5-B-3 Option #1 Podcast in the Classroom

The podcast series that I found to share with my students is the Dream Big Podcast by Eva and Olga Karpman.  This podcast series focuses on teaching kids how to follow their dreams in life and how to overcome many adversities with a positive attitude that may result in achieving those dreams.  The main reason I chose this series is because I feel like one of our most important jobs as teachers (and as parents) is to teach our children to have dreams and to know that they can become a reality with hard work and a positive attitude.  Also, as a Catholic school, we try to teach our students to live the way that Jesus did, and to treats others and ourselves with respect.  This series teaches those very ideals in a fun and positive way.

How would I use this podcast in the classroom?

                I would use this podcast during our “quiet time” each day in my classroom.  Our quiet time is about 15-20 minutes each day after lunch when my students have time to regroup and to catch up on any extra work.  This would be a perfect time for the students to listen to an episode in the podcast while they are catching up on work or just while they are getting organized for the afternoon.  Listening to the podcasts would be a great motivator to get my students ready for the afternoon, and to gain a positive outlook about working hard on whatever is presented to them during the rest of their day.

Rationale on why I selected this podcast:

As mentioned earlier, I like this podcast simply for the fact that it is a positive influence on my students’ lives and would hopefully inspire them to work hard for what they want to achieve.  What I also really liked about the podcast was that there are guest celebrities on many of them.  These celebrities include Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Oprah, and Ellen DeGeneres.  One thing that I know for sure about children is that when they hear words of advice from one of their “idols” they are definitely more willing to take those words and put them into action.  Also, all of the guests are very successful people, and they are able to share with the students the stories of how their dreams turned into realities.  The last reason that I really liked these podcasts is because the main creator is a child.  Anything is more relatable if it is written or created by someone at your age level.  I think my students would really enjoy listening to a kid just like themselves, and would definitely be able to relate to her more than they would an adult.

Here is a link to the podcast I chose:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dream-big-podcast-family-friendly/id1168126157?mt=2