Why I Like My Long Commute (Sort Of)

I have quite a bit of a commute to work each day, and I'm not a fan of morning radio shows, so my options are either to listen to music, NPR, or channel surf until I find something I want to listen to. What I've discovered though is that I have another option, podcasts.

My collection of podcast subscriptions has grown. It started with Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, This American Life, Snap Judgment, and Ask Me Another. I've added new podcasts like Invisibilia and Serial and enjoyed some tried and true ones like America's Test Kitchen and Science Friday.

The best part about listening to podcasts is how much I learn about science, cooking, current events, psychology, and humanity. I like that so many podcasts teach through storytelling, but they also use humor, points and counterpoints, and great guest interviews. My commute turns into the chance to quench my thirst to learn everything I possibly can about the world around me and within me.

As an educator, I have made reference to a podcast I listened to on the way to work or on the way home more times than I can count. Such as, when the science teacher told me his story about sending up a weather balloon, I pointed him to a story I heard on RadioLab about Japanese weather balloon bombs during World War II that you could also listen to here.

I also spoke to a teacher that I work with who drew inspiration to keep trying to reach all of her students from an episode of Invisibilia which tells the story of a young man who is trapped in his own body who many considered a vegetable, but the people who didn't give up on him...well I don't want to give away the story. You can listen to this one here.

Stories, research, expert interview, discussions, debates, and game shows are inspirational parts of podcasts that can help teachers fuel their own passion for learning and pass that on to their students.

What podcasts will you try? What are some of your favorites, and how have they found their way into your classroom?