Podcast

Context --
In our media class we created podcasts using Garage Band as our editor. It was fun and I am pleased with what I accomplished. I like listening to This American Life and wanted to do something similar for awhile. I am writing about my life in snippets for my students as models of how they can write about their lives, but more importantly, for my children and grandchildren. I think they have enjoyed watching me struggle with the experiences. I have shared my childhood stories, one about wetting my pants in 2nd grade, and what I thought about when I wrote them. This has authenticated the writing experience for them seeing me doing the same writing they do and struggling with the same issues.

How I could use it in class --
My experience creating my podcast will be one that I share with my students as well. This year, instead of simply writing a memory, my students will be creating a podcast of their memory. I feel this is more valuable to them. They still have to do the good writing like in my past assignment, but now they can add their own voice to it. They will have a permanent record of their voice telling a story when they were 16. These will be really fun to share on my class website. The assignment will also give them some technology experience many have not had, that is using Garage Band. I am a lucky teacher in that our school has a traveling Mac lab for exactly this purpose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1XpffMxBrA