My Child Can’t Read: A Heartland Crisis
In classrooms across America — and especially here in Kansas — too many children are being left behind in reading. And too often, their parents and teachers are left wondering: What did I miss? Why didn’t anyone tell me? Hosted by Jesica Glover — a National Board Certified teacher, reading specialist, and parent who couldn’t help her own daughter learn to read — this podcast explores the literacy crisis in Kansas and across the country. Through real stories and expert insight, we uncover how reading is actually learned, where schools are falling short, and what families and educators can do to change it. Each episode combines real stories, expert insight, and a look at the science of how reading works — From early warning signs and misdiagnoses to bold reforms and grassroots change, My Child Can’t Read traces a powerful journey from heartbreak to hope. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or policymaker, this podcast helps you understand what went wrong — and what we can do to make it right, right here in the Heartland.
Episodes
Season 2 Bonus Episode: When the Teacher Gets It — Literacy is Unlocked for Everyone w/Tammy Kofford
In this special bonus episode of My Child Can’t Read: A Heartland Crisis, host Jesica Glover sits down with Tammy Kofford, whose 30-year journey from classroom confusion to literacy transformation captures the heart of our bonus title: When the Teacher Gets It, Literacy is Unlocked for Everyone.
Tammy’s story begins in the era of whole language, where teachers were told that reading would come “naturally.” It wasn’t unt...
Mississippi has gone from near the bottom to top 10 in the nation for fourth-grade reading — and other states are following its lead. In this episode, we explore the blueprint behind Mississippi’s success: statewide alignment, sustained professional learning, intensive coaching, strategic assessment, and university partnerships. We also look at what Kansas can learn from these models and the actions parents, ...
Show Notes:
What actually happens in the brain when a child learns to read?
In this episode, host Jesica Glover explores the neuroscience behind reading — uncovering why the Science of Reading works from a biological standpoint and how understanding the brain’s reading circuitry can transform how we teach.
You’ll hear from experts, educators, and Kansas leaders who explain what decades of research have revealed about decoding, comp...
Show notes: What happens when a school doesn’t just talk about the Science of Reading — but builds everything around it? In this episode, Jesica takes listeners inside the Phillips Fundamental Learning Center in Wichita, Kansas — a place where reading science meets compassion and children who once struggled to read are now thriving. Through powerful stories from parents, assessors, teachers, and leaders, we explore what’s possible...
Show Notes
If we know how children learn to read, why are so many schools still getting it wrong? In this episode, Jesica dives into the science behind phonics, the pitfalls of whole language and balanced literacy, and the systemic barriers keeping effective reading instruction out of classrooms.
You’ll hear from reading researchers, school leaders, literacy specialists and parents who have seen firsthand the difference structured ...
Watching a child struggle to read can feel heartbreaking—and for parents and teachers, it’s easy to feel powerless. In this bonus episode of My Child Can’t Read: A Heartland Crisis, host Jesica Glover sits down with Tammi Hope, Director of Program Development at Phillips Fundamental Learning Center (PFLC), to hear how belief, the right tools, and a child-centered approach are transforming literacy education in Kansas. This episode ...
What if every child had access to the kind of instruction that transforms lives?
In our Season 1 finale, we revisit the journey of Austin, once a struggling 6-year-old, now a thriving 17-year-old scoring in the top percentiles on the ACT. His story reminds us what’s possible when kids are finally taught to read with proven methods.
This episode takes a hard look at Kansas literacy outcomes, where only 28% of fourth graders are pro...
What if I told you it was never your fault?
Many teachers care deeply — so why do so many children still struggle to read?
In this eye-opening episode, we explore the myth of balanced literacy, the widespread training gaps in teacher preparation, and the emotional toll on students and families. We follow the powerful journey of Jeanine Phillips — a Kansas teacher and mom who discovered her own dyslexia in college and then fought ...
What if everything you believed about how kids learn to read… was wrong?
In this Season 1 premiere, host Jesica Glover — a mom, former reading specialist, and once-struggling reader herself — shares her family’s journey through confusion, frustration, and discovery. This episode uncovers how our education system lost sight of how reading really works… and why so many parents and teachers were left in the dark.
You’ll hear from br...
Too many kids are struggling to read — and too many parents and teachers are left without answers. But the fact is Reading failure is not inevitable. It’s a problem with a solution. But we need to act.
Hosted by Jesica Glover — a National Board Certified teacher and parent whose own...
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