Education

Videos: Early Education STEM Summit featuring Dorothea Gillim

2013-05-10T18:34:25Z

On May 10, 2013, witf hosted an Early Education STEM summit featuring Dorothea Gillim, Executive Producer of Curious George, and Bill Isler, CEO of The Fred Rogers Company.

witf's strong commitment to education led us to convene education and science leaders to discuss this important topic. During the event, we talked about what is going well as we promote scientific learning opportunities for young children and identified where the gaps exist. We also discussed models to address STEM learning and research shaping efforts in Public Media.

The videos below feature Dorothea Gillim, Executive Producer of Curious George, speaking during the event.

What is STEM?

Curious George is a STEM learner.

Does Media Belong?

New study shows Sesame Street's global impact

2013-05-02T13:26:53Z

Sesame Workshop produces educational shows for pre-school-aged children across the world, and their team of early education specialists works tirelessly to ensure our programs are not only fun but filled with effective lessons about literacy, numeracy and healthy living.

Sesame's research process is the reason the Workshop’s educational material has remained relevant for over 40 years. It’s critical to what the organization does. That’s why they asked Dr. Marie-Louise Mares and Dr. Zhongdang Pan, two independent researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study the research that has been conducted about Sesame's international programs and conclude for themselves whether or not the programming was effective.

Sesame Workshop is pretty happy with the results. They came back and said the effects of watching the programs resulted in “real educational benefits for the millions of preschool-age children around the world who visit Sesame Street.”

The authors analyzed the results of 24 studies, conducted with over 10,000 children in 15 countries. Their findings indicate significant positive effects of exposure to Sesame Street across a number of learning outcomes: cognitive outcomes (including literacy and numeracy), learning about the world (including health and safety knowledge), and social reasoning and attitudes.

The study showed an average 11.6 percentile difference between viewers and non-viewers (or for the statistics fan: an effect size of 0.29 ). This is comparable to what other researchers found in an evaluation of interventions in which children in developing countries were assigned to attend on-site preschool programs and/or caregivers were trained to provide higher quality care. Through its broadcasts and other distribution mechanisms around the world, however, Sesame Street reaches a vastly larger scale, impacting millions of children daily. The authors of the study described our model as an “enduring example of a scalable and effective early childhood educational intervention.”

Starting with the earliest studies of Sesame Street conducted by the Educational Testing Service in the 1970s, Sesame Street has become the most researched television show in history. A significant body of evidence of the program’s educational value in the United States has emerged. This research shows that the same positive effect we’ve had here in the United States is being seen in countries across the world.

“With programs designed by producers and educational specialists in the countries where we work, our international projects seek to meet the most critical educational needs of children in a given locale,” said Dr. Charlotte F. Cole, Senior Vice President of Global Education at Sesame Workshop. “Research helps us understand children’s changing needs, how media can best address those needs, and most importantly, if the programs are having an effect. We are thrilled to have additional solid evidence that our approach is contributing to early childhood education efforts and supporting early learning around the world.”

To learn more about the results, click here.

Do you have a preschooler counting down the days to Kindergarten?

2013-04-22T18:55:49Z

Come "Countdown To Kindergarten" with your friends at witf and Curious George!

The transition to kindergarten is an exciting, challenging, magical time for young children and their families. Join us at Martin Library in York on May 4, 2013 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon to begin to celebrate this transition with your family.

At this free, fun, family event, you can:

Meet and get your picture taken with Curious George
Sign up for a library card
Participate in creative art activities
Play and build in our construction zone
Explore science activities

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR THIS FREE FAMILY EVENT

You are invited to a grown-ups only night of learning!

2013-04-22T18:44:47Z

Parents and Preschool Teachers! You are invited to a grown-ups only night of learning!

Come explore how to engage your child or your young learners in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning. Join us on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 from 6:30 -8:30 PM at the witf Public Media Center for this free, engaging event.

We will discuss STEM learning with Dorothea Gillim, Executive Producer of Curious George and then participate in fun, simple science activities/make & takes that you can do at home or in your classroom.

Early educators, register at pakeys.org to receive two DPW approved credits.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP or call 717-910-2806

First Annual HopeSummit: A Symposium on Bullying

2013-04-16T17:20:17Z

The Foundation for Hope is hosting the First Annual HopeSummit: A Symposium on Bullying on May 11, 2013 at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, Pa. This event is free and open to the public. The Foundation for Hope is a community outreach program created to raise awareness of the harmful realities of bullying, depression and suicide.

