"Behind the Eyes of Our Youth" | A reflection on podcasting with high school students

We did a thing.

I briefly wrote about that thing back in December, 2020.

Who did a thing? The class. Comm101.

That thing? Student podcasting.

Back in the fall, via a vote, the students of Comm101 suggested and decided on the name, Behind the Eyes of Our Youth. True to its name, they come up with topics to discuss that truly give us a window into some of the thinking of young Black high school students in a large urban school district. They choose the topics. They volunteer to host particular episodes. They guide the discussions. I assist behind the scenes.

The class? Communications. The point of the podcast? Communicate. 👀 The pedagogy? Black student student-centered.✊🏾 We don't just *talk* communications, we *do* communications.

— Doc Flem (@kellygrade6) May 7, 2021

In that previous post, I briefly discussed the podcast's inception and also posted audio summarizing season 1. Season 2, which began in January 2021, has not disappointed. The talent, the critical thinking, the articulation of informed opinions, the debates, and the passion on and off a recorded mic has been, in an emoji, 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I also spoke about Comm101 and our Behind the Eyes of Our Youth podcast with a colleague from another school here in Philly for his own podcast. Check out that conversation below.

Listen to ""Behind the Eyes of Our Youth" and the Pedagogy of Podcasting". This is episode 1 of season 2 of @RappingPE ... it was a pleasure having @kellygrade6 pop on to talk about @comm101_ and Behind The Eyes of Our Youth. #PHLed #edutwitter #PhysEd https://t.co/hR5vKM0XCR

— Steven Michael Buller (@BeardDripBuller) April 16, 2021

With less than 30 days left of school, I honestly believe that the thinkers and communicators of Comm101 have a few more episodes left in them before we archive this poddy and possibly begin afresh with a new group of students in the fall.

In Comm101-related news, one of our local journalists, who keeps his finger on the pulse of Philly education, came to visit our class one day. He observed and reported on the spirited reaction conversation my class had in response to the guilty verdicts rendered in the Derrick Chauvin trial. Chauvin, of course, was the police officer who lynched George Floyd in May of 2020. You'll hear some audio of my Comm101ers in his report.

Big thanks to @kellygrade6 for letting me sit in on one of his classes. It was one of the most interesting and energetic classroom conversations I've ever witnessed. #PhlEd

Check out the story below: https://t.co/PS3vkJTxbu

— Avi Wolfman-Arent (@Avi_WA) April 28, 2021