In this episode, Trina and Amanda discuss the challenges and emotional turbulence surrounding the recent election. Trina begins by acknowledging the difficulty in having an apolitical conversation about the election but emphasizes the necessity of giving teachers a voice. She and Amanda assert that being anti-Trump is not synonymous with being anti-Republican and underscores the harm Trump's policies could inflict on education, particularly on low-income and special education students.

Amanda shares her perspective, stressing the need to respect differing viewpoints and the importance of discussing political matters in a manner that respects students' and parents' beliefs. The conversation pivots to the hardships teachers face, including navigating the tumultuous events which were spun through the lens of political dogma such as COVID-19, the climate disasters, and the ever-changing political landscape without sufficient support.

Trina delves into deeper systemic issues, such as illiteracy and the influence of oligarchical power structures on American democracy. She critiques both political parties for their roles in perpetuating these problems and advocates for campaign finance reform and increased civics education. Amanda echoes these sentiments, emphasizing the need for teachers to be more involved in the governance of education and the necessity of a strong, reformed Department of Education.

The episode concludes with both speakers calling for unity and the bridging of political divides among educators to combat the current crisis in K-12 education. They invite listeners to join the conversation, regardless of their political affiliation, and to support the movement to save K-12 schooling.

00:00 Introduction and Purpose
00:33 The Challenge of Being Apolitical
01:29 Critique of Trump and the Republican Party
04:30 The Struggles of Teachers
06:04 The Role of External Forces
06:42 Illiteracy and Education System Failures
15:18 The Importance of Civics Education
23:24 Campaign Finance Reform
26:27 Conclusion and Call to Action

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In this podcast episode, the host welcomes Janet Nasir, a veteran second-grade reading teacher and instructional coach in Southern California. Jess and Trina engage in a discussion with Janet, who shares her extensive experiences and challenges with reading instruction in the U.S. Janet details her journey from teaching middle school to second grade, highlighting the systemic issues she encountered that lead to inadequate foundational reading skills instruction. They explore the broader implications of illiteracy on society and the need for comprehensive, explicit phonics instruction. Trina introduces a solution framework involving seasoned reading teachers mentoring new teachers to improve literacy rates. The episode culminates in a discussion on the importance of reading in a democratic society and the potential for systemic change.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:27 Janet's Teaching Journey
03:06 Challenges in Reading Instruction
03:47 Middle School Reading Struggles
06:31 Teacher Training Gaps
09:42 Blame and Systemic Issues
14:05 RICA and Teacher Assessments
17:47 Learning to Teach Reading
21:55 Pandemic and Self-Education
24:50 Impact of Effective Phonics Instruction
32:41 Challenging Outdated Teaching Practices
33:46 Personal Experiences with Reading Instruction
34:48 The Problem with Current Reading Programs
37:46 Introducing a New Solution
51:12 The Importance of Literacy Rates
01:02:47 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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In this episode of the Teacher Shortage Crisis Podcast, hosts Amanda Werner, Jessica Martin, and Trina English introduce their new comedic segment, 'Bizarro Scenarios,' to share funny, weird, and sometimes tragic stories from K-12 education. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!

They share humorous anecdotes about misunderstandings with students and the challenges of using humor in the classroom. The episode also delves into more serious topics, like the misappropriation of funds by school superintendents and its impact on teachers and students. The hosts invite listeners to submit their own bizarre stories and join them in their mission to save public education.

00:00 Introduction to the Teacher Shortage Crisis Podcast
01:10 Introducing Bizarro Scenarios
04:29 First Bizarro Scenario: The Punny Misunderstanding
07:35 Teacher Humor Gone Wrong
11:35 Amanda's Awkward Classroom Moment
16:12 Weird Stuff Kids Say
19:56 Awkward Icebreakers and Funny Classroom Moments
21:38 A Tragic Story: School District Mismanagement
22:38 The Fallout: Teacher Cuts and Budget Issues
26:03 Corruption in K-12 Leadership
28:39 Misappropriation of Funds and Its Impact
31:57 The Chromebook Conundrum
36:15 Wrapping Up: Call to Action


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Title: Reading Instruction is a MESS in the US

Summary:

In a candid conversation, Trina and Jess discuss the significant challenges facing reading instruction in the United States. The discussion touches upon the struggles both have encountered in teaching reading, the flawed methodologies like the queuing method and whole language approach, and systemic issues in the educational framework. Jess shares her frustrations with a strict, ineffective curriculum that has led her to leave a previous school. They both emphasize the importance of phonics while acknowledging that a balanced approach is crucial for effective reading instruction.