The tentative schedule is as follows:

12-12:30 p.m. - Registration and welcome at Midtown Scholar
12:30-4 p.m. - Speakers and presentations at Midtown Scholar
4:30-6 p.m. - Panel discussion at main stage of Midtown Scholar
6-7:30 p.m. - Screening of "Out In The Silence" at main stage of Midtown Scholar
6-9 p.m. - Meet and Greet at LGBT Community Center of Central PA next door

The Meet and Greet will be an opportunity to ask follow-up questions or engage in conversation with the speakers, panelists and organizers of the event. Food and beverage will be provided.

The Midtown Scholar Bookstore is located at 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102. Email events@midtownscholar.com or call 717-236-1680 for more information.

Have you or a loved one experienced bullying? Share your story with us here.

Pushed Around is supported by Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.

Workshop: Cultivating Empathy in Children

2013-03-18T19:17:40Z

We all want the children we care for to be empathetic but as teachers and families, can we in some way make them be empathetic? This workshop discusses the value of empathy and how to cultivate the conditions to help empathy grow in our homes and classrooms.

Please join us for this workshop on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the witf Public Media Center at 4801 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111. This event is open to teachers and families. It is free for families that do not need teaching certificate/credit hours. The registration fee for teachers is $10.

Please RSVP to Debbie Riek at debbie_riek@witf.org or 717-910-2806 by the morning of April 23, 2013. If you are a teacher, you may also register online at PAKeys.org. Please contact Debbie is you have questions about RSVPing online.

Refreshments will be provided, but meals will not.

This workshop is being offered in connection with our Pushed Around project on bullying.

Helping Children Talk About Their Scary Feelings

2012-12-14T21:13:51Z

When scary things happen, it is difficult to know how to handle children’s questions and concerns. We'd like to offer some thoughts from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and PBS Kids that may be of help to you and the children in your care at this time. Talking about our fears can often help make them less frightening so be open to issues that your children may raise.

When children mention something frightening, find out what they know about it. (Their fantasies are often very different from the actual truth!) Listening carefully and respecting their concerns can assure them that they can talk about anything with you.

Somewhere deep inside each one of us human beings is a longing to know that all will be well. Our children need to hear from us adults that we will do everything we can to keep them safe and to help them grow in this world.

When Fred Rogers was a boy and would see scary things on the news, his mother would say to him, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."

Families and care givers are of prime importance in your child's life -- what you do, think and say are powerful influences on the children in your care. By helping them find healthy ways of dealing with their feelings -- ways that don't hurt them or anyone else, you're helping to make our world a better, safer place.

More information is available online. Here’s a link to the @PBSParents section on talking to children about news: http://to.pbs.org/UY5Uj7

Here’s a link to a few pointers from @PBSParents and Mister Rogers on talking to kids about scary news: http://to.pbs.org/12pWyyO

We hope you find this information helpful.

Your friends at witf.

Following Their Lead

2012-06-06T21:50:25Z

“I tell people it was the perfect storm,” said Yasmin Brown, Jordan Brown’s mother, describing her son’s fundraising efforts to support the Richard D. Winter’s Leadership Monument dedicated June 6, 2012 in Normandy, France. The 13 year old Lebanon County boy had been involved in other fundraising efforts, inspired by hearing stories about children in Haiti, and he’d been successful.

But Jordan’s real passion was WWII. “Like many little boys, Jordan liked to play war and so I spent time talking to him about wars, that they weren’t just games.” Jordan’s grandfather had served in WWII. Jordan and his dad watched Band of Brothers together. All of these experiences and ideas fed Jordan’s passion.

“I had read an article in the newspaper that the statue was going to be built and I cut it out for Jordan to read,” said Yasmin. Jordan was inspired and they spent that weekend brainstorming how Jordan might be able to help. “I figured we would bake some cookies. We would sell some lemonade at the end of the driveway,” but Jordan had other ideas.

Nearly $100,000 later, Jordan has inspired many with his “Hang Tough” wristbands, selling them in parades and at events. He’s also learned a great deal about leadership, starting a business, and how to connect others to a cause that is important to him and the community.

“I think people love this story because it is a sweet story about a little boy who cares and I think it helps us all remember that these kids are going to be just fine,” says Yasmin. “I’m his biggest cheerleader. Beyond their grades, we all really want to raise children who have compassion.”

