Heart Work / Rewriting a Literacy Crisis
Rewriting a Literacy Crisis
Reading scores have dropped to historic lows.
Something isn’t working, and the search for answers has never been more urgent. But is it too late? Across the country, educators are proving that change is possible. This collection of Heart Work explores how.
Podcast Episodes
In this three-part podcast series, former broadcast journalist and educator 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?
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Bonus Episode
Library
Articles
Read more from voices in education working to understand and solve the reading crisis.
How Great Leadership Starts with Great Partnership
Navigating instructional change isn’t easy. It can be an anxious, messy, and even contentious process. In this blog post, Lauren asks how leadership can strengthen that work by building trust and inviting teachers into the process — and explores how meaningful progress depends on shared ownership rather than top-down direction.
What Reading Comprehension Is Really About
with Natalie Wexler
In this interview, renowned education writer Natalie Wexler discusses how the science of reading became a national focus, why reading comprehension depends on knowledge, and what it takes to embrace meaningful change.
A Letter to My First-Year Teacher Self: What I Wish I Knew Then
A career in education has a way of shaping you in unexpected ways. If you’re in your first year or know someone who is, this letter is for you. Lauren Keeling’s reflection on her early teaching days is a reminder that the lessons that matter most are often the ones we didn’t expect.
An Honest Talk on What Reading Change Really Takes
with Megan Gierka and Nicole Ormandy
In this interview with Lauren Keeling, Implementation Specialists Megan Gierka, Ed.D., and Nicole Ormandy, M.S.Ed., reflect on what it takes to bring the science of reading from theory to practice — and how real progress starts with small wins, clear goals, and partnership between leaders and teachers.
The Case for Knowledge Building in Reading Instruction
For every young reader, there’s a quiet moment when learning to read stops being about sounding out words. But what follows? Lauren explores the shift and reflects on how we move from the “reading wars” toward a model of literacy that honors both the science of reading and the humanity of why we learn to read.
Reading list
The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It
Natalie Wexler
Reading Recess Podcast
Nicole Ormandy & Megan Gierka
Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong Podcast
Emily Hanford
About the Host
Lauren Keeling is a seasoned education professional with a unique blend of experiences. A former broadcast journalist, elementary teacher, and principal, she now combines her passion for education with her love of storytelling at Imagine Learning. Above all, Lauren is a dedicated literacy advocate pursuing a doctorate in Leadership with a focus on Public and Non-Profit Organizations to further her impact on education nationwide.
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