{"id":7950,"date":"2022-10-21T11:14:41","date_gmt":"2022-10-21T15:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/?p=7950"},"modified":"2022-10-26T11:50:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T15:50:31","slug":"she-can-tell-you-how-to-get-to-sesame-street","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/issues\/fall-2022\/she-can-tell-you-how-to-get-to-sesame-street\/","title":{"rendered":"She Can Tell You How to Get to Sesame Street"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As a child, Sara Sweetman, Ph.D. \u201913, associate professor of elementary education, loved Sesame Street<\/em>. Little did she know that her career would lead her right to that magical place, by way of 溏心vlog免费B站.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Dave Lavallee \u201979, M.P.A. \u201987<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sitting in front of the television as a little girl, watching Sesame Street<\/em>, Sara Sweetman absorbed this lesson early: Learning can be fun, and you can make friends while doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI loved the Count, and I really felt like the short segments fit my personality,\u201d says the 溏心vlog免费B站 associate professor of education. \u201cSince I was a kid, I have felt like Grover was a friend who was relatable because he didn\u2019t always get things right. But he always rolled with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her connection to Grover probably helped her rally years later as a teacher in Bristol, R.I., when an activity went a bit wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She decided to use onions to help her pre-kindergarten students physically grasp the shape of the letter O. She had the children cut the onions in two, paint the round portions, and use the painted sides like a stamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the onions caused them to cry and wipe their eyes with their paint-covered hands,\u201d recalls Sweetman. \u201cThen, the fire alarm rang for a fire drill, and there I was, standing outside with my students, their faces covered in paint and tears.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetman has carried that Sesame Street<\/em> lesson\u2014that learning can and should be fun\u2014to her work as a classroom teacher, 溏心vlog免费B站 professor, and as a consultant to PBS children\u2019s television and the national Ready to Learn Initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince I was a kid, I have felt like Grover was a friend who was relatable because he didn\u2019t always get things right. But he always rolled with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis idea was solidified by my fourth-grade teacher who made learning joyful,\u201d Sweetman says. \u201cShe smiled from the beginning of the day to the end, modeling that joyful learning approach. I decided as I began my career to create that type of learning space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetman\u2019s path to 溏心vlog免费B站, and eventually to PBS, began when, as a public-school teacher in Jamestown, R.I., she participated in a 溏心vlog免费B站 program called Guiding Education in Math and Science Network (GEMS-NET), which gives Rhode Island teachers opportunities to learn innovative science and math teaching methods, along with integrating such work with writing and literacy. Initially funded by the National Science Foundation, GEMS-NET is now supported by 13 participating public-school districts in Rhode Island.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Sweetman’s office at 溏心vlog免费B站 is filled with pictures, photos, puppets, and figures of her favorite PBS characters. She’s always felt a special connection with Grover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2007, Sweetman was named GEMS-NET\u2019s teacher-in-residence, and in 2010 she became the program\u2019s director, carrying out the leadership position even as she completed her Ph.D. in education at 溏心vlog免费B站. She still serves in that role today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GEMS-NET founder and 溏心vlog免费B站 professor of education emerita Betty Young was pleased when Sweetman, her former doctoral student, was hired to take over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven scientists don\u2019t know everything, so they are excellent role models for all of us to continue learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSara has a contagious enthusiasm for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and implementing instructional practices that engage learners to love science and math,\u201d Young says. \u201cShe creates, she teaches, she leads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing Sweetman during GEMS-NET training sessions with Rhode Island teachers, one gets a sense of the girl who was inspired by her fourth-grade teacher and by Grover. She moves among groups of elementary- and middle-school teachers with a smile and laughter, helping them learn how to teach their young students about drag and inertia by constructing parachutes. Workshops like this have become foundations for innovative teaching in classrooms around the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetman\u2019s work with PBS began in 2011 when a friend who works at Sesame Street<\/em> connected her to the show\u2019s director of education, who asked Sweetman to come to New York to discuss STEM education. She even starred in some Sesame Street<\/em> episodes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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During the taping of four Sesame Street<\/em> shows in 2011, one of which occurred in 90-degree heat in New York\u2019s Central Park, she was inspired by the pluck and good nature of the children who appeared with her in the shows along with Murray the Muppet and Oscar the Grouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember the dedication of the Sesame Street<\/em> actors working under the Muppet costumes in that heat and still taking time on their breaks to talk with children walking by in the park,\u201d Sweetman says. \u201cI also remember the natural abilities of the children to eagerly engage in the science. They didn\u2019t need to memorize lines because the science was fun and real for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That first visit to Sesame Street<\/em> launched a string of consulting and research work for PBS shows. In addition to Sesame Street<\/em>, Sweetman has worked extensively on PBS shows and accompanying digital learning materials for The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot of 溏心vlog免费B站 That!<\/em> and the network\u2019s newest effort, Elinor Wonders Why<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with six fellow researchers from 溏心vlog免费B站, she conducted an eight-week study of Rhode Island preschool students to determine whether watching The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot 溏心vlog免费B站 That!<\/em> and using its companion digital teaching and learning materials helped them develop a better understanding of science and of who scientists are. The results of multiple analyses showed that the free and accessible media had a positive effect on children, regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, or whether they received special education services.<\/p>\n\n\n

