automated curriculum that’s designed around gaming the AP test, that this curriculum is inconceivable without AP & ETS, & the testing services are willfully complicit, she’s right. And she’s basically the only one talking about it
110112
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Matt Seybold @mattseybold.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Annie was a victim of pile-on of misreadings today. Annie has done more to elucidate the failures of standardized testing & its EdTech partners than anybody. The accusation that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about can only come from those who profoundly don’t know what they’re talking about.
press.jhu.edu
Shortchanged
How Advanced Placement Cheats Students
618136
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Melissa Johnson, PhD @ladyhistorian.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I am tired of having to pretend that the value of studying my discipline solely rests on the "marketable skills" we teach. Sometimes things are just worth knowing and doing because they make your life bigger and richer.
131213247
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Mike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
As someone in a STEM discipline, I really abhor the kind of messaging that Mark describes. The messengers aren’t people who actually care about STEM. It’s really a shorthand for “do something practical, focus on your relation to the labor market”.
1241279
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Alfie Kohn @alfiekohn.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Worth noting that such calls to restrict education to "practical skills" or "the basics" consistently come from the political right (is.gd/xEiGpE), including from Reagan (is.gd/Yy60oT) and, well, Hitler (is.gd/81XjeZ).
is.gd
A Rising Call to Promote STEM Education and Cut Liberal Arts Funding (Published 2016)
At least 15 states offer public education funding incentives for certain high-demand degrees — and humanities majors are not among them.
171
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Mike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Learning to analyze, to question, to pursue knowledge, to build arguments based on evidence, and to discard sophistry: these are values that the sciences, social sciences, and humanities share. And we share the battle to protect this style of inquiry from barbarians who would destroy it.
621438
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
There’s about to be an epic battle in my towns Lowe’s.
Have you inside of Lowe’s hardware store that shows Halloween decorations on one side of the aisle and Christmas decorations on the other Closer view of the mini Halloween decorations, including a large pumpkin head and a large half body skeleton.A close-up view of the Christmas decorations, including a Santa Claus and a snowman .
4364
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
This is an interesting article discussing competing ideas about teaching reading. What makes sense to me is the idea of explicitly teaching phonics and decoding. The NGSS is similar in that it asks teachers to explicitly teach science practices and science thinking skills.  🍎🧬🎢⚒️
1102
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Ruth Zakarin @ruthz.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Raise your boys to be the ones who yell absofuckingloutely not when they see a man spike a woman’s drink. Tell them about what happened at Cornell and their job is to disrupt the group chat and call the police. Teach them that this is what being a man looks like.
430685
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Anybody who would decide to close this museum does not have Philadelphia’s best interests at heart.
11751192
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Marlo Garnsworthy @icebird.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
First, thanks so much for all the kind comments about my manta ray painting! I loved painting this lovely creature. Second... some exciting news. I hope you'll come exploring with me as a Founding Member of the #OceanDevotion Mail Club! www.oceandevotion.studio/mailclub #scicomm
4395
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
You can tell, with all of the explicit ethnic cleansing making everything worse and more expensive, the GOP's next target is just to go all out on gender wars. Everyone on X or Rumble is complaining about nagging women 24/7, with brief respites for holocaust denial. Full 4chan incel GOP incoming.
843519629
Reposted by Laura Hollister
ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 26/09/2026
great piece. man social media is a cancer themomoftheyear.substack.com/p/im-the-mom...
themomoftheyear.substack.com
I’m the Mom in That Viral Giants Clip. Let Me Tell You About My Husband.
You saw me carrying our baby and food. There was more happening in our family that night.
12352791344
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Ummmm… no. Evil is defined as having bad character and or causing harm. The behavior you describe is the literal definition of evil. Words have meaning and you can’t just change them so that you don’t feel like a jerk. Do better dude. 
262
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
There is such a profound difference between a classroom assessment where a teacher is sitting silently at their desk or "proctoring" versus an assessment where a teacher is spending the entire time circling the room supporting, checking in, encouraging, etc. (Hint: the latter is the better one!)
1421133
Reposted by Laura Hollister
ProPublica @propublica.org · 26/09/2026
Hey, ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson here. I’m taking over the account to tell you about my new story. For months, I posed as a problem gambler on DraftKings to test the company's "responsible gaming" safeguards. Spoiler alert: They made me a VIP — and I lost $10K. Here's how it all went down. 🧵
Selfie taken by ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson, a man wearing a backwards baseball cap and an orange T-shirt.
