On this episode of Some Things Considered, I spoke with Walt Hunter — senior associate dean at Case Western Reserve University, professor of 20th- and 21st-century literature, poetry editor at The Atlantic, and author of the poetry collection Some Flowers.

The conversation began with the Atlantic essay that prompted the invitation: "Stop Meeting Students Where They Are."

It's a provocative title — but the thesis is bracing rather than punitive. Hunter argues that in an era defined by devices, distraction, AI, and cultural impatience, educators must resist the impulse to lower expectations in the name of accessibility. Instead of asking what students already consume, he asks what they might rise to.

Sometimes "meeting students where they are" really means: don't risk difficulty. Don't demand depth. Don't make anyone uncomfortable.

We're living in a moment of ambient anti-intellectualism — where if something doesn't monetize, scale, or optimize, it's treated as ornamental. The arts are expected to justify themselves in ways business or athletics never are.

Walt's pushback is simple but disruptive:

Raise the bar.

Don't assume students can't handle complexity. Don't pre-digest poetry because you're afraid they won't "get it." Don't panic about AI before reconsidering whether your assignments are worth doing.

If a student doesn't understand calculus on the first day, we don't scrap calculus. We teach it.

Why do we treat poetry differently?

The deeper issue isn't devices. It's belief.

Belief that difficulty is formative.
Belief that rigor is respect.
Belief that students can rise.

Poetry, Walt argues, is an analog act in a culture obsessed with optimization. It tracks what matters — not to improve our efficiency, but to deepen our humanity.

Walt Hunter is senior associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of 20th- and 21st-century literature in the department of English at Case Western Reserve University. Hunter is fiction and poetry editor for The Atlantic. In addition to two books of literary criticism, Hunter is also the author of a collection of poetry, Some Flowers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/althunter/?hl=en

Website: https://walthunter.com/

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

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