In Ms. Mann’s 6th-grade classes, students stepped into a “walk in someone else’s shoes” podcast project, designed to build empathy, communication, character, and creativity. Each student interviewed a teacher or staff member from around the building, collaborating to craft thoughtful questions and film their conversations. After filming, students transformed their raw footage into a polished podcast video by adding graphics, intro/outro music, transitions, and other creative elements using their growing editing skills.
Beyond the technical piece, this project taught students valuable life lessons. They learned how to communicate professionally through email etiquette and how to actively listen during an interview, while also engaging in thoughtful conversation. Through this exercise, students developed character by practicing patience, responsibility, and open-mindedness. It also ties directly into the district’s new Profile of a Rutherford Graduate initiative, hitting most of the major competencies: collaboration, creativity, citizenship, communication, character, and critical thinking. Most importantly, they discovered the power of stepping outside themselves to understand the experiences, backgrounds, and stories of others, an essential skill both in school and in life.
