Podcasting is a form of journalism, a way of communication and education, and a way to connect people with a common enjoyable hobby. Mrs. Cook’s journalism class is where this is taught at BGJHS. Mrs. Cook teaches multiple things in her class, but podcasting is one of the most sociable and entertaining topics. During my interview with Mrs. Cook, I asked what made her want to teach podcasting. She responded, “I wanted to find a new and creative way for students to have a choice in using technology in a way that they can be creative and have fun.” The journalism class clearly values students’ ability to express themselves, and podcasting is a great output. Although there are some struggles to be discussed,.
Podcasting as a whole is quite a mixed story because, although it is indeed a creative and entertaining way of expression, it has complications and struggles just as any other form of expression does. Student Charlotte Martin stated that it can be a struggle to record when there is too much noise around. Another student, Narya Hudgins, said “Having to retake recordings and record them individually” can be an irritating thing to deal with when creating a podcast episode. I find planning to be hard. But there are goals and methods you can set to make it easier. Student Charlotte Martin said that planning a topic you know is a great way to start.
Despite the struggle of getting a handle on podcasting, many students in the journalism class have grown to like it. From what I have gathered from interviews with multiple journalism students, a lot of them enjoy the interviewing due to being able to learn more about their peers. “I like interviewing because it’s pretty fun. I get to ask people questions about what I don’t know about them.” Said Narya Hudgins. Even the journalism teacher herself enjoys journalism and has experience with it going back to high school. “I have listened to podcasts for a long time; I like true crime podcasts; that’s what I tend to listen to. I also love mystery podcasts that tell a story from 1 episode to the next.” Said Mrs. Cook. She also said that she had taken a journalism course in high school throughout her sophomore to senior years. Overall, podcasting is a fresh and fun way to express yourself.
To conclude, the podcasting course is a new yet exciting one. Despite the struggles you face in something as new as podcasting, it is still a class that students are sure to enjoy as they spread their creativity and grow. I give a guarantee to any students interested that if they join, they will not be disappointed with the experiences they’ll have.
