Preparing for the BMT Podcast
We're excited to have you as a guest on The BMT Podcast, and we want to make your experience as enjoyable and smooth as possible. To help you get started, here's an overview of the steps you'll need to take.
For more detailed instructions, please read the rest of the page.
- Send us your bio: Introduce yourself to our audience by providing a bio that highlights your name, professional background, area of expertise, and relevant accomplishments. Feel free to add personal anecdotes to help our audience connect with you.
- Brainstorm potential topics and questions: Think of interesting topics related to education, parenting, and local issues affecting families in New York City. Consider also preparing a list of questions you'd like the host to ask you about these topics.
- Set up your audio equipment and recording: Invest in a dedicated microphone for clear audio and avoid using webcam or Bluetooth headphone microphones. Also, record your audio locally as a backup to ensure the best possible audio quality.
- Consult the BMT Podcast Audio Setup Guide: For a more in-depth explanation of setting up your audio, refer to our comprehensive guide.
- Prepare your recording space: Choose a quiet location, ensure a stable Wi-Fi connection or use an Ethernet cable, and optimize your video background and lighting for possible social media clips.
By following these steps, you'll be well-prepared for an engaging and insightful conversation on The BMT Podcast. Thank you for your collaboration, and we can't wait to have you on the show!
Bio: Who are you, anyway?
First, we need to introduce you!
To help our audience quickly understand why they should take us seriously, please send a bio that we can read at the beginning of the podcast.
A standard bio should include your name, professional background, area of expertise, and any relevant accomplishments and experiences. Feel free to add any personal anecdotes or stories that might help our audience connect with you on a personal level.
We encourage you to provide as much information as you'd like, but keep in mind that are likely to shorten it to fit our introduction format.
Examples will be introduced here later.
Topics & Questions
We ask that you come up with potential topics that would be of interest to our listeners, who are parents of kids in the NYC school system.
Your topic suggestions should be relevant to education, parenting, and local issues that affect families in New York City. Consider discussing recent news, trends, or research in your field, as well as any personal experiences or insights you have gained through your work. Your topic suggestions don't have to be perfectly worded, but it's a plus if they are.
If you provide us with an idea of your interests, we can work together to develop specific podcast topics and names.
Prepare Questions
Optionally, consider compiling a list of common questions that parents ask you or questions you'd like the host to ask you about the topics you're pitching.
This will help facilitate a more engaging, focused, and informative podcast. Think about the concerns and challenges that NYC parents typically face, and how your expertise can (or has!) address those issues.
By anticipating their questions, you can better prepare your responses and ensure that your conversation is both informative and engaging.
Example Topics and Questions
Here are some examples of topics that might work well for our podcast, as well as a short sample of potential questions.
Stuyvesant H.S. Admissions
Idea: "Is Stuyvesant a good choice for your kids?"
Potential Episode Name: "Decoding Stuyvesant: Is NYC's Top High School Right for Your Child?"
Content: We dive into the world of Stuyvesant High School, exploring the school's reputation, academic rigor, and admissions process to help parents determine if it's the best fit for their child.
Sample Questions:
- What sets Stuyvesant High School apart from other high-performing schools in NYC?
- How can parents and students navigate the competitive admissions process for Stuyvesant
- What factors should parents consider when deciding if Stuyvesant is the right school for their child?
ADHD
Idea: "Test Taking Strategies for Kids with ADHD"
Potential Episode Name: "Mastering Tests with ADHD: Strategies for Success"
Content: We discuss effective test-taking strategies tailored specifically for students with ADHD, empowering them to overcome challenges and reach their full academic potential.
Sample Questions:
- What are the most common test-taking challenges faced by students with ADHD, and how can they be addressed?
- What strategies and techniques can students with ADHD use to improve their test-taking skills and performance?
- How can parents and educators support students with ADHD in their test preparation and overall academic journey?
