In This Post:

• Podcasts as convenient and timely professional development.
• Personalized your learning with podcasts.
• Ways to grow as an educator by listening to podcasts.

Professional development for educators can take many forms. It can be a conference, an EdCamp, a Twitter chat, and even… a podcast.

Effective professional development ignites educators. It sparks their passion for this profession. We renew our commitment and focus. It promotes collaboration and new connections. The best PD gives us something to come back to and resources to use once it’s over. All of this happens in an education podcast.

Podcasts are a great form of professional development because they meet our needs in a unique, meaningful way.

Podcasts Are Convenient

The first major benefit of podcasts is that you can listen to them anywhere. Imagine growing as a professional on your commute, at the gym, or while you run errands.

With podcasts, this is all possible.

You can listen to some of the greatest innovators in education any time, anywhere. Inspiration can happen wherever you have access to your phone. A world of new learning exists right there in your pocket.

Podcasts Are Tailored Directly to You

A common complaint with professional development is that it isn’t always what teachers need. Sometimes the material is misaligned with our goals or what we want to accomplish. Other times, we just aren’t ready for some of it yet.

However, with podcasts, you seek out the information you want. It is directly tied to your growth as an educator.

Whether you’re looking for pedagogical insight, new tech tools, or ideas to personalize your curriculum… there’s a podcast for that.

Podcasts Create Connections

Listening to podcasts is also a great way to connect with other educators. Obviously, you gain some insight into the host and their practice, but many educational podcasts feature new guests in each episode. Nearly always, the host shares their social media profiles.

This provides you with an easy way to seek out someone who has inspired you and connect with them! Imagine being able to have a conversation, or join a bigger collaborative conversation, about a topic that gets you excited. With podcasts, you absolutely can.

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Podcasts Are Timely

Many podcasts are put out on a weekly basis. Each week, something or someone new is featured. That guarantees that you are getting new and innovative information all the time.

Also, podcasts tend to feature guests who are on the forefront of our field. They are usually people trying new things in their practice or even creating new tools. This makes them an ideal learning space for those who want to learn from the trailblazers. It also makes them perfect for people who need to take in the information when they are ready for it.

Overall, podcasts are a great way to learn and grow as an educator. And if that’s not professional development, what is?

About Katelynn Giordano

Katelynn Giordano is a 6th grade language arts teacher in the Chicago suburbs and the Digital Content Editor for the Teach Better Team. She loves writing, both on her blog, Curriculum Coffee, and for the Teachers on Fire magazine on Medium. She is a dynamic educator with a focus on student empowerment in the ELA classroom. Her writing and presentations are all about incorporating student voice, choice, and personalized learning in your teaching practice.

Katelynn is active on Twitter and Instagram, and loves to collaborate with educators everywhere! In her free time, she enjoys relaxing with her husband and her cat, Chickpea, drinking coffee, and reading YA books.