TeacherVision Staff
Ronnie shares the value of podcasts and how to start your own. She outlines tips and tricks through each stage of the process including planning, recording, editing, publishing, and lastly, launching.
Podcasts. Have you heard of this new trend that is taking over the “airwaves?” Podcasts are digital files that are on the internet that you can download on your mobile device, tablet, or computer. People listen to podcasts when they are on their way to work, in school, or even while exercising. There are so many podcasts out there and some are geared towards business, personal health, and even listening to celebrities being honest with their lives. What about teachers though? There are very few podcasts geared towards teachers. We can change that! You can create your own Podcast that teachers all over the world will listen to.
Why Start A Teacher Podcast?
I often get the question why would I record a podcast over having a blog post? Well, the average time that someone spends on a blog post is 8 seconds. Rarely do people turn off podcasts because once they start listening to a podcast they will listen to it all the way through even if they don’t like the topic. Starting a podcast is very rewarding.
"I love hosting my own podcasts because so many people message me to say how much it has helped them in their own classroom."
They can learn tricks from you and listeners will give you ideas for future podcasts. You are building a relationship with other teachers and building your own community of teachers!
Choose A Topic
Choose a topic that you can commit to. Think of something that you feel passionate about. You aren’t just going to talk for a few minutes. Your podcast will be anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes long. You will want to have a topic that you can cover over a period of time and that you like.
Design Your Display
After you have chosen a topic, you will want to create a podcast name and even artwork to go with it. The artwork should be a square image. Once you have created the image, then create the description about your show. This will allow your listeners to read what you are working towards, get a little information about your podcast, and even learn a little about your style.
Check your equipment
I use a professional microphone for my podcast, however, when I started I used my headphones. The sound quality wasn’t the best but it did the job. No one ever commented that it sounded bad. After I recorded 10 podcasts and I decided to keep up with Podcasts I ended up purchasing a Yeti microphone. It cost about $100 plus the pop up which was around $10. Before I record every episode- I do a test. I start with the beginning and this helps to get my nerves out and also to hear the sound as well. I play it back and make adjustments to the microphone if I need to.
Choose the type of release you want
There are two different ways that you can release episodes for your podcasts. One way is to make it like a TV show and release a podcast every week on a set day. This keeps your followers expecting more, however, from now to the next week you may lose your followers because they found another podcast. Another way is to do batch releases. You record 5-10 episodes and release all of them at the same time. A lot of listeners like to binge listen to podcasts and you will have them continuously listen to the podcast. Unfortunately with this method, you will always have to release a batch amount each time.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail
Creating a plan is extremely important for success. Plan out the first 8 weeks of content. Every time that I record a new episode I always plan the next episode by writing the script and then I create the topic for 8 weeks out. I always want to have 8 weeks’ worth of plans listed. I always write a script because I want to make sure I cover everything. I do know some people don’t write the script and go off the cuff and are equally successful with this. This is your personal preference.
Record your episode
The first podcast that I ever recorded was recorded over 15 times. Nerves will get the best of you but just remember that you are the expert in your field. Try to be calm and let your personality show in your podcast.
Edit & Publish
When you finished the podcast- go take a lap around the area. Get your nerves out and relax because you did it! You created your podcast but now you have to edit it and publish. If you are recording in snippets, you will need to combine all of your clips. Once you have finished editing, you will need to have a website to host your podcast. There are so many options that you can use to host your podcast like Libsyn, PodBean, or Buzz Sprout. If you search online you will find different hosts for your podcast.
Launch your podcast!
Congratulations! You did it! You made a podcast. You get to share it with the world! You have come so far in creating your podcast and I am so proud of you! Putting yourself out there and taking this chance is hard but you did it and that is what matters.
What do you think about starting your own podcast? Share with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Ronnie Eyre is in her 8th year of teaching in South Florida. She teaches in a 1:1 technology classroom along with teaching all subjects. She blogs on A Teacher’s Wonderland and has her own podcast called “Close the door and teach” that you can find on iTunes or Spotify.