As Jordan’s mom shared about her son, I couldn’t help but think how to inspire this kind of civic-minded commitment in my own children. Are there ways families can inspire this kind of dedication?

According to Yasmin, first, we need to listen “There is no formula. You need to meet your kid where they are.” Really listening to our kids share about things that are important to them and observing them when they are most excited, animated, and focused, help us to understand them.

Next, support their passion. “Jordan is just your average, ordinary kid who likes to play, swim, watch TV. He is also passionate,” said Yasmin. As families, we need to try to see the things that genuinely inspire our kids, not the things we wish would inspire our kids or the things we think should inspire them.

Finally, let them have control. “We just found a way to let him run with that passion. We told him he could stop at any time. He was driving.” Sometimes we say no to our children so often. What would they accomplish if we said yes?

Ready, Set... Explore!

2012-02-13T23:31:00Z

Science is about trying to make sense of the world. The idea of explaining science to young children can feel overwhelming to many adults. But luckily, explanations about science aren’t what young children want at first. They want to play! Curiosity drives children’s interest in science and we can all appreciate curiosity. So where do we start?

witf and Whitaker Center For Science and the Arts invite you and your 3-7 year old to join us for Ready, Set…Explore, a series of Saturday morning science play dates where you and your child can spend time together and play with science. Each event is shaped around a science concept and a well-loved PBS character who will be at the event to explore along with you. All events are held in the beautiful Kunkel Gallery in Whitaker Center in Harrisburg specific Saturdays from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. The events are free for families thanks to some wonderful community partners. Just RSVP by clicking the link below.

Upcoming Ready, Set…Explore dates:

	April 21, 9-11 AM-- Explore wind and weather with Curious George This Ready, Set…Explore event was really fun and very successful. We had 286 people there and heard nothing but positive comments from families, Whitaker Center, PNC (our sponsor), and our awesome volunteers.
	Curious George event is sponsored by:


	May 19, 9-11 AM—Go on a backyard adventure with Cat In The Hat RSVP for the May event - click here Explore spider webs Learn about worms Make some tracks Get your photo taken with the Cat In The Hat (bring a camera!) and much more!
	Cat In The Hat event is sponsored by:

Get ready to ask questions and explore science with your child!

Other tips from PBS Parents:

Science is not simply about knowing information—it is equally a way of trying to make sense of the world. Scientists must ask questions, design investigations, try to make sense of the information they have gathered during the investigations, and communicate and defend their thinking to others. They don’t always find the answers to their questions, and they don’t always agree.

Help Children Think Like Scientists

It is much more important for parents to help children develop the skills they need to think like scientists than to help them understand complex scientific concepts. Even the youngest children are quite capable of beginning to build these skills. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you enjoy science alongside your child:

You don’t need to have answers for all of your child’s questions! Encourage your child to develop his own science thinking skills.
Listen carefully to your child. Engage her in conversation about what she thinks, and encourage her to explain why she thinks as she does by asking questions such as, “Why do you think the snail is eating that leaf?”
Don’t immediately correct your child. If your child says something scientifically incorrect, help her discover for herself what is correct rather than correcting her. For example, if she says “heavy things sink, you can ask her, “Which heavy things have you seen sink?” Or, “I wonder if we can find something heavy that can float?”
Model curiosity. Wonder aloud: “I wonder what will happen to this pudding mix when we put the water in?”

TEDx Enola, an education event

2012-02-02T03:07:00Z

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

― Albert Einstein

The human brain likes to group and organize everything. It makes us more comfortable when things fit. We compare new experiences to old experiences unconsciously, trying to find a link, trying to make things make sense. Sometimes, as grownups who care and work with children, we find ourselves grouping them that way as well. We talk about "typical learners", as though that exists, and "typical development". Though we can point to developmental benchmarks, especially in very young children and those benchmarks can help us support children more effectively, we need to be careful with labels.

In her book "Raising A Left-Brained Child in A Right Brain World", Katharine Beals points to the danger of labeling children, including her own three children and asks the question, "Why does my inquisitive child dislike school?" For Beals, the answer is the child's approach to learning. Beals describes left-brained children as shy, transition-wary, children who may prefer to work alone, or may express intense interests in one particular topic. She highlights the struggles these children may have in social aspects of school or collaborative work and calls on families and teachers to see the value in alternative approaches to learning.

