In this episode of the Teacher Shortage Crisis Podcast, Trina, Amanda, and Jess delve into the issues of school climate and culture. The conversation centers on how chaotic, unsafe environments contribute to the teacher shortage, particularly in urban and marginalized communities. They critique programs like PBIS and various character education curriculums, arguing that these often fail to address the root causes of behavioral issues and lack student and teacher buy-in. Jess shares her experiences from different schools, noting significant changes in student behavior post-pandemic. The episode also touches on the systemic problems in education, including inadequate responses to sexual violence and the broader implications for teacher recruitment and retention. The hosts emphasize the need to empower students and teachers to create sustainable changes in school environments.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
02:55 Defining Climate and Culture in Schools
08:43 Personal Experiences with School Climate
16:21 Character Education Programs: Leader in Me
27:09 Critique of PBIS and Behavioral Interventions
34:43 Critique of PBIS and ABA Systems
36:07 Issues with Reward Systems in Schools
37:47 Behavioral Expectations and School Policies
40:00 Impact of the Pandemic on Student Behavior
42:09 Challenges in Teaching Post-Pandemic
45:49 Sexual Harassment and Title IX in Schools49:23 Teacher Shortages and Systemic Issues
01:01:21 Union Efforts and Teacher Contracts
01:05:43 Conclusion and Call to Action

www.teachershortagecrisis.com
Petition to Save K-12 Schooling and our Precious Democracy!

The episode is a candid, unscripted reaction to the 2024 election results, featuring Trina and Amanda. They strive to maintain an apolitical focus despite having strong political opinions. The podcast underscores the importance of working across political lines to address the issues in K-12 education, and the role teachers play in fostering critical thinking in students. Trina shares her belief that the failures in K-12 education are contributing to the erosion of democracy and emphasizes the need for teachers' voices in educational policy.

Amanda adds that teachers have historically managed to facilitate constructive conversations without political bias, and they discuss the broader implications of the election, including threats to the Department of Education and the impact on marginalized student populations. They argue for campaign finance reform and more civics education to combat societal issues such as illiteracy and political ignorance.

The discussion includes references to a "This American Life" episode about political and income inequality, and both hosts call for more teacher involvement in governance. They stress the importance of unity and love across political divisions and invite listeners to join and contribute to the ongoing conversation about improving K-12 education and protecting democracy.

Link to the "This American Life" episode referenced: "It's My Party and I'll Try if I Want To."

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Episode
00:41 The Role of Politics in Education
02:14 Election Results and Teacher Reactions
06:38 The Importance of Apolitical Teaching
12:51 The Importance of Civics Education
15:51 Addressing Literacy and Income Inequality
21:53 The Need for Teacher Involvement in Policy
35:36 Conclusion and Call to Action

www.teachershortagecrisis.com
Petition to Save K-12 Schooling and our Precious Democracy!

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

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