Podcasting for Education

 

Teachers in America is a podcast hosted by former teacher, Noelle Morris. I listened the episode titled Becoming a Better Learner. In this episode, Noelle spoke with educator and literacy coordinator Monica Fitzgerald. They discussed Monica's experiences as a young student struggling to adjust as her family moved around a great deal due to her father's military career. Monica shared the impact that specific teachers made on her life and eventual career choice towards education. I was really impacted by the ideas that Monica shared when she asserted that it is not necessarily students' learning that has the biggest impact on their futures, but teachers taking the time to pause and learn about their students. She explained that the curriculum is not the pinnacle of what the students need to get out of school; that often times it is the connection to their teachers and the opportunity to feel seen and cared for that has the most significant and lasting impact on children. Additionally, Monica pointed out that students "don't grow in the same way on the same day". Her exhortation that teachers can and should take the time to invest in their students personally and not feel the pressure to be always at the mercy of the curriculum really stuck with me. As educators, I think we can lose sight of the fact that the wild little people in front of us have emotional needs and struggles in much the same way that we do and we can find opportunities to make a difference in their lives for the better. I really enjoyed this podcast. Noelle Morris is a great interviewer who left plenty of space to hear from her guest, but also kept the conversation moving. The 20-30 minute run time is a perfect length for listening while taking a walk or getting some chores done around the house.

The Ten Minute Teacher Podcast, hosted by Vicki Davis was a great listen this week. I had the pleasure of listening to the episode entitled How to Close the Learning Gap. Vickie hosted educator and principal, Dr. Rachael George. Rachael shared about the struggles and concerns that teachers are facing in coming back to in-person education post-lockdown. She described the stress that teachers are experiencing knowing that their students will not only be behind, but also be dealing with some levels of trauma, anxiety, loneliness, and other lockdown related issues. Additionally, she acknowledged that there are some students who have checked out altogether while distance learning and hove been 'ghosting' their Zoom classes. Rachael explained that while there are legitimate concerns, the reality is that the strategies that have served teachers and schools well in the past will continue to do so as students and teachers transition back into the classroom. She pointed out that there are always a couple of students who struggle to engage and that--amid concerns of standardized testing--teachers are typically well aware of which students are a bit behind the average without any testing needed. I really appreciated the level-headed perspective she shared regarding re-transitioning back into the classroom. There surely will be struggles and challenges, but teachers are still capable equipped to do the most important things, which are to support, engage, and educate their students. She pointed out that there doesn't need to be panic when it comes to where everyone is at academically or otherwise. Connection, dedication, and patience will get things back on the right track. This really is a great podcast. Perfect little bite-sized episodes that you can listen to in the car running errands, in the morning while getting ready, or any time. If you have a spare ten minutes and you need a little encouragement and perspective, this is a great listen.

Podcasts are an excellent medium. Their popularity is certainly due to the endless variety of topics that can be found out there, but there is no doubt that they are also so popular because they are so easily consumable. They don't require visual attention like a TV show or even an educational video on YouTube video. You can listen any time your ears aren't busy with something else. And they are infinitely portable, travelling with you on your phone no matter where in the world you might be. Any time you're driving, washing dishes, going for a jog, winding down for the evening, or any number of other scenarios can be the perfect time to listen to a podcast. I listen to podcasts all the time on a huge variety of subjects from entertainment to current events to professional enrichment. I also recommend podcasts to others often. They provide access to insightful and accomplished people in any field out there and listeners can hear encouragement, ideas, news, resources, etc. in their chosen subject with just a few minutes and a pair of headphones. I think everyone should be availing themselves of this incredible format. There is no shortage of topics or episodes and it's a lot of fun to learn new things from smart people.