For me, it was a particularly interesting perspective as I see the struggles of one of my daughters who, in Beal's definition, would be "right brained". Intuitive, spontaneous and creative, my daughter struggles to understand the need for assessments, testing, and "right answers". So to me, the question really is "Is there a typical learner?"

Teachers have a tough job. Differentiating or individualizing instruction to meet the needs of 25 or more people with differing approaches or styles of learning is an arduous if not sometimes impossible task. Families and teachers need to work together to share what we know about our children and to listen to each other, free from labels. One place to start is to spend time is family conferences discussing learning style not just learning outcomes. Teachers support the idea of families observing student learning. Creating a shared understanding of your child's strengths and weaknesses benefits the teacher, the family and the child. We need to approach our children as Einstein calls us to—geniuses who may be fish trying to climb trees.

Click here for more from Katharine Beals and other brain research experts, and learn about TEDx Enola

Sesame Street’s primetime special raises awareness of widespread issue of hunger in United States

2011-09-27T01:39:42Z

On October 9 at 7 p.m., tune in to witf tv to watch Sesame Street’s primetime special, Growing Hope Against Hunger. Growing Hope Against Hunger features Brad Paisley, Kimberly Williams Paisley, Elmo, Rosita, and Grover. This one-hour special raises awareness of the widespread issue of hunger in the United States and its impact on children. It provides simple, empowering strategies to families who aren't sure where their next meal will come from - and to others who want to help. This special is connected to Sesame Street’s FOOD FOR THOUGHT: EATING WELL ON A BUDGET, a bilingual, multimedia program designed to help support families who have children between the ages of 2 and 8 and are coping with uncertain or limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Check out these resources to assist your family in coping with food uncertainty or in thinking about ways your family can help others in need.

This show will repeat on Tuesday, October 11 at 8 p.m.

What Do The Events of September 11 Mean To Young Children

2011-09-10T00:57:41Z

I was seven months pregnant on September 11, 2001. I remember watching the news coverage at work, stunned as I saw the planes hit the Towers over and over, wondering at the world that my husband and I were bringing a tiny baby girl into. Olivia, my oldest daughter, was born two months to the minute that the first plane hit the World Trade Center.

I have read countless articles over the last 10 years about talking with children about that day in September, both as an educator and as a mom. What could possibly make sense to young children about something that made no sense to me? How can I promise them that they will be safe? How can I protect them from the knowledge that there are people who would dance in the streets at the deaths of 3000 people who did nothing more than go to work or get on a plane that day?

My daughters have asked few questions over the last several years about the attacks in September 2001. It was important to me that they not see the footage of the burning Towers or the crying people. We have avoided the majority of the news coverage. Olivia was about 5 when we stumbled upon a memorial outside the Crayola Factory in Easton PA. She asked me what had happened and I told her, as simply as I could about the horrible events that had unfolded while she was safely in my belly, blissfully unaware. She asked me if that was going to happen again and seemed satisfied with my answer, "I hope not."

Experts agree on several things about the impact of the September 11, 2001 events on young children. First, reflect broadly on how directly they have been affected by those attacks. Do you live near an attack site? Did someone that was important to the child die in those attacks? Is a parent serving in the military? Does the parent fly frequently? Are parents pilots, flight attendants, police officers, fire fighters? Does the parent work in a tall building? Try thinking about the events from a child's perspective when you reflect on direct affect. Though it is clear that a child who lost a parent in the attacks experiences a different level of daily impact, to a child that has no sense of space or time and limited abstract thinking may see news footage of the attacks and think they are happening over and over again on a building that looks a lot like where mommy works in downtown Harrisburg.

With that said, be sensitive to the news footage. It is hard for any of us to watch as adults, it can feel extremely frightening to young children. Ask teachers how they may or may not plan to discuss 9/11 with children. If you are a teacher, make sure you involve families in your planning around 9/11. Though as adults we have grown more "used to" the image of those towers burning, they are very new, very awful images to young children.

Explain words that you are using. When you say terrorist, what does that mean? Even the term 9/11 can be interpreted as 9-1-1. Try to talk about the event in ways that relate to changes or efforts we have made to keep the child safe. My discussion with my daughters about the attacks happened recently when my husband was travelling and we saw him take off his shoes for airport security. They couldn't understand why that needed to happen and it led to a good discussion.

Try to monitor your own stress around the anniversary and the recent threats of additional attacks. Your children will equate the meaning you give to this event. Though I advocate that you share your feelings honestly with children, you also are their barometer of safety so balance your honestly with reminders of all the people who are working hard to keep them safe. In the timeless wisdom of Mr. Rogers, always remind children to look for the helpers.

Use children's literature to help you. My favorite story inspired by these events is a little known book called 14 Cows For America by Carmen Agra Deedy. It tells the true story of Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, who is of the Maasai people from Kenya. Naiyomah was studying in the United States in 2001 and when he returned to his people, told them the story of the attacks. The Maasai were so moved and horrified by these stories they gifted to our country what was most meaningful to them, 14 cows. It is a beautiful story that tells the story but stresses the healing. Another good book to check out is The Chapel That Stood by A.B. Curtiss that tells the story of that day and focuses on the resiliency of the American spirit.

Uncertainty is scary to many children and we live in a time of much uncertainty. Reassuring your child that you will always be there to listen to them, help them answer their questions and keep them safe is a beautiful gift that comforts them and comforts us as their parents and caregivers.

An event for you and your soon to be kindergartner!

2011-03-02T08:40:37Z

Is your child going to kindergarten this fall?

Come celebrate this milestone for you and your child at Ready, Set, Go...Kindergarten!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

witf
Public Media Center
4801 Lindle Road
Harrisburg, PA 17111

At this free family event designed specifically for you and your soon-to-be kindergartner you can:

- Create fun arts and crafts
- sit on a real school bus
- meet PBS characters and community helpers

You'll also be able to ask questions and connect with resources to help your child be successful in school!

Be sure to RSVP and register your soon-to-be kindergartner
for a VIK (Very Important Kindergartner) gift!

For more information call 717-910-2806.

Supporting Homeless Students in the School District of Lancaster

2011-02-26T01:19:00Z

When we picture a homeless person, many of us see the face of an older man or woman, wearing many layers of clothes, walking down a city street. However, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, families with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Being homeless and of school age is a difficult and complicated situation and one that faces many children in central Pennsylvania. Many homeless students struggle to manage life in shelters or may find their family "doubled up", living with another family to help make ends meet. Homeless children have obvious physical needs and sometimes less obvious emotional ones as they navigate the complicated world of growing up, learning new things in school, and managing the instability of being homeless.

In the School District of the City of Lancaster, Ken Marzinko has worked with homeless students as the Homeless Project Facilitator for nineteen years. Last year, the Homeless Project in the School District of Lancaster served over 1000 children and Ken says the numbers are growing. The Homeless Project supports students in lots of ways from providing families with school uniforms, transportation to help minimize a child's transition from his or her home school, or even just a haircut for a homeless child headed off for his first day of kindergarten.

WATCH VIDEO 1: Ken discusses the services provided by the Homeless Project in Lancaster School District

WATCH VIDEO 2: Ken discusses how school districts can make this situation harder or easier for families

WATCH VIDEO 3: Ken talks about shelter life for school age children

WATCH VIDEO 4: Ken talks about the ways families can help other families in need

WATCH VIDEO 5: Ken talks about the value of education for homeless students

Reach: There Is A Better Way

2011-01-15T01:57:35Z

Sometimes mentoring doesn't look like a mentoring program. In January, 2008 acting teacher Ben Hodge started talking with his students about problems the students were seeing at their York County high school. He encouraged them to write stories about their experiences. Then Hodge, music teacher Nick Curry and the students crafted them into monologues. Reach: There Is A Better Way premiered as a play in May 2008. In January 2010, a full length DVD was produced.

Ben Hodge talks about how the REACH project got started:

See clips from the DVD here:

In the process of writing, reflecting, acting, and sharing, the students formed significant mentoring,
relationships with their teachers and with each other, older students sharing with younger ones,
discussing topics that it would be easier to pretend didn't exist.
Ben Hodge talks about why the Reach project was meaningful to students:

Ben Hodge discusses why the Arts are an asset in mentor relationships:

Ben Hodge shares what he has learned about himself in this process and about the students he works with:

One of the participants in REACH, Mary McCleary, talks about what it meant to be involved in the project:

Mary McCleary shares how having a mentor and being in this project changed her:

Another participant, John Dumpman, discusses what it meant to him to have a mentor:

John Dumpman shares some advice for adults:

For more information about Reach: There Is A Better Way DVD or to find out about upcoming performances, contact Ben Hodge, Ben Hodge Studios, at benhodgestudios@gmail.com.