Listen Up: 3 Podcasts Every Teacher Can Learn From

-Delia Herman, Hoggard HS

If you're looking for motivation, inspiration, or innovation look no further than your cell phone's podcast app. Podcasts can offer teachers a fresh, positive outlook on their classroom in as little as 10 minutes. You can listen to podcasts on your commute to work, or while you take a walk to decompress after a long day. The podcasts below are for teachers of all grade levels and subjects.

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

 

Although Angela Watson is no longer a classroom teacher, it is clear she still understands the realities classroom teachers face every day. She provides practical tips for making any classroom more efficient and helps to lift teachers' spirits and prepare them for the challenges that lay ahead. This podcast is helpful for teachers who are naturally anxious. Topics range from prioritizing teaching tasks to turning anxiety into enthusiasm. Posted every Sunday at noon, I recommend this podcast as a way to gear up for the start of the work week.

10-Minute Teacher Podcast

If you have a few minutes to spare, and you are looking for quick professional development, check out the 10-Minute Teacher Podcast. Vicki Davis understands how precious a teacher's time is, so her podcasts are all 10 minutes long. Davis interviews a myriad of education professionals who cover a wide range of topics including tips for leveling up a language arts class and using augmented reality in the classroom. Davis posts new episodes Monday through Friday, offering a different theme for each day of the week:

• Motivational Monday
• Tech Tool Tuesday
• Wonderful Wednesday
• Thought Leader Thursday
• 5 Idea Friday

Pick an episode that pertains to your specific subject, or listen to a podcast each day of the week. There are so many episodes that you can find one no matter what kind of professional development you're interested in.

Tara Brach

This is not an educational podcast, but I find it helpful in remaining calm and centered when caught up in the daily struggles of teaching. Brach explains how to trust your basic goodness and manage your stress. Some episodes are short meditations, others are hour long talks. I recommend this podcast for teachers who need some help stepping outside of the daily demands of the job to remember the bigger picture.

Using Podcasts in the ELA Classroom

Here, Laura Randazzo, high school English teacher and blogger, discusses how she uses podcasts in her English language arts classroom to cover the speaking and listening standards. I haven't used these lessons but would love to know what you think.

Have you used podcasts in your classroom? Let me know in the comments section below.

Happy listening!

The above post is also featured on Delia Herman's own blog entitled R E.L.A.Table. Check it out here: http://mshermanisrelatable.blogspot.com/ 

I'd love for you to add some of your favorite podcasts for teachers on the Padlet below.