Trina highlights the poor literacy rates in the U.S., referencing her own struggles in getting data and the alarming findings from sources like the CIA World Factbook and the U.S. Department of Education, which suggests that the country may have a literacy rate as low as 64%. They discuss the impact of socioeconomic factors, the importance of veteran teacher knowledge, and the need for meaningful investments in teacher support rather than over-reliance on pre-packaged curriculums.

Throughout the discussion, they advocate for the creation of highly paid veteran reading teachers who can support new teachers, emphasizing the need for a professional designation recognizing teacher leaders. They conclude with a call to action, inviting listeners to sign a petition advocating for these necessary changes in the education system.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Setup
02:53 Teaching Experiences in Oakland
04:15 Understanding Reading and Language Acquisition
05:17 The History of Written Language
06:44 Challenges of Teaching Reading
24:29 Comparing Literacy Across Cultures
29:29 Addressing Literacy Issues in the U.S.
38:08 The Challenges of Teaching Reading
38:39 The Impact of Hiring New Teachers
40:42 Economic Factors Affecting Education
42:12 The Decline in Literacy Rates
47:39 The Debate Over Reading Instruction Methods
56:11 Proposed Solutions for Improving Reading Education
56:59 The Importance of Veteran Teachers
01:09:45 Conclusion and Call to Action

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In this episode of the Teacher Shortage Crisis Podcast, the focus is on the oppressive nature of the U.S. educational system, particularly for individuals with learning disabilities. The host interviews Shelly Gonzalez, who shares her journey of navigating school with a reading disability. Shelly discusses the emotional challenges, lack of adequate support from the educational system, and the impact on her family. The narrative covers personal experiences of being moved to lower-level classes, the role of supportive art teachers, and struggles with self-esteem. Additionally, Shelly reflects on her career choices, from attending a technical school to joining a male-dominated welding profession and ultimately working in law enforcement. The episode underscores the need for systemic reforms, early reading instruction, and the importance of personal support and resilience. It also highlights the association between dyslexia, creativity, and other learning challenges, while offering valuable insights and advice for teachers, parents, and students.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast's Mission
00:52 Shelly's Early Struggles with Reading
02:06 Navigating School with a Learning Disability
08:20 Shelly's Middle School Challenges
11:06 High School and Special Education
23:37 Impact on Self-Esteem and Career Choices
25:40 Post-High School Decisions and Support
28:15 Financial Struggles and Debt
28:41 Welding Career Path
28:55 Reading Challenges and Dyslexia
30:32 Parenting Fears and Dyslexia
32:57 Acceptance and Adaptation
36:06 Overcoming Educational Hurdles
39:52 Support Systems and Encouragement
44:34 Law Enforcement Career
48:59 Art and Creativity
50:08 Reflecting on Personal Growth
51:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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This episode centers on a discussion about teacher pay, featuring Trina and Dr. Paul Bruno from the University of Illinois. The conversation highlights the complexity and inadequacies of teacher compensation systems, particularly focusing on the disparity in pay between veteran and novice teachers, the rigidity of step and column salary schedules, and the broader socio-economic challenges impacting education funding and teacher retention.

Trina emphasizes issues such as the historical underpayment of teachers due to structural sexism, while both underscore the significant differences in teaching conditions and pay across districts and states, and the lack of effective support for teachers in high-cost urban areas.

They call for a reevaluation of teacher pay structures, better support systems, and broader socio-economic reforms to address these issues.