19595833513
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Kavita @brittexkavi.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
So it’s actually really complicated now which I know doesn’t help but this is what I know. This link has an itemized list of recalls. Items labeled w/larger lb quantities generally go to restaurants & small grocers who sell meat by the lb. My local Mexican market was a client.
allrecipes.com
USDA Announces Highest-Level Recall of More Than 167,000 Pounds of Meat
Star Meat Delivery, Inc., in collaboration with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), is recalling over 167,000 pounds of raw beef, pork, and goat. The meat is under a Class I recall a...
13720
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Edutopia @edutopia.org · 26/09/2026
Check out this strategy for reducing cognitive load when students are dysregulated. Shoutout to teacher Ryan Brazil (@‌mrs.brazil_28 on IG) for sharing it with us!
0125
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I will be a fancy person attending the garden party fundraiser tomorrow night.
static.klipy.com
Angela Lansbury in a Fancy Dress
ALT: Angela Lansbury in a Fancy Dress
1131
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Ryan J Hollister @phaneritic.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
If anyone’s in Turlock tomorrow, the Carnegie Art Center is reviving its Garden Party at the Greenery nursery tomorrow night from 6-8pm. I’ll have two photos and a large Lawetlat’la tissue box for sale as a fundraiser. carnegieartsturlock.org/discover/eve...
Outstretched arm holding 34” wide landscape photo of sunset on mountains (Mt Humphreys) with dark clouds above it. Pano of aurora over Pinecrest from 2024z purple fades to pink and green with silhouettes of pine trees in foreground
1268
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Anthony Edwards @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Spoke to @kvprnews.bsky.social about what this El Niño could mean for California, specifically in the central part of the state. www.kvpr.org/podcast/cent...
kvpr.org
Sept. 25: Why Forecasters Are Predicting A Record-Setting El Niño In California
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency ahead of what’s predicted to be a record-setting El Niño. We speak to Anthony Edwards, newsroom meteorologist with the San Francisco Chronicle, about th...
0146
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Oh my God, this is Amazing! Go bug go!!
4243
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Jeff Lazarus @jlazarus.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This is Nazi rhetoric. Not similar. Not Nazi-like. It’s straight up lebensraum.
362971908
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Anne Lutz Fernandez @lutzfernandez.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Recommended reading:
hep.gse.harvard.edu
The Privateers
⭑ PROSE Award Finalist A deep-dive investigation of education privatization that reveals voucher programs as the faulty products of decades of work by wea...
063
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"Pay attention to people" was the reminder I got recently from a beautiful funeral service a couple weeks ago. I think sometimes we talk too much about students not paying attention and instead should talk about adults paying attention to the wrong things. I think we need to pay better attention.
jotted-down notes for Week 2 as a teacher: "pay attention to people"
1152
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Le Monde in English @english.lemonde.fr · 25/09/2026
Amnesty International calls for ICE to be abolished
lemonde.fr
Amnesty International calls for ICE to be abolished
In a report titled 'We Had Whistles, They Had Guns,' the NGO documents widespread human rights violations committed by ICE in the United States.
383198046330
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Ani Bundel @anibundel.com · 25/09/2026
An openAI system is doing what it was programmed to do because it does not have agency. Every time we accept the framing that anthropomorphizes these programs made by jumped up horny white men, we are accepting their propaganda.
27013
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Lucky Earther @reedjam.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
You know when the kids get to sniping and bickering and it's really no one person and seems to be the whole class? Yesterday I told them, "We're a class; we're a community. We're all trying to graduate. Let's build each other up and not tear each other down." And. That. Worked.
2304
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Having an insight in a philosophy seminar, or understanding a literary character in a way that opens up new understandings of the people and things around you, or being exposed to a new idea in the social sciences that allows you to make better sense of your shared world--these are exhilarating!
318814
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Dr. Earyn McGee @afroherper.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Language is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways of letting people know they belong in a space. Noosing is not only non inclusive language but it is also inaccurate. Herpetologist catch lizards to collect data then we release them.
1493
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Teacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Text image with a quote: "Today I told the 'why is six afraid of seven' joke to a class of first graders who had either never heard it, or just suddenly understood it. Three kids literally fell out of their chairs and rolled on the floor. Apex moment, never topping it." —Caitlin, Elementary Teacher. There is an orange quotation mark at the top and a logo with a stylized number "2" at the bottom.
081
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Check out my ⁨Disasterproof conversation on extreme weather in a warming climate--including why improved prediction doesn't always lead to better outcomes, what's needed to "decouple" hazard from disaster, & my honest appraisal of emerging climate tech.
youtube.com
Daniel Swain and the Science of Disaster Prediction
What does it actually take to predict a disaster? As wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other disasters intensify, one climate scientist has become one of the most trusted voices helping the public make sense of it all before it happens. In this episode of Disasterproof, Kat sits down with Daniel S
211735
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution @whoi.edu · 24/09/2026
Celebrating oceanographer Marie Tharp’s induction into the 2026 Women's Hall of Fame! 🥳🎉 Born in 1920, at a time when there were few options for women in science, Tharp revolutionized our understanding of the ocean floor. Learn more about this year’s inductees: go.whoi.edu/womens-hall-of-fame
18928
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Cian 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (he/him) @cbdawson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
'violating consent by design' is exactly the succinct phrase I was searching for when talking about the new apple watch features
183
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Jennifer Gonzalez @cultofpedagogy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"I realized my students didn’t need more activities—they needed more opportunities to practice the same decoding skills in a focused, connected way." Jess Dalrymple via @edutopia.org www.edutopia.org/article/15-m...
edutopia.org
A 15-Minute Small Group Routine That Builds Stronger Decoding Skills
This simple, time-saving structure targets one phonics pattern at a time until students master it.
293
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Cian 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (he/him) @cbdawson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
We're updating our starter pack of @agu.org accts on BlueSky before AGU26! Any new AGU accts join BlueSky this last year? If you know of any AGU committee, section, or program acct missing from the pack, please let me know. ⚒️🧪 go.bsky.app/TXCbKjJ Please share, to help us cast a wide net. Thanks!
174
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Three reasons I shared for @edutopia.org last spring: ⓵ lack of transparency (infuriating!!) ⓶ different norms for students v. adults ⓷ consequences of prioritizing efficiency www.edutopia.org/article/teac...
edutopia.org
What Worries Me About Teachers’ Use of AI
A high school teacher reflects on how adult choices around AI use—particularly their approaches to transparency and focus on efficiency—can affect classroom culture.
0172
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Every year or 2 for the past 10 years my district has made changes to the essential biology standards. Because this sets up content differently the lesson sequences are different each time. Consequently I have been writing new curriculum nearly every day for 10 years. I am so tired.
6292
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Artologica aka Michele Banks @artologica.net · 24/09/2026
#sciart
715749
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
😳
272
Reposted by Laura Hollister
McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 24/09/2026
"Heavily drink warm bourbon from mason jars while swathed in an L.L. Bean Hudson Bay blanket and start a small bonfire using J. Crew catalogs as kindling." buff.ly/ux2yV5x
buff.ly
Fall DIY Projects That Help Numb the Pain of Existence
“Find an abandoned barn and weave excessive amounts of string lights through the rafters until you’re satisfied with your oversized altar to fall. Heavily dr...
19714
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Dr. Wendy Bohon @drwendyrocks.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
An educator in Scotland asked me if I would be willing to create a short video about my path and career that they could play at career day at their school. I figured since I was making it anyway I would share it here as well! 🧪 🪨
08417
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Ryan J Hollister @phaneritic.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
New big-box Mammoth tissue box cover prototype. Which side of the mountain do you think looks better facing the text? Start of vid is view from town, the reversed side at end of video is the slope facing away from town.
11375
Laura Hollister @xenolith.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This!!!
1162
Reposted by Laura Hollister
CalMatters @calmatters.org · 22/09/2026
Opinion | They say food is medicine. But maybe cooking that food on a stove that won’t pollute your home is akin to medicine, too. cal.news/4jg8274 📝 Matt Vespa 📸 Damian Dovarganes, AP
Southern California Gas Co. workers finish repairs after clamping a leaking gas line in a West Whittier neighborhood on Sept. 14, 2023. Photo by Damian Dovarganes, AP Photo
1236
Reposted by Laura Hollister
Perry Bacon @perrybaconjr.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"It is perfectly honest to say, 'I chose a private school because I want the best for my kid, but it is also true that private schools are bad for society and do more to reproduce inequality than to remedy it." Great @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social piece. www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/private-sc...
hamiltonnolan.com
Private Schools Are Bad for Society
The starting point for any honest discussion.
48896313