Using Podcasts in the Elementary Classroom

PODCASTS ARE THE *NEW* LISTENING CENTER… (& SO.MUCH.MORE)I can still remember.  It was 2006 and it was my first year of teaching.  One of my friend’s mom wanted to help out a first year teacher (me) by sponsoring my classroom.  She asked what I needed and I told her that I desperately wanted a listening center for my classroom. Being the new teacher, I got last pick on supplies.  All the good stuff was taken and the only thing that resembled a listening center was a super old tape player.Imagine my complete delight when I got a beautiful new (blue) listening center that could play cassette tapes AND CD’s.  It came with 6 headphones and and adapter to plug all 6 in at the same time.It.was.glorious.The listening center got a LOT of use over the years.  I went to the library often to borrow books on tape and I even began recording my own.Fast forward 15+ years later.Listening centers are about to get a major upgrade!Enter: podcasts!Have you considered using podcasts in your classroom for your students?  They aren’t just for adults anymore.  In fact, with over 2 MILLION active podcasts, there is no shortage on podcasts for everyone - including kids!There are so many ways that podcasts can enhance student learning and in this week’s episode, we’ll begin to just scratch the surface!LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODERESOURCES FOR MAKING YOUR OWN PODCAST: Audacity Anchor SpreakerPODCASTS FOR KIDS:The 25 Best Podcasts for KidsBest Podcasts for Kids of All Ages19 Great Learning Podcasts for the ClassroomGrab my FREE Kid Podcast Recording Sheet inside the Members Resource Library under “Student Assessment Resources.”