This is a presentation shared at CATE about using NPR's This I Believe essays as mentor text for students to write reflective and narrative blogposts. Geared toward teachers.

1. This I Believe
Student Choice
Inspires Student
Voice
Using Podcasts to Enhance Digital
Storytelling in Middle School
Janet Ilko San Diego Area Writing Project

2. Quick Write
What do you want kids to do with the technology available in
your classroom or school?

3. What Do You Want Kids To Do
With the Technology?
Some Opinions…
An Illustration of the
Power of Tech

4. The Digital Writing Workshop
“ I argue here and throughout this book that if we engage
students in real writing tasks and we use technology in
such a way that that compliments their innate need to
find purposes and audiences for their work, we can have
them engaged in a digital writing process that focuses first
on the writer, then on the writing, and lastly on the
technology.”
Troy Hicks The Digital Writing Workshop

5. This I Believe Introduction

6. Creating a This I Believe Essay
 This project launches our work in internet research and
reflective or narrative writing. It will involve writing an
essay, and then creating a podcast. We will be submitting
the best from our classes to National Public Radio.

7. Who Are You? Finding Out What is
Important
 What is an identity? What does it mean to have a strong
identity?
 Look up the definition of identity. Based on this definition,
write your own. How would you describe your own
identity?
 Could we say that forming an identity is difficult? How
could this be true?

8. What is a value?
 A value is a characteristic that is important to leading a
fulfilling life.
 What are some examples of values? Let’s list some of
them together.
.

9. • Wisdom
• Freedom
• Creativity
• Dedication
• Loyalty
• Success
• Cooperation
• Enthusiasm
• Self-Control
Team 3
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Compassion
• Love
• Empathy
• Respect
• Faith
• Knowledge
• Leadership
Team 2
Team 1
Some Values to Consider
• Confidence
• Skill
• Sincerity
• Reliability
• Patience
• Flexibility
• Responsibility
• Hope
• Charity
• Prudence

10. Identifying Core Values
 Look at the list again and find the value that represents
you at this point in your life. There are many to choose
from, but if you had just two words to describe yourself
what would they be and why?
 For each value that you select, in your journal write a
definition of your value in your own words and at least
three synonyms for the word. (you can use the thesaurus
on the dictionary site to help you.)

11. • Wisdom
• Freedom
• Creativity
• Dedication
• Loyalty
• Success
• Cooperation
• Enthusiasm
• Self-Control
Team 3
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Compassion
• Love
• Empathy
• Respect
• Faith
• Knowledge
• Leadership
Team 2
Team 1
Some Values to Consider
• Confidence
• Skill
• Sincerity
• Reliability
• Patience
• Flexibility
• Responsibility
• Hope
• Charity
• Prudence

12. Creating a Wordle

13. Life’s Important Moments
 People and events shape your identity.
 “This I Believe” project is not an autobiography- it is a
personal narrative, a story that focuses on a small piece of
your life. It is about values we hold dear, the moments
that teach us who we are. It is not a factual retelling or a
timeline.

14. Essays as Mentor Text
 Together we will find a few sample essays. Your job is to
listen and read at least 3 essays on a topic that interests
you to use as your own personal mentor text.
 Write the title of the essay/podcast and the author and
date published.
 Write a gist sentence about the essay.
 Copy at least two sentences that you find interesting.

15. My Opinions Matter

16. Some Essays About Teaching
Writing

I believe in teaching by example. I believe in inspiring students through creative, genuine
assignments. I believe in developing confident, critically-thinking readers and writers. I
believe in shaping a curriculum that demands authenticity, and I believe in providing the time,
space, and role-modeling necessary to achieve these goals.

I believe in the awe-inspiring power of good writing.

http://thisibelieve.org/essay/66091/

I Want To Be An English Teacher Because

I want my students to realize that though movies and television may be entertaining,
expressing yourself in writing or reading about something your imagination could not have
previously fathomed is unbelievable. I want them to have a voice, a strong one.


http://thisibelieve.org/essay/101991/

17. Looking at the essay
requirements
 Click on the Write button above the Essay. Scroll down to
Requirements.
 Read what is required of each essay and be ready to
discuss. Together we will write bullet points in our
notebook.
 Create a list of possible topics for your own This I Believe
Essay. Write them in your notebook.

18. Some Key Advice
 As you begin your essay consider the following:
 It’s all about you.
 Keep it personal.
 Timing is everything.
 Say what you do believe!
 Have fun!

19. MAPS Creating a Podcast
 Listen again to the podcast with these questions in mind:
 How is the piece introduced? What details are given in the
overview?
 Does the reporter/narrator start talking immediately? Is there a
musical segue? Background sounds?
 Who is invited to talk?
 How does the narrator introduce new ideas or transition to
contrasting ones?
 Adapted From Troy Hicks pg. 88 Crafting Digital Writing

20. Meet Jazmine

21. Garageband: Our Choice to
Record
We will be using Garageband for our project. Here are links
to a variety of tutorials on how to use Garage band. I will
post them in Edmodo for easy access.
https://vimeo.com/36590006

22. Creating a Podcast
 We will be spending 3 days creating our podcast. You will need
to find a quiet place to produce your podcast. Don’t forget to
bring your earbuds from home .
 We will be spending some time today reading our This I believe
statements to create our introduction that will be added to the
beginning of every students work. Be ready to come to my desk
top to record.
 Make sure you use our Podcasting Basics sheet and Prosody
scoring guide as you create your podcast. Have fun!
 I will also be opening my classroom before class, after school
and during second lunch to provide quiet space to record.

23. Meet Amir

24. 7th Grade Standards

W.7.3 – Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details,
and well-structured event sequences.

Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an
event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to
another.

Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences
and events.

Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

W.7.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.

W.7.6 – Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact
and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

25. 8th Grade Standards

W.8.3 – Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details,
and well-structured event sequences.

Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an
event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another,
and show the relationships among experiences and events.

Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences
and events.

Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

W.8.4 – Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience.

W.8.6 – Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information
and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

26. This I Believe Unit Student
Presentation
on Slideshare

27. How to Submit to NPR
 Once you have revised, edited and uploaded your podcast
to our class site you will then submit your essay and
podcast to
http://thisibelieve.org/submission/#_EssayForm=first
 We will be inviting our parents to comment on line and
come into our class to showcase our first project.
 Your final podcast will also be posted on your individual
blog site.

28. Citations

www.thisibelieve.org

The Digital Writing Workshop by Troy Hicks pg. 65-72 with a focus on Dawn Reeds Curriculum
and the MAPS for podcasting

Crafting Digital Writing by Troy Hicks Chapter 5 Crafting Audio Texts

This I Believe Middle School Curriculum. Copyright 2008

Podcasting Basics Recording Principals by Margit Boyenson

Prosody Rubric created by Janet Ilko

This I Believe Podcast Rubric adapted from Dawn Reed and Troy Hicks The Digital Writing
Workshop pages 70-71

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/common-core-in-action-writing-for-audience-rebecca-alber