Learning by Doing
May 22nd, 2009
After I ran my first marathon, I would look at myself in the mirror and still wonder at the fact that I could call myself a “marathon runner”. There was something magical about that title – something that I didn’t feel like I quite deserved. In my mind I always figured that my time wasn’t fast enough or my training wasn’t rigorous enough to be a real marathon runner. Even after six events, there’s something elusive about the title and I still wait for the time when I can feel comfortable wearing it.
Oddly enough, I feel the same way about calling myself a “podcaster”.
This year, I’ve started doing a bi-weekly podcast with two terrific colleagues. The Ed Revolution is an attempt to recreate the great conversations I’ve had with these folks (and many others) at conferences, classes, or informal gatherings. Not only is the podcast an opportunity to engage a lot of colleagues on topics which interest me, but it’s also a personal challenge. It’s a chance to try my hand at something new.
I listen to podcasts daily, and have often wondered how I would fare on such a show. So many podcasters are articulate and fascinating people, who really add value to my personal and professional learning. I’ve podcasted with students and have tried to encourage them to learn from the process and build on their previous efforts. However, as we all know, it’s one thing to say it and another thing to try it for yourself.
We’ve just finished recording our show’s fourth episode and I seem to become more reflective (and more critical) with each recording. Nothing sounds quite right when I listen to my voice. My ideas don’t feel as well-articulated as they should. The worst part are the ideas which arrive after the fact – that pithy comeback or revelation that didn’t come. It can drive a person crazy.
That said, I have to admit that I’m loving the whole process. I feel like our show has gotten better in parts and continues to grow. As I look back at the past few episodes, as well as forward to the next episodes, these are a few things that I’ve learned.
Relax and converse: This is the toughest thing for me, and the one aspect which I’m still learning. In every broadcast so far, there are moments when I get wrapped up in making a point or answering a question. Those are the times when I sound the worst. I become so wrapped up in my own ideas and I forget to talk to my co-hosts and my audience. On the other hand, when I manage to relax and connect with the rest of the team, I feel like things become natural and conversational. Trust those around you and listen. Your thoughts will come.
Prepare but try not to script: Some may disagree with me on this one, but I think that a script can often become a liability in podcasting. Preparing for a conversation with notes, ideas and research is terrific. However, if you try and prepare your statements verbatim, it can also make you sound like you’re reading a scripted statement (which you are). More importantly, if you are trying to have an organic conversation, make sure that you are able to be flexible in what you say. A script can be anything but flexible.
Audio matters: I have to give kudos to Ben Grey for this one. When we started this project, he insisted that we record a quality podcast. It was important to him that our audio was as clean and professional sounding as possible. He’s right. Not only do I find our podcast more listenable because of this quality, but I feel that it has made me take the content more seriously.
Above all, I think it’s really important to like what you’re talking about and who you are speaking with. Otherwise, why bother?
You probably have your own list of tips, and I’d love to hear what you think.
I was cleaning up the office the other day, when I happened upon a stack of older magazines. I guess I intended to catch up on them sooner or later. The cover story of the November, 2007 Wired Magazine caught my eye. It was titled
It’s been far too long since I’ve written in this space. My queue is filled with half-started entries – reflections on the birth of my first child and the changes which have happened in my life. I truly intended to publish these entries, and perhaps I will at some point. However, in the end, I really want the focus of this blog to be the things that I find exciting in education. I want to share what I’m learning every day and solicit the ideas of my colleagues. Self reflection is part of that, but it isn’t my desired focus.