Outcomes
A Sampling of Responses to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood:
"Over the past 33 years I have taught child-development classes at the University. . . . One of my interests has been the impact of television on young children. I believe that Mister Rogers' Neighborhood is the best program for developing pro-social behavior in young children. This show is timeless in its teaching, and all young children should have the opportunity to view this show for years to come."
-- Newark, Del.
"I use many of the things you taught, in my life from how I am with my children to how I deal with those who work around me."
-- Pueblo, Colo.
"Your example inspires me to be a better mother and a better person overall."
-- Cincinnati, Ohio
"I hope we can all use [Mister Rogers] as our inspiration when we teach. Rogers said a teacher should help children 'to be better than they might be, to be kind, to be open, and to use their imagination.' He also said: 'It's a privilege to be trusted by children. And I don't take it lightly.' This last quote should be engraved 10 feet tall in front of every school."
-- A teacher in Berkeley Springs, W. Va.
Distribution of Print Materials
To date, more than 100,000 copies of Mister Rogers' Plan & Play Book have been distributed nationally.
Newsletter
Sixty thousand copies of each issue of Around the Neighborhood were sent to Ready To Learn coordinators at public television stations around the country to distribute to child care providers and parents. The newsletter is also now online for Ready To Learn coordinators to forward to providers and parents on their distribution lists. We understand that, because it is now so readily available to anyone, the newsletter is much more widely read in this electronic format.
Over the years, we've received enthusiastic feedback about our newsletter. Child care providers have been known to call their Ready To Learn coordinators to ask about an issue if they haven't received it on the expected date. We've had positive feedback in the mail as well. A family child care provider in Chapel Hill, N.C., writes:
"I wanted you to know how useful I am finding your newsletter and how much I love integrating Mister Rogers' Neighborhood into my curriculum! Of course, the show is the kindest and most genuine children's show available and sparks wonderful discussions and activities among my children. Your newsletter helps me to plan for upcoming topics rather than scrambling around after watching the show to find materials. . . ."
Brochures
Of the 12 different Family Cares brochures distributed to date, the "What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel?" brochure is the most widely used. First printed in 1998, there are 440,000 copies in English and 285,000 in Spanish. For the other 11 brochures, we printed a total of 700,000 in English and 285,000 in Spanish.
The Mister Rogers' Sweater Drive
To date, we estimate that a couple million sweaters have been donated and distributed nationally. To support stations' efforts, Mister Rogers developed the Sweater Drive Kit, which includes station-tested activity ideas, helpful hints, and a sample press release.
Here are some comments from stations about the success of this outreach:
"The Sweater Drive is a great way to position our station as a caring and contributing institution based on the trademark of Fred Rogers' sweater. You might say that this is co-branding at its finest."
KRMA/Denver, Colo.
"This is certainly a win-win situation for everyone -- the people who need sweaters benefit, the public has an opportunity to share, and we not only 'look good,' but 'feel good' about our place in the community."
WBRA/Roanoke, Va.
Workshops
Here are some comments from workshop participants about helping children deal with their angry feelings:
"From the opening comments of Mister Rogers to the final discussion of how to handle angry children, it was a wonderful, open exchange where I acted mostly as a facilitator, having the group discuss and debate topics as they arose. It was a very energizing experience. . . . Thank you for providing such wonderful materials that really do address important issues in the arena of childhood development."
-- WFSU/Tallahassee, Fla.
"Family Communications has provided quality programs for children and families for many years. My own children and I watched hours and hours together, and it gave us wonderful ideas to talk about. Now, as a childhood educator, I am concerned with finding programs that will give child care providers the information and materials they need to help children learn and grow. The workshops from Family Communications offer child care providers outstanding training that enable them to help children deal with some of the most critical issues they face as young children."
-- Dr. Geralyn Jacobs, President of the South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children
"These child care and early childhood education program training workshops developed by Family Communications are of the highest quality and address critical topics for our time. The depth of their knowledge, awareness of the latest research, and masterful delivery of this information to a 'lay' audience make these trainings among the most effective I've seen.
"Helping children learn to channel anger into productive and nonviolent responses is a critical task for the entire country. Supporting those who work with children whose witness of violence may lead them to see violence as an appropriate response to conflict is no less crucial for a population under great stress."
-- Elena Cohen, Director of Programs, Educational Services, Inc., Washington, D.C.
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