College Readiness
Idea: "College Readiness - Transitioning from H.S. to College"
Potential Episode Name: "From High School to College: Smoothing the Transition"
Content: We discuss how parents and students can effectively prepare for the transition from high school to college, ensuring a successful start to the next chapter of their academic journey
Sample Questions:
- What are the most common challenges students face when transitioning from high school to college?
- How can parents help their children prepare for the academic and social changes they'll experience in college?
- What resources or support systems should students take advantage of during their first year in college?
Tech Considerations
While we don't expect studio-quality sound, we do strive to maintain a minimum level of audio quality for our listeners. As such, we have a few requirements:
No Webcam audio
Webcam microphones produce low-quality sound, which can be distracting and frustrating for listeners. They tend to pick up background noises and have a limited frequency response, resulting in a less-than-ideal listening experience. Investing in a dedicated microphone, preferably with noise-canceling capabilities, will help to ensure that your voice is clear, free of background noise, and pleasant for our audience.
If you don't have a standalone microphone, we will have a list of options at various budgets linked below.
No Bluetooth Headphones with Built-in Mic
Although you may be tempted to use your Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, they are generally not suitable for our podcast requirements.
Bluetooth headphones often have inferior microphone quality compared to dedicated microphones as they are designed primarily for phone calls or casual voice chat, and not for high (or even medium) quality audio recording. As a result, the audio captured by these built-in microphones will sound tinny, hollow, or muffled, which can be distracting for our listeners and detract from the overall podcast experience.
Bluetooth can also suffer from connection issues such as interference, signal dropouts, or latency. These problems can lead to audio glitches, missed words, or even complete disconnections during the podcast recording. Such disruptions can negatively impact the flow of the conversation and make it challenging for listeners to follow along.
Local audio recording
In addition to recording the podcast through Zoom, it's essential to have a backup recording of the audio captured locally on your computer or a digital audio recorder. This provides an extra layer of protection in case there are any issues with the Zoom recording, such as dropouts, glitches, or file corruption. By having a high-quality backup, we can ensure that the final podcast is seamless and professional, even if unexpected problems arise. There are various software options available for recording audio locally, so choose one that suits your needs and is compatible with your device.
BMT Podcast Audio Setup Guide
For detailed guidance on setting up your audio, please refer to the BMT Podcast Audio Setup Guide.
Recording Space Considerations
In addition to the above steps, we recommend the following recording considerations to ensure a high-quality podcast experience:
Environmental Noise
Minimize environmental noise (e.g., TV, music, kitchen sounds, vocal pets or people, traffic).
Choose a quiet location for recording, and let those around you know that you'll need silence during the session.
Recordings tend to pick up much more noise than we anticipate, so it's important to have have a quiet space without distractions.
Stable Wi-fi
Ensure a stable Wi-Fi connection or use an Ethernet cable for better reliability. Stable Wi-Fi generally means being very close - usually in the same room - as the router.
Despite the advances in Wi-Fi technology over the years, having your router far away can easily lead to audio dropouts, stuttering, or other connectivity issues that can disrupt the flow of the conversation.
If it all possible, and you are using a laptop, please use an Ethernet cable during our recording. It really makes a difference!
Visual Clutter
Although the BMT Podcast is not published as a video podcast, we would like, with your permission, to record the video and create short social media clips to help promote both you and the podcast.
Setting up a clutter-free, professional-looking background to avoid distractions would go a long way to making these clips engaging and useful.
Lighting
Optimize lighting by avoiding backlight and using defuse light sources, such as an open window or an LED light panel. Good lighting helps to create a visually appealing video for any accompanying visuals, and also helps to make you look your best on camera.
By following these guidelines, you'll be well-prepared for your appearance on The BMT Podcast, and we look forward to having an insightful and engaging conversation with you. Your preparation will not only make the recording process smoother but also ensure that our listeners get the most value from your expertise and experience.
Thank you for your collaboration, and we're excited to have you as a guest on The BMT Podcast!
