In this podcast episode, the host welcomes Janet Nesir, 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32:41 Challenging Outdated Teaching Practices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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