Join us on this special episode of Out of Office brought to you by Families Fund, where Kartik Sathappan and Jack Dwyer sit down with Karen Kirchner — a California elementary school teacher — to break down what’s really happening inside public schools today.
Karen shares how COVID, politics, and outdated literacy methods have collided to leave kids behind — and what it will take to turn things around. We explore why teachers get so little respect, how the “science of reading” can transform classrooms, and what parents should look for when evaluating their children’s education. From the rise of AI tutors to the false promise of endless tech in the classroom, this conversation cuts through the noise to spotlight what strong schools actually do right.
𝕏 Follow Karen: https://www.instagram.com/karenkirchnr/
🔗 Learn more about Families Fund: https://www.families.fund
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Chapters:
00:00 The State of Reading Scores and Education Systems
21:25 Science of Reading vs. Balanced Literacy + Teacher Training
29:55 Multi-Sensory Learning, Parent Roles, and Cultural Attitudes
38:19 Education Policy, Teacher Quality, and Curriculum Gaps
45:05 Classroom Management, Tech Hype, and AI Tutors
53:44 Alternative Models, Community, and What Traditional Schools Get Right
