VERSAILES, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Woodford County teacher is on a mission to empower her students to leave their mark on the world using their voices.
Southside Elementary School teacher Rebekah Gooslin launched the ‘Minutes with Mother Goose’ podcast after classrooms switched to virtual learning because of the pandemic.
“I just felt so blessed to be given the opportunity and to rise to the challenge,” Gooslin said. “I’ve never done a podcast before, but it doesn’t mean you can’t. I tell those kids all the time that though you might not know a subject now, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it.”
The goal of the podcast is to teach students to be comfortable speaking out because their voices can and do make a difference in the world.
“I hope that this teaches them to be assertive. You know if you see something, say something. And that your feelings are okay, they're your feelings. Your opinion matters and you can make a difference, and I hope I inspire them to keep going,” Gooslin said.
Podcast episodes are produced several times a month during Gooslin’s class periods by third and fourth grade students. The class collectively decides the topic for the episode and students work together to come up with interview questions.
“I think providing these opportunities for them to just to socialize with each other and make friends, these will last a lifetime. They’re building skills and relationships with these kids that they'll be friends forever with,” Gooslin said.
Podcast topics range widely. On Friday, more than 20 students helped interview a new teacher at Southside Elementary School about why he decided to choose education as a career path and what his New Year’s resolutions are.
Gooslin’s class does not shy away from discussing deeper subjects, though.
“We’re teaching tough topics. How to cope, how to deal with being alone or depression or other things and I just thought that was so important that I had the guidance counselor's on there. That's just one episode,” she said.
‘Minutes with Mother Goose’ has released 12 episodes. A new episode will be available shortly.
You can find the all the segments here.
