Today Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, announced a multi-year partnership with Teaching Strategies, the educational company that publishes The Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD. The partnership will develop a series of educational offerings for the preschool classroom that utilizes Sesame Street’s proven content. Over the next five years, Sesame Workshop and Teaching Strategies will work together to develop new ways to educate young children both at home and in school. 

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sesame Workshop, an organization that shares our philosophy about the critical importance of early childhood education and our commitment to providing early childhood educators, children, and their families with research-based, high-quality content,” said Diane Trister Dodge, Founder and President of Teaching Strategies.

High-quality early learning experiences at home and in school provide the foundation for children’s future academic success. From birth to age five, children are making giant developmental strides, more than at any other time in life. During this critical window, education is the key to unlocking their potential.

Over the years, Sesame Street has improved learning outcomes for the millions of children viewing the show, but the United States is still facing an educational crisis. Studies show that one in three children who arrive at school is simply not ready. Today’s kids are spending more time in preschool and other child-care settings, and less time at home. That’s why Sesame Street is partnering with Teaching Strategies. It’s time for the positive impact of Sesame’s educational content to be felt in schools as well.

“Our goal is to surround kids with learning opportunities wherever they are,” said Tom Ascheim, Chief Strategy Officer at Sesame Workshop and EVP of Sesame Learning. “We will be using the power and appeal of Sesame Street content to connect homes and classrooms, coordinating the efforts of teachers and families, and working to achieve measurable gains for children. There, we’ll continue to do what we’ve done so effectively for over four decades – marry education and engagement to teach kids.”

To learn more about the impact Sesame Workshop is making on early education in the United States, click here. To learn more about our partnership with Teaching Strategies, click here.

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Dr. JoAnne Pedro-Carroll and Lynn Chwatsky.

Divorce is one of the most common transitions young children experience today, with ultimately 40 percent of all children experiencing the divorce of their parents. Join Sesame Workshop’s Lynn Chwatsky, VP of Educational Outreach Initiatives and Partners, and clinical psychologist, child specialist, and author Dr. JoAnne Pedro-Carroll on May 20 at 9 a.m. as they discuss Sesame Street’s newest educational outreach initiative, Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce. Learn how Sesame Street’s videos, storybook, caregiver guide, Sesame Street: Divorce app, and online resources can be used to help families with young children (ages 2–8) as they encounter the tough transitions that come with divorce and separation.

To watch a replay of the webinar, click here.

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“It’s about those milestone events families go through together,” said Barry Morin, SVP, Marketing and Licensing. “Sesame Street and Party City are both committed to commemorating the moments that mark our children’s development.

Party City has worked with Sesame Street previously, but never before has it been a sponsor of the show. Morin and the entire Party City family are excited to support the critical educational work Sesame Street has been doing for over 40 years.

“Party City is proud to align ourselves with Sesame Street,” said Morin. “For generations they have been bringing the importance of whole childhood development to the forefront of society.”

Party City’s philanthropic efforts go far beyond its support of Sesame Street and our educational mission. To learn more about all the great work Party City does, visit partycitycares.com.

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On Tuesday, Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President, Outreach and Educational Practices, had the opportunity to participate in the Financial Literacy and Education Commission Public meeting at the Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C. During her presentation (embedded above) we were able to share some exciting information about the impact our financial literacy outreach initiative, For me, for You, for Later, is having on young children and their parents across the country.

We discovered that families using our financial literacy outreach materials experienced significantly less stress when discussing financial education as a family. Parents were equipped with strategies to introduce basic concepts of financial education to their children and were increasingly focused on financial awareness themselves. In addition, educators who used the kit were increasingly willing and able to introduce financial education into their curriculum.

For me, for You, for Later is just one of the many ways Sesame Workshop is using the power of our beloved characters to help young children achieve their highest potential. To take a look at our financial literacy outreach materials, click here. To learn more about our financial literacy outreach initiative, click here.

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It’s a wonderful day, and not just cause the sun is shining on Sesame Street. It’s a wonderful day because this morning we learned a new friend was moving in to the neighborhood. Armando, or “Mando” as the gang on Sesame Street has nicknamed him, is join the cast on the upcoming 44th season.

Played by actor Ismael Cruz Córdova, Mando is part of Sesame’s increased focus on engaging with and educating children in the Hispanic community in the United States. The show is constantly evolving and has a long-standing history of modeling a diverse community.  As producers were identifying the realities of the changing American population, it was important to represent that diversity in the new addition to the cast. “Armando,” a writer from Puerto Rico, will join Maria (played by Sonia Manzano), Luis (Emilio Delgado) and Muppets™ Rosita and Ovejita (Carmen Osbahr) as part of Sesame Street’s bilingual community.

To learn more about Mando and his new home on Sesame Street, check out the video above.