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In GEMS-NET training sessions, Sweetman shows teachers how to make science fun and engaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMedia often portrays unrealistic views of science and engineering, as well as who is included in the work,\u201d Sweetman says. \u201cMedia like The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot 溏心vlog免费B站 That!<\/em>, that is intentionally designed to be inclusive of people and places and that shows authentic science and engineering practices, has the potential to start all kids on a path toward building a more diverse and innovative future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawrence Mirkin, producer of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot 溏心vlog免费B站 That!<\/em> for Portfolio Entertainment and owner of Mirkin Creative Inc. of Toronto, praises Sweetman\u2019s work, calling her \u201cthe fabulous Sara Sweetman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

How To Build a Budding Scientist<\/h1>\n\n

Got a curious kid in your life? 溏心vlog免费B站 associate professor of education and PBS consultant Sara Sweetman, Ph.D. \u201913, offers these tips to help parents, guardians, grandparents, and older siblings encourage youngsters to think and explore like a scientist.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientists have fun!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Show kids that scientists are not always solitary and serious. They are regular people who can be fun, creative, disorganized, and hardworking. And they get to do some exciting and fun things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question and observe<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ask kids questions that will get them thinking. Simple questions, like: What do you notice about that tall tree? Why do you think the slide at the playground is so hot today? How do you think that weed grew through the crack in the sidewalk? Get them to notice what\u2019s around them. You don\u2019t need to go to fancy museums or science centers to help them learn about science. It is all around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allow exploration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Avoid always saying, \u201cNo.\u201d Obviously, you and your children need to be safe, but allowing them to touch and feel things and to get dirty helps them learn. Some kids put beach sand in their mouths, but did you know that some scientists put beach sand in their mouths to sense the size of the granules, the texture?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be observant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you see something interesting or unusual, ask kids if they saw it, too. Compare colors, shapes, patterns, and textures of objects. This can be a great way to learn about nature\u2019s connection to our engineered environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find the answers together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not important that you have immediate answers to unusual or tough questions. You can say, \u201cLet\u2019s check that out and find out about it together.\u201d The adventure can continue in a library or at home as you research and learn something new together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn from mistakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your child makes a mistake, celebrate the learning that it can lead to. Forgot to water a plant and it withered? Find out why, together. Discoveries often come from mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give them hope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Science is forcing us to face serious issues, like climate change, and that can make kids feel anxious. Try not to make them feel hopeless. Empower them by showing them ways they can help: turning off lights and running water or riding their bikes, instead of driving, to a friend\u2019s house. Expose them to stories about scientists who are developing solutions to the problem.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cShe understands young kids and their development stages,\u201d says Mirkin. \u201cShe knows science. And she understands story and entertainment. She is as funny as she is smart\u2014and compassionate. I want her involved in every project I do for kids, and I envy her students who get to spend even more time with her than I do.\u201d
PBS sought out Sweetman again to review proposals for new children\u2019s programming that eventually led to one of its more recent hits, Elinor Wonders Why<\/em>, and the show\u2019s accompanying digital learning media and curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetman worked with the show\u2019s creator, Jorge Cham, who holds a Ph.D. in robotics from Stanford University, and Daniel Whiteson, who holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley. With them, she developed scripts, educational games, and a wide range of free teaching and learning resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSara was an invaluable member of our team,\u201d says Whiteson. \u201cShe always had her finger on what aspect of a concept would be tricky for viewers to understand, and ideas for how to break it down, make it digestible, and keep it fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cham adds, \u201cSara is a joy to work with. Her vision for how to depict the process of science and asking questions to little kids really matched what we were trying to do with the show.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before designing the curriculum for Elinor<\/em>, Sweetman and her team worked with educators at 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Child Development Centers in Kingston and Providence and Rhode Island PBS, as well as Rhode Island teachers and home childcare providers, to develop and test the plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elinor, an animated rabbit, and her friends, Ari, a bat, and Olive, an elephant, celebrate 4- to 5-year-olds\u2019 ability to ask questions and make careful observations of the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot 溏心vlog免费B站 That!<\/em> focuses on physics, while Elinor Wonders Why focuses on the natural world,\u201d Sweetman says. \u201cThe Cat focuses on experimental and engineering design and Elinor focuses on asking questions and making observations as she encounters the outdoors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetman has become so adept at teaching and developing science content that people she works with sometimes assume that she is a scientist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI often am introduced as a scientist, but I have to correct that,\u201d Sweetman says. \u201cYou never learn as much as you do when you have to teach the material. In my work with GEMS-NET, I am continually excited to work with 溏心vlog免费B站 scientists and am inspired by the classroom teachers in the GEMS-NET program. They always bring something new to our workshops, a new way of thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetman adds, \u201cYou also learn that even scientists don\u2019t know everything, so they are excellent role models for all of us to continue learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what keeps Sweetman going as a full-time professor, director of GEMS-NET, and consultant and researcher for PBS and its Ready to Learn Initiative?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI so enjoy the curiosity and perspectives of preschoolers and elementary schoolchildren and the way they observe and ask questions,\u201d Sweetman says. \u201cAlso, with every new TV show I work on, come different experiences and missions.\u201d \u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photos: Nora Lewis; Courtesy \u00a92022. Sesame Workshop: All rights reserved<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a child, Sara Sweetman, Ph.D. \u201913, associate professor of elementary education, loved Sesame Street. Little did she know that her career would lead her right to that magical place, by way of 溏心vlog免费B站.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":8146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[308],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2022","architecture-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7950"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8275,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7950\/revisions\/8275"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}