Using podcasts to capture stories
Most youngsters don’t even think about their life stories, let alone take the time to write and share them. But for sixth-graders at Gardner Pilot Academy (GPA) in Allston, an opportunity to tell those stories not only changed their lives, but taught them how to produce podcasts that can be heard by peers, families, and the community. Randyl Wilkerson’s sixth-grade reading and writing class has focused on a personal narratives unit for the past several weeks. For a final assignment, Wilkerson decided to try something different. After attending an event near the digital media organization PRX’s Podcast Garage on Western Ave. in Allston, she wondered if her students could access the community recording studio that had opened in August. The Podcast Garage was created as a public space and educational hub dedicated to audio storytelling, so it seemed like a natural fit. “This came about by chance. I saw the Podcast Garage when I...