5 min read

17 Summer Podcasts for Teachers

Sarah Schnurr : Jul 9, 2018 1:02:54 PM

Summer is the best time to sit back and relax -- and listen to some great podcasts to stay on top of what's happening in education. We asked our friends at ISTE 2018 about their favorite education and professional development podcasts. Here's what they had to say...

OnEducation

OnEducation hosts Mike Washburn and Glen Irvin want to tell you the truth -- about 'teachers, teaching, and everything in between'. The duo describes their show as less of a teacher conversation and more of a staff room chat, featuring interviews with world-class educators and thought-leaders like EduMatch founder Sarah Thomas, and The Teacher's Journey author Brian Costello. OnEducation also encourages listeners to nominate inspiring educators, who they plan to interview every few months.

Washburn and Irvin aren't confining themselves to the studio -- they recently attended and live podcasted at ISTE 2018, providing interviews, recaps and reflections throughout the conference.

Start listening! Check out this episode featuring a conversation around games-based learning with Noah Geisel.

Ditch That Textbook Podcast

Ditch That Texbook's Matt Miller wants to show teachers that they don't need textbooks to be effective. His podcast brings you 'technology, creativity and innovation' so that you can think outside the box and move beyond traditional methods to improve student engagement and success.

Recommended listen: The 50/30/20 Model for Learning

ASCD Learn Teach Lead Radio

ASCD's Learn Teach Lead Radio features conversations around factors that contribute to student success. From engagement to leadership, equity to assessment, ASCD leaders and educators share everything they know about how to best address these issues.

Recommended listen: Design Thinking: Solving the Most Wicked Problems in Education

Flipped Learning Worldwide

Thinking about flipping your classroom? Flipped Learning Worldwide brings you stories and support from researchers and educators that can help you along your journey. Hear tales of flipped learning from around the globe, find new strategies and troubleshoot problems with the experts -- including host John Bergman, co-founder of the Flipped Learning Network.

Talks With Teachers

The name says it all -- Talks With Teachers is just that! While the show is primarily focused on English teaching, their insights and stories are relevant to all. From successes to failures and the wisdom along the way, TWT has made it their mission to 'boost morale, and help teachers find joy and purpose'.

Recommended listen: Monica Burns: Class Tech Tips

Cult of Pedagogy

Cult of Pedagogy is more than just a podcast - it's a way of life. CoP, created by host Jennifer Gonzalez, features solo episodes and 'interviews with teachers, learning experts, parents, and other people who make things happen in education'.

The podcast is lively and fun - the listening experience feels like a chat with old friends - but this wit and humor takes nothing away from the show's insights into all things pedagogy. Cult of Pedagogy takes a look traditional education topics (like classroom tools and management, teaching reading and math, etc.) and timely subjects like supporting minority students, embracing new strategies like Genius Hour, and leveraging tech.

Gonzalez shares her experience with workplace favoritism and it's impact on her professional relationships in the most recent CoP episode.

K-12 Greatest Hits

K-12 Greatest Hits brings together the best and the brightest in education from across the country, featuring interviews with individuals from the top 14 education associations, including: the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), and the National Afterschool Association (NAA). This robust lineup creates a '360 degree perspective from some of the leading education thinkers in the nation'.

Recommended listen: A Simple Roadmap to Personalized Learning

Check This Out

Join hosts Brian Briggs and Ryan O'Donnell as they explore classroom tools and cover professional development events (like CUE!). The team combines their love of edtech and witty banter to bring you "inspiration, motivation, or just that one thing [you] can share with others and say 'you gotta check this out!'"

Recommended listen: Learning Spaces & More

House of #EdTech

Hosted by Chris Nesi, 'House of #EdTech shares stories from teachers and creators about education technology, recommends the valuable tools, tips, and resources to integrate technology into your classroom and instruction and explores how technology is changing the way teachers teach along with the impact that technology is having in education.'

Nesi has been producing podcasts since 2014 - and the archives provide a wealth of information for everyone -- from teachers who are just beginning to embrace tech in the classroom to ed tech veterans. But Nesi's podcast doesn't just provide teaching resources - it keeps listeners up-to-date on ed tech news and educational conferences like EdCamp and ISTE.

Check out his Dog Days of a Teacher's Summer series from 2015 for some warm weather educational inspiration!

The 10-Minute Teacher

Can't get enough educational podcasts? Then you'll love the 10-Minute Teacher Podcast, which brings you a new episode 5 days a week! Every day has it's own theme, like Motivation Mondays, Tech Cool Tuesdays and Wildcard Wednesdays. Host Vicki Davis chats with educators and thought-leaders, bringing you practical tips and tricks that you can listen to on your ride home from work or during your lunch break.

Recommended listen: 5 Awesome Things for Teachers To Do This Summer

Teachers Talking Tech

Our favorite podcast for learning more about edtech in elementary schools, Teachers Talking Tech highlights classroom tools and apps like FlipGrid, Nearpod, and EDPuzzle. It's a great way to find new resources, and get a firsthand account of how they're being used in the classroom.

Recommended listen: MakerSpace Update: The Good, the Bad and the Awesome

Google Teacher Tribe

Google Teacher Tribe is a weekly podcast for K-12 educators for all things Google -- from G Suite for Education tips & tricks to Google Certified Educator programs. Hosted by Ditch that Textbook's Matt Miller and digital learning consultant and founder of Shake Up Learning's Kasey Bell, the podcast provides teacher's with ways to take their ed tech to the next level. They have episodes devoted to individual Google tools, like Docs and Slides, as well as higher-level looks at using G Suite for differentiated instruction, special education and blended learning.

Check out their most recent podcast: Learning in Tandem with Swiss Army Knives (And Google)

#EdChat Radio

#EdChat Radio provides a weekly recap and reflection on the most recent Twitter edchat, hosted by #edchat moderators. Each podcast is short and sweet (about 10-15 minutes long) -- and a great resource if you missed out on the conversation or want to gain even more insights into the topic of the week.

Recommended listen: What Do You Wish All Parents Understood About Education?

EdSurge on Air

EdSurge on Air is all about educational technology and recent developments in education. While the podcast isn't as focused on K-12 classroom strategies and stories as some of the others on this list, it covers interesting and timely subjects like mindfulness, equity, social media and the MakerSpace Movement.

Recommended listen: Angela Duckworth Says Grit Is Not Enough

Truth for Teachers

The Truth for Teachers podcast is hosted by Angela Watson, an educator, author and pioneer in the world of education blogging. Her site, The Cornerstone for Teachers, offers insights and professional development courses around behavior management, managing work stress and streamlining routines to 'trim hours' off of the workweek.

The most recent episode is the perfect start to your summer: How to make a (realistic) plan for summer that will leave you feeling rejuvenated

Educate

Educate podcast tackles the socioeconomic side of education: how budget cuts, civil rights, rural vs. urban living and disabilities can affect student success. Supported by the most recent education research and policies, the show offers a unique perspective on education through 'vivid storytelling'.

Recommended listen: Reforming School Discpline

The Learning Scientists Podcast

Hosts Megan Sumeracki and Yana Weinstein are cognitive psychological scientists focused on the science of learning. Their podcast covers topics like learning styles, interleaving (blocking content/switching between topics), and capturing student attention -- their show is one of the best ways to learn about learning!