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Is This Thing On? How Podcasts Give Springfield Teachers a Voice!

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Participate and share : Poster

Michael Thomas  
In Springfield, Massachusetts, the school district was looking for ways to help teachers connect, feel valued and share their expertise. Far too often teachers are unable to observe or even hear from other teachers on what is happening in the classroom. So the district started a podcast to let their voice be heard.

Audience: Coaches, Principals/head teachers, Teachers
Skill level: Beginner
Attendee devices: Devices useful
Attendee device specification: Smartphone: Android, iOS, Windows
Tablet: Android, iOS, Windows
Participant accounts, software and other materials: I will have QR codes available for attendees to scan to gain links to the materials.
Topic: Coaching & mentoring
Grade level: PK-12
ISTE Standards: For Educators:
Leader
  • Model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning.
Collaborator
  • Dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to create authentic learning experiences that leverage technology.
Designer
  • Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.

Proposal summary

Purpose & objective

During the poster session or lecture, we will showcase the steps our district has taken to give teachers a voice within the district. In a large district like Springfield, we were looking for ways to help teachers connect, feel valued and share their expertise. Far too often teachers are unable to observe or even hear from other teachers on what is happening in the classroom. With teachers having hyper packed schedules, finding time for them to meet and share what they are doing is difficult. In our district we have become creative in giving teachers an outlet to share and grow with each other. During this session we will walk through the practical steps that we have taken to give teachers a voice, the benefits that giving them this voice has had and how other districts can do this too.

The outline of the session will include:

Who we are and what we do

Podcast Basics (The Setup, Equipment, Hosting, Editing, Posting, and Promoting)

We will also include how the idea was generated and how we evolved from doing a blog to a podcast.

The outcome of our time together would focus on how, on a shoestring budget, a district can share what is going on in the classroom with their world at large. At the writing of this proposal we have had 20,000+ downloads. With the goal of engaging the community participants will leave with the tools to start their own podcast. If selected to present, there will be an up-to-date list of podcasting tools that participates can walk away with.

Supporting research

https://www.weareteachers.com/voice-and-choice/#:~:text=Teachers%20need%20voice%20and%20choice,their%20own%20knowledge%20and%20experience.

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/10/31/giving-teachers-a-voice.html

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Presenters

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Michael Thomas, Springfield Public Schools

Mike works for Springfield Public Schools as the Sr. Digital Learning Analyst. Essentially Mike train teachers on using technology in the classroom. Mike is a huge proponent of using technology in education and a firm believer in the flipped classroom and blended learning models of teaching. His time teaching led him to discover his real passion in education, helping teachers understand the benefits of technology in the classroom.

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