The Truth Be Told: It's Clear as Mud!

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In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin takes us to the small-group reading table, where one second grader’s honest declaration—“It’s clear as mud”—becomes the heart of a bigger lesson about teaching and learning. With humor and heart, Dr. Pepin reflects on why confusion is not failure, but a powerful step toward growth.

She reminds us that the “mud moments” in literacy instruction aren’t setbacks—they’re invitations. Invitations for teachers to slow down, lean in, and create a safe space where students can say, “I’m not there yet, but I’m willing to try.”

Join Dr. Pepin as she celebrates the messy, magical journey of reading development, offering encouragement for every teacher who’s ever had a lesson land less than perfectly. Because when we’re willing to wade through the mud together, that’s when the real breakthroughs—and the real magic—happen.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:24):
Teacher to Teacher, where we celebrate the messy,
magical, meaningful moments ofliteracy learning.
I am Dr.
Gina Pepin, and today's storycomes straight from the small
group table during a readingintervention session with one of
my favorite first grade truthtellers.
So we were knee deep in decodingsome multisyllabic words,

(00:49):
bullfrog, sunset moment, youknow, all the really fun ones.
And I had just explained a newchunking strategy and modeled it
really slowly.
I looked up feeling hopeful andasked, does it make sense?
And this student, withoutmissing a beat, tilts his head
and goes, it's clear as mud.

(01:09):
I mean, he wasn't wrong, and Iloved him for saying it, because
that moment reminded me ofsomething essential that we
sometimes forget in ourcarefully planned, color-coded
lessons.
Learning doesn't always land thefirst time, or even the fifth.
Sometimes the most valuableresponse a student can give us

(01:32):
is an honest one.
When a student says it's clearas mud, they're not just being
silly, they're trusting us.
They're opening a window intotheir confusion, saying I'm not
there yet, but I'm willing tokeep trying if you'll keep
showing me.
And that is really powerful.

(01:52):
So as a reading specialist, Idon't expect every child to
leave my table readingShakespeare, but I do expect to
create a space where it's safeto say, this still feels really
muddy.
Because learning to read is notlinear.
It's full of detours, sinkholes,and yes, mud.

(02:13):
Our job isn't just to pave theroad.
Sometimes it's to jump in thepuddle with them, to splash
around and say, yep, this istricky, but let's wade through
it together.
So to the teachers listeningtoday, celebrate the mud moments
because they're honest, they'rereal, and they're the beginning

(02:37):
of true breakthroughs.
Because eventually after enoughpractice and enough support and
enough room to be confused, themud clears and patterns will
click and confidence builds.
And those same students willsomeday look up and say, hey, I
get it now.

(02:57):
And when that happens, oh, it'sreal magic.
Thanks for joining me today onLet's Talk Teacher to Teacher.
Remember, the most meaningfullearning sometimes starts right
where it's murkiest.
And the best educators, they'renot afraid to get a little

(03:17):
muddy.
Until next time, I'm Dr.
Gina Pepin, cheering you on fromthe small group table.

UNKNOWN (03:25):
Music