Blog Post #4

Podcast Preparations
  The three resources that I chose to help me with my teams' podcast as well as any I do on my own are "Listening-Comprehension-Podcast", "The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom" and "1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook".
  In the first titled "Listening-Comprehension-Podcast" I learned how to understand any language you have not only listen to it over and over but give a feeling, a reason for each word with your voice. We do this everyday on the phone, in person and even with text but when it is required that we stand before a group and speak it is as if we loose our soul. At first I thought that such a task as speaking into a microphone was easy until I tried it on my own and I was shocked to hear my voice because nothing was there. I had none of the excitement, wonder or, in one case, an evil laugh to my words. I did not like it. I now know that before my team and I begin to practice for our podcast that I need to practice on my own for a while first in order to bring life into the words. I do not want people to fall asleep while listen and I know that no one will act as if I was the most interesting person in the room but to merely have them listen will make all the difference.
  In the second called "The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom" it shows that by using podcast in the classroom I can do more than simply have notes or study guides on hand for absent students but with reading, group discussions and projects too.What I liked most about this link was the reactions of the students. How many times have you heard a child ask to listen to the lecture from school instead of the radio while on a road trip? How many times has a child had this hunger for learning?  I saw that same look with the students in the last link titled "1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook". In the podcast they were really acting out what they saw in their minds and their voices helped to create that words thought I could not see them. With the help of these links and others I believe that my team and I will be able to complete our own podcast with pride and hopefully continue using this. I plan on creating a blog just for my nieces where I can use the podcast to record me reading their favorite books and they can listen to me as many times as they want. By the time I enter my own classroom I will be able to use podcast in every way for my students.