The podcast, This American Life, by NPR is weekly podcast that takes a look into a the large number of experiences that make up life in America. But, considering it is frequently on the top of the charts for iTunes, you have probably heard of it before. Each week has a different theme and showcases several stories surrounding that theme. A few weeks ago, a listener asked if they could share some stories about people going through middle school. Follow the link to listen to the episode, and click read more to see my thoughts.
This episode was fun episode to listen to. They discussed a wide array of experiences that come along with being in middle school. It was also nice to hear that a lot of people did not have very pleasant experiences during those years, just like me. As an educator, this was an eye opening look into middle school students. My favorite part was the pre and post dance interviews with middle schoolers. I could not stop smiling during this portion, Act Two. This act was able to make me look back fondly on a time that was painfully awkward.
Another notable portion was Act Four, Anchor Babies. This story revolved around the teams of middle schoolers putting on their own news broadcasts and morning announcements. I was on the news team back in middle school, as well. During the report, Jonathan Menjivar asked the news class he was observing if they could report on the stories that mattered to the students. The teacher was willing to give it a try and the results were really interesting. The students ended up reporting on the things that mattered to them personally and the things they wanted to research more, instead of the fact that a boiler was being replaced or what was on the lunch menu for that day. By letting this class research topics they were actually interested in and cared about, the students were able to have much more agency in their learning process. It is a shame, however, that it took an outside source to make this learning environment happen, instead of the journalism teacher.
Overall, it was a really good episode. There are insightful conversations about how to approach troublesome students and the education process during this critical time. There are lots of things you can take away from this podcast, so I encourage you to give it a listen!
Another notable portion was Act Four, Anchor Babies. This story revolved around the teams of middle schoolers putting on their own news broadcasts and morning announcements. I was on the news team back in middle school, as well. During the report, Jonathan Menjivar asked the news class he was observing if they could report on the stories that mattered to the students. The teacher was willing to give it a try and the results were really interesting. The students ended up reporting on the things that mattered to them personally and the things they wanted to research more, instead of the fact that a boiler was being replaced or what was on the lunch menu for that day. By letting this class research topics they were actually interested in and cared about, the students were able to have much more agency in their learning process. It is a shame, however, that it took an outside source to make this learning environment happen, instead of the journalism teacher.
Overall, it was a really good episode. There are insightful conversations about how to approach troublesome students and the education process during this critical time. There are lots of things you can take away from this podcast, so I encourage you to give it a listen!