00:00 Introduction: The Future of Education

00:18 The Teacher Shortage Crisis

00:57 Teacher Pay: A Complex Issue

01:57 Insights from Dr. Paul Bruno

03:34 Challenges in Teacher Compensation

05:31 The Importance of Differential Pay

13:43 Veteran Teachers and Systemic Inequities

29:32 The Role of School Districts and Administrators

46:21 The Impact of Housing Costs

53:45 Conclusion: A Call to Action

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In this podcast episode, Trina introduces an episode recorded with Amanda and Dr. Paul Bruno, co-author of a critical article on the teacher shortage crisis. She discusses the major findings of Dr. Bruno's article, emphasizing the chaos in data reporting and the challenges it brings to understanding the true scope of the teacher shortage.

Dr. Paul Bruno provides nuanced insights into how teacher vacancies and lack of veteran teachers particularly impact student learning. The podcast delves into the methodology Dr. Bruno used in his research, challenges in collecting reliable data, and how local control in the education system complicates efforts to quantify and solve the shortage problem. Dr. Bruno suggests targeted solutions and improved data collection to address the issues effectively.

In the interview, Trina and Dr. Bruno exchange thoughts on the necessity and efficacy of teacher preparation programs, the impact of local control on K-12 educational governance, and potential solutions like differential pay for hard-to-staff positions and promoting teacher leadership. They conclude with a call to recognize and address the highly localized nature of teacher shortages and their profound impact on disadvantaged students.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Context

00:29 Teacher Shortage Crisis Overview

01:33 Challenges in Data and Accountability

02:23 Debating the Terms: Shortage vs. Crisis

05:06 Impact of Teacher Shortages on Students

07:50 Special Education and Teacher Ratios

09:33 Veteran Teachers and Retention Issues

13:18 Introducing Dr. Paul Bruno

14:11 Dr. Bruno's Background and Research

16:52 Understanding the Teacher Shortage

32:01 Methodology and Data Collection

45:08 Teacher Turnover and Certification Concerns

46:06 Impact of Overseas Hiring on Teacher Numbers

47:13 Teacher Roles and Class Sizes

48:55 Veteran Teacher Retention Issues

50:25 Challenges in Teacher Credentialing

59:49 Data Availability on Teacher Shortages

01:05:59 Local Control and Its Impact on Data

01:08:20 Proposed Solutions for Teacher Shortages

01:23:23 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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In this episode, Amanda shares a deeply personal story about her family's struggles with reading and the educational system. The narrative begins with Amanda recounting her own challenges in a special reading class in third grade, only to realize it was a lesser struggle compared to her sister's. Amanda's sister had significant difficulties with reading, eventually diagnosed with dyslexia, leading the family to invest in extensive phonics programs. Amanda describes the emotional and financial toll these struggles had on her family, including her sister's sense of isolation and the inadequacy of the school's support.

The story transitions to Amanda's experience as a teacher. She shares various strategies and observations throughout her teaching career to help struggling readers, highlighting systemic issues in education. Amanda details an innovative, self-created guided reading program, the obstacles she faced, and the mixed success. She acknowledges the significant gap in teaching reading effectively, pointing to a lack of proper training for teachers in phonics and reading interventions.

The episode concludes with Trina and Amanda discussing potential solutions, including the need for trained volunteers or retired teachers to provide targeted phonics instruction, and calls for systemic change to prioritize and compensate high-quality reading instruction in schools. The segment ends with a call to action for education reform to address reading challenges and support all students.

00:00 Introduction: A Personal Story of Struggling to Read
02:23 Family Challenges with Learning Disabilities
05:26 Sister's Journey: From Struggles to Success
07:14 Transition to Teaching: College and Early Career
08:45 First Teaching Job: Elementary School Experience
09:31 Innovative Teaching Methods and Challenges
11:04 The Importance of Reading Engagement
11:19 Charter School Experience and Student Challenges
12:00 Addressing Reading Struggles in the Classroom
13:08 The Need for Proper Teacher Training
15:50 Pilot Program for Reading Intervention
22:43 Reflections on Teaching and Reading Instruction
27:23 Conclusion: The Need for Empowering Teachers

Visit teachershortagecrisis.com to join the movement of teachers speaking up about the mess in K-12 Education in the United States.

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Petition to Save K-12 Schooling and our Precious Democracy!