Telephone Podcasts

Our classroom is now experimenting with podcasting over the telephone.

Each day I select a new child to choose a math term that they "own" (in other words they can spell the term correctly, can draw an image/provide an accurate example of the word, define it in grade level appropriate language and also provide non-examples of the word) from their Vocabulary Notebook. The student then explores/reviews their entries for just the right word to use.

The student then plans out what they will say. Most students create a script of what they are going to repeat into the telephone, but some simply describe the three column notes or Frayer Model that they created in their Vocabulary Notebook.

Practicing the podcast comes next. I expect the student to say what they will present to our audience out-loud to themselves, then to a specially-trained peer (called a Trainer) that can give feedback. The students will actually stretch their thumb and pinky-finger out to make a pretend cell phone to speak into when they are practicing.

The Trainer (who has already podcasted their own term and has been recommended/nominated secretly by another peer) then helps the student through the simple process of making the phone call and recording what they have practiced. I'm lucky becuase the two Trainers that I have right now also naturally encourage the new podcaster with smiles and a polite "Good job!" at the end of the recording.

The podcast is usually ready in about two minutes, and I have posted a widget on our wiki so that the podcast automatically plays when anyone travels to our home page. We then connect to the wiki at the end of our 90 minute math period to listen to the podcast together as a class and applaud the podcaster! The podcaster then recieves a certificate for their work to take home.

Podcasting seems to be working in multiple ways:

• Parents can listen/subscribe any time they would like
  
• Not time-consuming or labor-intensive
  
• Each child gets to be aknowledged for being sophisticated/taking a risk
  
• Natural audience is created
• No cost for materials
  
• Students have control over what is being said

In the future I plan on asking the students to podcast their daily learning goal and explain what they did to attain the goal. My teammate also asked if he could have a podcast account to use during our Literacy time to give the students another opportunity to share book recommendations and visualizations from mentor texts.