The Pressure Systems Podcast

Mork & Mindy, Unflattering Headphones, and the Future of the Science of Reading

The Science of Reading has had a remarkable run. In just a few years, it has moved from the margins of literacy research to the center of public policy—shaping legislation, curriculum decisions, and teacher preparation across dozens of states. In many ways, the reading wars appear to be over. But what happens next? In the first episode of the Pressure Systems podcast, I’m joined by Rose Else-Mitchell, Executive Director of the Science of Reading Center at SUNY New Paltz [https://www.newpaltz.edu/science-of-reading-center/], for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about what comes after the reading wars—and what it actually takes to sustain change at scale. We talk about why implementation—not ideology—is now the defining challenge for literacy reform, and where the current public narrative around the Science of Reading still oversimplifies the work ahead. We also dig into teacher preparation, leadership, system coherence, small-group instruction, and the very human realities of translating research into classroom practice. If you enjoyed this conversation, I’d encourage you to subscribe to the Pressure Systems [https://pressuresystems.substack.com/] podcast [https://pressuresystems.substack.com/] and follow along as we continue exploring the forces shaping education over the next five years. And also check out my companion article on this topic, “ [https://pressuresystems.substack.com/p/trend-4-the-science-of-reading-may]The Science of Reading May Have Won the War– But Can It “Win the Peace?” [https://pressuresystems.substack.com/p/trend-4-the-science-of-reading-may] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pressuresystems.substack.com [https://pressuresystems.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]