Tuning in to a podcast is a great way to add effortless professional development that can boost creativity and best pedagogy practices for today’s dedicated educator. There are a great number of educational podcasts available today as nearly anyone can make their won. From professionally polished programs to more amateur, here are 5 essential podcasts for educators that are compelling to listen to and provide plenty of great tools, tips, and strategies that benefit the community of listeners.
Resource: Top 10 Best Online Master’s in Education Degree Programs (M.Ed.) 2016
#EdChat Radio
#EdChat Radio is an essential show for educators that focuses on popular #EdChat hashtags found on Twitter as prompts for thoughtful discussions. The program is brief–usually about 10 minutes in length, but this short burst of creative thought can boost energy and get any teacher thinking about ways to implement new strategies, reflect on practices and experiences, and overall get inspired. The influential teachers featured on this program participate in powerful conversations while offering new and innovative ideas. It also provides a great opportunity to connect and develop a personal learning network (PLN) for continued professional development.
Every Classroom Matters
Vicki Davis has been a highly influential teacher. She began with her blog Cool Cat Teacher where she discussed thoughtful classroom topics that were in-tune with today’s classroom needs and from there she launched a successful show, Every Classroom Matters. The show is an extension of those thoughtful topics discussed on her blog and incorporates a variety of issues from; STEM, coding, building relationships with students, and just about anything else that comes up in the classroom’s day to day function. Davis is also a thought leader on Twitter and is a great leader to follow and connect with while expanding any personal learning network (PLN).
Inspiration for Teachers
Kelly Long is a full-time secondary teacher and her broadcast, Inspiration For Teachers, is streamed live from the United Kingdom. She hosts a variety of influential guests and dives into enthralling conversations – discussing experiences, thoughts, and engaging questions. Episodes are refreshing and offer real experiences that are easy to relate to and apply knowledge and expertise of real work in the classroom from reflective practitioners. This show is an incredible resource produced by passionate teachers and will provide helpful and essential insight.
Cult of Pedagogy
Jennifer Gonzalez started Cult of Pedagogy to discuss ways to make teaching more effective and fun. Airing its first episode in 2013, Cult of Pedagogy earns its place on the 5 essential education podcasts list because it’s equal parts accessible, thoughtful, and funny. Covering a variety of subjects from best practices in English as a Second Language (ESL) to activities to do during lame duck school days–the podcast has something for everyone. Cult of Pedagogy dedicates a lot of time to issues related to special education and one check of the show’s reviews will reveal that it’s highly appreciated. Common remarks regarding the show consistently state that it’s worth the time to listen and learn about current topics in education.
EDUtechGuys
Combining over 40 years of experience, the EDUTechGuys provide a show that is chock full of information, resources, and hacks for the classroom. A dedication to education technology led David Henderson and Jeff Madlock to create the show. Each week, the guys tackle a different issue in the world of ed tech. Thoughtful and insightful interviews are provided by today’s education leaders. The EDU Tech Guys also are constantly on the move. They attend the top ed tech conferences in the world and bring what they discover directly to the listener. Plus, they’re active on social media providing great tips and tricks at @edutechguys on Twitter. The EDUTechGuys show is a fantastic way to spend some quality professional development time.
Technology has changed the game when it comes to professional development. No longer does it need to be provided by your administration or district. Personalized PD is revolutionizing how teachers learn and enhance their own teaching style. An education podcast can be an effective and engaging way to discover new resources and best practices for the 21st-century educator.
