3 Wise Teacher - Resource: Podcasts
I was told to look out for podcasts made for teachers by teachers by a former teacher I had in High School. Specifically, I was pointed to "Crying In My Car" by Devin Siebold. He and his (non-teacher) partner talk about teaching, his experience as a teacher, teaching news, and often a topic centering around discussion of a teaching practice or tool. They also usually have some guest, often a teacher or admin, so they can give their perspective alongside him. Usually they try to keep things lighthearted and humorous, and Devin has actually since retired from his job as a teacher to podcast and be a comedian full time following the success he's had with "Crying In My Car".
This podcast had a lot of useful information, like classroom management tips or time management strategies. It also had more complex topics such as the differences between teaching in a public and private school, the role of teachers as mentors, trans students and gender, the rights teachers have to privacy and their time outside of school, and more. It was interesting to hear teachers give their opinions on topics that are usually dominated by the media, government, and parents.
One of my major takeaways from across the episodes I listened to is my role as a mentor and role model in the classroom. We cannot deceive our students, they will read through us easily. I cannot expect students to hold themselves accountable to their word if I am not doing the same. If I want my students to be hard workers with a strong work ethic, it isn't enough for me to just say that in front of my classroom. I need to actually model that behavior for them. Kids can see when we pull out our phones during class presentations, or while they're taking a test. They know our mind is elsewhere, and that will negatively effect our relationship with students, and ultimately result in a lesser quality education. Trust is an essential part of building relationships, and building genuine positive relationships with students is key to student success and motivation.
Another segment was on classroom culture, specifically on the culture of fear that most classrooms are based upon. Students who are fearful do not learn from their mistakes. They only think that mistakes will lead to punishment. If a student did not do their homework, they are unlikely to go to the teacher and tell them if they believe it will result in that student receiving a punishment. This results in the student never completing the homework, receiving a 0 for their grade, which could result in a habit of unfinished homework which leads the student down the road to failure. They talk about needing to give students space to fail, to make mistakes and make bad choices, otherwise they will avoid failure at all costs, even if it means never trying to begin with. The culture of fear is especially damaging to students who struggle to regulate their emotions or behavior. Good teachers are able to address classroom disruptions in a positive way. Punishing students for behaviors outside of their control does nothing to help the student or the classroom. Those are problems that can be addressed in part by the resources of the school, it is not on the shoulders of the individual teacher. Students who see teachers as threatening are more likely to be truant and fail the class.
I can recall one specific episode, "Tears of Parent/Teacher Conferences" where they spent the entire episode breaking down the types of parents teachers come across during conference season. I should probably mention somewhere in this post that this podcast, while very informative, is run by teachers. Teachers, to the surprise of many apparently, can have a crude sense of humor. Regardless, behind all the jokes there was legitimate advice on keeping firm boundaries while also meeting the needs of your community. They also talk about the importance of trying to maintain good relationships with parents and students, even when parents don't make an attempt to return the favor.
Another segment that is notable from my memory was on being dependable to students. If we make a promise to students, we should keep it. Especially if that promise is a reward for good behavior. Not keeping that promise can lead to students not working as hard, as they believe their good performance or behavior will not pay off. It teaches them the wrong lesson. They use the example of a teacher/colleague who every year told their students on the first day of class that if they all passed, the entire class would go on an exciting trip. However, when the end of the year came, she never took them. It was only until she rotated up with her students to the next grade one year that she realized the repercussions of this tactic: her students did not do the extra work they were willing to do last year, because they did not believe it would be rewarded.
Every episode had a discussion of current events, and it was nice to be able to get teacher's takes. It feels like all too often, even when discussing education, we don't get to hear from actual teachers. It was nice to know that the same problems I can see in my own classroom here in Maine exist across the country, such as in Florida where "Crying in my Car" is recorded. Knowing that teachers are in this together gives me some peace of mind.
The importance of finding your own teaching community at your school was definitely stressed in almost every episode. Having a support network outside of your family that can understand the day-to-day trials and tribulations of teaching seems like such a massive key to keeping sanity. It is definitely something I will try to do when I get my first job, and something I've already began to do with my peers here at UMF, and the mentors I've gained while at SAHS.
Unrelated to the podcast, I also attended the UMF black student union's viewing and discussion of "I Am Not Your Negro" a documentary about James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript "Remember This House". The movie was chilling to see, but the resulting discussion was really interesting. We talked about race, and what the statement "I am not your negro" means. At a straight forward level, it is a statement declaring individuality, after generations of being enslaved or discriminated against. But in a deeper level, the "negro" and the n-word are both white creations. This means that ultimately, it is up to white people, not black people, to grapple with the legacy of this word. And if we made it, why? The future of this country depends on that. I could write so much more about this discussion, but it pertains to teaching directly. I will have black students, or POC students, or LGBTQ students. As a teacher, I have the power to have some influence over my students, and that will influence the future. Therefore, I believe it is up to teachers to push students to ask these questions.
If you're interested in listening to the podcast, here is a link that will take you to it:
