PBS - Remotely Connected

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Super Why Super Reader Summer Camp -- Day 2

by Bonggamom

Today was Day 2 of the SSS (Super Why Super Reader Summer Camp), and it was Wonder Red day. 3Po and Jammy cut out their Wonder Red masks (surprisingly, no gender issues there, I'm happy that my boys are in touch with their feminine side) and happily settled down to watch the SUPER WHY 3 Little Pigs episode once again. Here's a video of them interacting with Wonder Red as she sounds out the words TALL and BALL:

Read entire post here:

Super Why! gets kids down to the letter
by L.A. Story

A couple of months ago, I was tapping away on the computer while my daughter was watching a show on PBS.

All of a sudden I heard her yelling out letters: E! I!

It was great, because we'd really started focusing on the alphabet, and I was eager to see which program was encouraging her to talk back to the screen -- in a good way.

I turned around and saw what I now consider to be the newest Fab Four: Alpha Pig, Wonder Red, Princess Presto and the front man, er, boy himself, Super Why!

So when PBS Kids organized a meet and greet for Los Angeles mom bloggers at its local outlet KCET, I was ready to jump in a Why Flyer with CC and make an afternoon of it.

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Educationl Activities

By Stimey, Things. and. Stuff.

It is not a secret that I've always sort of credited Super Why with teaching Jack to read when he was four years old.

Part of his early reading, I think, has to do with the way his brain works, but his spontaneous (and untaught by me) reading coincided with rampant Super Why viewing. Jack is a very visual learner, and I think the show helped him "see" how to read. (I also don't think that all the reading and lap cuddling we did with him hurt.)

It turns out that I may not be so off base in my assertion about Super Why. It turns out that a couple of studies have shown that children reap tangible literacy benefits from Super Why. I'm not saying that you should park your kid in front of the TV and expect them to turn into brainiacs, but if your young child is going to watch TV, you could certainly do worse than this very fun show.

Read the full post here

by Laurel Ann

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As the music started with the opening credits, I smiled in recognition of how much the Harry Potter movies have premeated into our culture. Here is a scene of children arriving for school term and the music is so similar to the whimsical children's choral piece that opens the Harry Potter movies that I laughed out loud and thought the producer a cheeky monkey for slipping in that subliminal message! I wondered what other things they might borrow to make Hercule Poirot into Harry Potter! Anyway, our super sleuth has been invited to Meadowbank Girls School by his friend the headmistress Miss Bulstrode, played by Harriet Walter, who Austenites will remember portrayed Fanny Dashwood in the 1996 movie adaptation Sense and Sensibility.

Read Laurel Ann's entire post

by Ms. Place

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The Cat Among the Pigeons, the new Hercule Poirot mystery on PBS's Mystery was as satisfying an Agatha Cristie mystery as I've seen in a long time.

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Watch Online

Masterpiece Mystery continues with Six by Agatha - six adaptations of Agatha Christie novels featuring her famous sleuths, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, beginning on Sunday June 21 through July 26 on PBS .

Six by Agatha

PBS KIDS is hosting a series of discussions nationwide with bloggers about the role media plays in the lives of their families. Over the next several weeks we will add event photos and posts from the events.

We have just returned from two great events with Los Angeles Moms Blog and the Silicon Valley Moms. Read what some of the attendees had to say:

Learning with PBS Kids and SUPER WHY

by Bonggamom, Finding Bonggamom

I've always maintained that watching TV can be a positive, educational experience for children. Actually, make that: "watching PBS is a positive, educational experience for children". There's a lot of good quality programming on many kids' networks these days, but as far as I'm concerned, PBS sets the gold standard in educational TV. A lot of it has to do with my own experiences; I learned to read watching the two original PBS Kids programs: Sesame Street and The Electric Company. And because they're noncommercial, airing on nonprofit stations, I really get the sense that they put kids' interests first. I've put absolute trust in the PBS Kids brand: if it's a PBS show, I let my kids watch it.

The right to choose...what your kids watch on TV

by Stefania Pomponi Butler, CityMama

One of the things I have been thinking about since last night is PBS' attempt to keep the 6+ age group engaged in their programming. They recognize that they are experts on the preschool set and have programming (via their PBS Go brand) that speaks to younger elementary school kids, but increasingly it is hard to compete with other programming (Nick and Disney tween programming) as well as outside influences like what kids are exposed to at school. One of the they questions they posed to us (paraphrasing) was, "How do you keep your 6-to-8-year-old kids engaged in age-appropriate programs in light of all the media influences they are exposed to."

My family has been so busy!

by modmom

this week, i met the pbs kids executives + the creator of 'super why' at stanford + they explained how they make their programs + gave me some show DVDs + projects to try with mod*tot for feedback. we LOVE pbs kids shows + online games. mod*tot is in gymnastics camp + i'm skating along the bay trail across the street from her gym, updating my blog, planning giveaways + getting ready for the dwell on design conference next weekend at the los angeles convention center!!!

Brain Candy

by Emily

It was a small group of parent bloggers (OK, mothers) and a panel of three women who design children's programming for PBS. Joyce Campbell, the VP of Education and Children's Programming and producer of Sid, the Science Kid, didn't do a whole lot of talking, as she was clearly there just to hear what we had to say. The other two women on the panel, however, had some fascinating things to say.

Visit Super WHY! on PBS KIDS

PBS Parents Learning with Media

PBS KIDS is hosting a series of discussions nationwide with bloggers about the role media plays in the lives of their families. Over the next several weeks we will add event photos and posts from the events.

The New York event was held at PBS station WNET.org

Liz Thompson - This Full House

"PBS PARENTS is a terrific resource for connecting families (like mine) and media together to form an open forum, which (hopefully) will prove to be a fruitful partnership in understanding the complexities of our children's development. Good and bad."

The D.C. event was held at PBS Headquarters

Leticia Barr - D.C. Metro Moms

"We could have stayed at PBS all day. Not only did I find the discussion to be fascinating from a parent and an educator perspective, but it reinforced why PBS has always been a part of my life."

Gayle Weiswasser - Everyday I Write the Book

"When I think back on some of the shows my girls have watched on other channels, it makes me appreciate the quality of PBS Kids programming even more. It's not enough, in my book, that a show hold their attention or be entertaining - it should be teaching them something. And a show that demonstrates the value of books and reading, and encourages kids to explore books - what could be better? I am adding SuperWhy to the DVR immediately."

Jessica McFadden - A Parent in Silver Spring

"Super Why was designed specifically to help kids age 3-6 with the critical skills that they need to learn to read. Each of the four characters on the show embodies one of the skills recommended by the National Reading Panel: Alpha Pig = alphabet skills, Wonder Red = word families, Princess Presto = spelling and Super Why = reading comprehension and vocabulary. (They're not simply cutie pies with capes.) Using interactive literacy games and problems preschoolers can relate to and help solve, Super Why grips the child viewer and shows her that reading is an empowering adventure."

DC Event.jpg

Michelle Musson - Wife and Mommy

"Sure, I thought it was a great show that engaged my kids for 25 minutes while I get ready in the morning. But after hearing the how the show is very carefully crafted, I am really impressed with the teaching aspect of it. It's good television that I ~~don't mind~~ encourage my kids to watch!"