Heart Work

Across the country, a movement for change is taking hold in a desperate attempt to improve reading scores. In this first episode, host Lauren Keeling reflects on her own experience with the reading crisis and visits Pendergast Elementary District, where a bold overhaul of reading is underway. Listen now to hear what happens when a district bets big on change. 

Discover more: imaginelearning.com/heart-work/literacy-crisis

Host: Lauren Keeling

Series Producer and Director: Justyna Welsh

Producer & Writer: Anise Lee

Producer: Danny McPadden

Recording Engineer: Dan Victory

Audio Editor & Mixer: Fraser Allan

Artwork: Ellen Forsyth

Location Recording Team: David Sexton, Danny McPadden, and Kristan Crawford

Executive Producer: David McGinty

A big thank you to the Pendergast School District, Ramiro Alvarez, and Kelsie Pennington for welcoming us into their schools — and all the educators and students who opened their classrooms and shared their stories with us for this episode. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reading scores have dropped to historic lows. Something isn’t working, and the search for answers has never been more urgent. Can a new approach make a difference? 

In this three-part series, Lauren Keeling travels to Arizona and Pennsylvania, tracing the journeys of two districts pushing for reading reform — one several years in, the other just beginning. What will it take to turn scores around? Listen and find out. Featuring esteemed education author Natalie Wexler and implementation specialists Nicole Ormandy and Megan Gierka. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the series finale of Heart Work, Lauren talks to renowned author Natalie Wexler, a leading voice for change in teaching reading comprehension, and ends her journey where it began, back in the Pendergast School District. This time, she has one question: has shifting to the science of reading been worth it? Listen and find out.

Lauren's Recommendations: https://bit.ly/3POa3Yp

Presenter: Lauren Keeling

Senior Producer: Justyna Welsh

Producer & Writer: Anise Lee

Recording Engineer, Audio Editor & Mixer: Fraser Allan

Location Recording Team: Danny McPadden, Kristan Crawford, and David Sexton.

Executive Producer: David McGinty

Special thanks to the Pendergast School District, Ramiro Alvarez, Kelsie Pennington, the educators and students who spoke with us for this episode, and from Imagine Learning, Monica Gilfillan and her team, and Kim Sadler. The music is from Universal Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lauren continues her investigation into the science of reading. This time, she joins over 600 educators in the School District of Philadelphia as they take their first steps in implementing the science of reading at an in-person training session. She also talks to influential teacher leaders driving this monumental change and chats all things implementation with Nicole Ormandy and Dr. Megan Gierka. What does a pedagogical shift at such a scale look like? Listen and find out.

Lauren's Recommendations: https://bit.ly/3POa3Yp

Presenter: Lauren Keeling

Senior Producer: Justyna Welsh

Producer & Writer: Anise Lee

Recording Engineer, Audio Editor & Mixer: Fraser Allan

Location Recording Team: Danny McPadden & Wallace Wetherspoon

Executive Producer: David McGinty

Special thanks to the School District of Philadelphia, Erin Serock, Dr. Jermaine Dawson, Antoine O'Karma, and all the educators who spoke with us for this episode. From Imagine Learning, Monica Gilfillan and her team, and Kim Sadler. The music is from Universal Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet your host, Lauren Keeling, a former kindergarten teacher and elementary principal, as she shares her science of reading story. You’ll also hear from educators and students in the Pendergast Elementary School District, a community three years into transforming their reading instruction. Has it made an impact? And what does the science of reading sound like? Join her and find out. 

Lauren's Recommendations: https://bit.ly/3POa3Yp

Presenter: Lauren Keeling

Senior Producer: Justyna Welsh

Producer & Writer: Anise Lee

Recording Engineer, Audio Editor & Mixer: Fraser Allan

Location Recording Team: Danny McPadden, Kristan Crawford, and David Sexton.

Executive Producer: David McGinty

Special thanks to the Pendergast School District, Ramiro Alvarez, Kelsie Pennington, the educators and students who spoke with us for this episode, and from Imagine Learning, Monica Gilfillan and her team, and Kim Sadler. The music is from Universal Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. students are struggling to read, and scores have dropped to levels not seen since the 1990s — it's a nationwide crisis. As states strive to increase scores, more and more have passed laws or implemented policies related to the science of reading. But what is the science of reading, and what does it actually look like in the classroom?

In this three-part series, Lauren Keeling, a former kindergarten teacher and elementary principal, investigates how a district ensures success when adopting a new pedagogical approach and whether the science of reading really impacts reading scores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.