Birchwood Elementary School Starts New Podcast
by Pearson News Staff
Grade 5-6 students at Birchwood elementary school in Ms.Cheryl Kallio’s class learn how to make a podcast.
At lunch period, Cheryl Kallio often eats her meal in her classroom and sometimes a student will pop in to chat.
“One of the students, Enzo, came up to me and asked if he could have lunch with me,” she said. “And I always say yes, because it’s a time where you can build connections and relationships with the kids.”
“He was asking questions, and said to me ‘you are so wise this should be a podcast,’” said Cheryl Kallio, an English generalist for the LBPSB board and teacher at Birchwood Elementary school. “I asked: Do you want this to be a podcast? …and here we are.”
Ms. Cheryl says it started with Enzo’s interest, and then when the rest of the class caught wind – they all wanted to be involved.
She says Braedon, a grade six student in her class became the audio-engineer, and Enzo had become her co-host of the podcast.
The podcast is in the format of an “Ask Me Anything,” where the students can ask the teacher any question they have outside of the school curriculum, such as things happening in the news.
The students volunteer to ask questions and she answers them as honestly as possible, in an environment where they are treated like equals.
“One thing I’ve learned is that students are so attuned with things going on, like world politics, and current events – and the questions are not superficial,” said Ms. Cheryl.
“In my 15 years of teaching I’m constantly surprised by how bright and intelligent and tuned in kids are,” she said.
One class in November was facilitated by Chloë Ranaldi who was a former radio producer/director at the CBC.
She gave students tips on how to prepare for an interview, how to ask questions, and create a conversation.
Ms. Cheryl says the students are learning so much through the process of creating a podcast and are building skills they can use for the rest of their life.
“I think it works on their soft skills that the curriculum just doesn’t provide,” she said. “Things like communication, literacy, collaborative learning, community, and how we can push this out.”
When her grade 6 students graduate, Ms. Cheryl says a succession plan for the 5-6 split class is already in the works. So, the students in grade 5 learn the essentials, to be able to lead next year’s podcast.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary also has an on-going podcast they are working on with Art Specialist, Cathy Diemahave and Frank Caracciolo.
For more on LBPSB podcasts you can tune into the Blank Canvas Podcast with host Frank Caracciolo.
