Reading Companion Notes

Notes from a former 16-year ELA teacher building reading-comprehension tools. What teachers are saying. What the data shows. What I'm trying to figure out.

The Yawning Chasm: 16 Years in the Classroom and a Reddit Post That Said It Better Than I Ever Could Have

I taught ELA for 16 years. A custodian on Reddit just said the most clear-eyed thing I've ever read about why the curriculum doesn't fit the kids. She's right.

April 30, 2026·5 min read·Chris Baarstad

The AI Panic Is the Calculator Panic. We Already Lost This Argument Once.

We've been here before. Twice. An unpopular take on AI in ELA classrooms from someone who taught through both prior tech panics.

March 25, 2026·6 min read·Chris Baarstad