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On June 6, K.I.D.S – Kids in Distressed Situations – will be honoring Maura Regan, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Consumer Products, at their annual Women in Industry Luncheon. 

Throughout Sesame Street’s history, we’ve seen the power that our characters have. When children interact with Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo and the gang, their faces light up and even a bad day can turn around quickly. And while a gently used item can elicit the same effect, there’s  something special about a brand new toy, shirt, or similar item. Knowing that this is yours – and only, and always yours – carries a bit of extra weight.

A few years ago, a friend in my professional network introduced me to an organization called K.I.D.S. – Kids in Distressed Situations – which provides new, in package items to children in need around the globe. Even in our own backyard, we’ve seen this need pop up; for example, when Hurricane Sandy struck the Eastern Seaboard, thousands upon thousands of children found their foundations shaken. As active members of our communities, both Sesame Workshop and K.I.D.S. look for ways to help.  And like Sesame Street, K.I.D.S. goes in with solutions, not just ideas.

The nuances of the retail world result in a significant amount of product – all new, never used – which goes unsold. Sometimes those items sit in warehouses until they eventually become unusable or are otherwise destroyed. But K.I.D.S works with licensees and others in the retail supply chain to get those products into the hands of children like those affected by Sandy, and for free.  Their work is done with immediacy, and they are able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Sesame, also being an organization which is committed to empowering the lives of children, is glad to be working with K.I.D.S whenever we can. In fact, they may be honoring me, but the true honor is ours.

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Susan Tofte is Sesame Worskhop’s archivist.

There is a scene in the promo film for Sesame Street where ad-men type Muppets in business suits meet around a large conference table debating potential names for the show. Ridiculous titles are suggested like the Two and Two Ain’t Five Show and the Itty-Bitty, Farm-and-City, Witty-Ditty, Nitty-Gritty, Dog-and-Kitty, Pretty-Little-Kiddie Show. Rowlf the Dog fires the entire group of Muppets and Kermit the Frog eventually comes up with the name Sesame Street. “You know, like ‘Open Sesame.’ It kind of gives the idea of a street where neat stuff happens,” he suggests.

The name Sesame Street was not dreamed up by Muppets in a boardroom but the promo sketch does reference the dilemma the Workshop had in finding a name for the show. As producer Jon Stone remembers, “the name was set at the 11^th hour and fifty ninth minute.” Early promotional materials simply referred to the show as a “preschool educational television show.” In early spring of 1969, the press conference announcing the show neared and producers had still not made a decision. “We were just frantic for a title,” said Joan Ganz Cooney. “Our press and publicity people were going nuts. How were they going to promote a show that had no name?”

Pressure was put on the production staff and Workshop employees to come up ideas for names and hundreds of titles were suggested. Potential names included The Video Classroom and 1-2-3 Avenue B. “Everything from the mundane Fun Street,” Joan would later recall. 1-2-3 Avenue B was seriously considered and worked well with the show’s set design, which resembled an urban, inner city neighborhood complete with a corner store, subway station and brownstone stoop. It also made reference to the show’s educational goals. However, the name was eventually rejected for fear that the show’s title would not appeal to viewers outside of New York City.

The name Sesame Street is credited to Virginia Schone, a writer for the show. Almost everyone on the staff disliked the name. There was concern that young children would have trouble pronouncing it. But time was running out and the show needed a name. Finally, Executive Producer Dave Connell put out a memo to the staff saying “if nobody came up with a better idea, as of Monday we were going to call it Sesame Street.” As Joan put it, “We went with it because it was the least bad title.”

As it turned out, all of the stress and worry over the title were for nothing. The first episode of Sesame Street opens with a view of the now iconic green and yellow street sign hanging on a lamppost. The camera pans down to Gordon telling a little girl named Sally “you’ve never seen a street like Sesame Street. Everything happens here. You’re gonna love it!” 

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The 4^th of May has become an unofficial holiday for fans of the Star Wars films.  While the date seems arbitrary, it’s a day when we can all break out the pun, “May the Fourth be with you”.  A play on words like that absolutely deserves its own holiday.

But why, you may be asking, is the Sesame Workshop blog writing about Star Wars? That’s a perfectly good question, and much easier to answer than “What’s a Midichlorian?”  You might be surprised to learn that R2-D2 and C-3PO traveled from their galaxy far, far away to visit the most famous street in the world (or perhaps the universe??).

In 1980, just a few months before the release of The Empire Strikes Back, the Star Wars Droids made two appearances on Sesame Street.  And they are just as amazing and bizarre as anything you might see at The Mos Eisley Cantina.

In the first episode (#1364, aired on January 31, 1980), Big Bird spots a flying saucer, but just like his stories about the elusive Mr. Snuffleupagus, the adults think it’s just a product of his imagination.  C-3PO and R2-D2 are on a secret mission to deliver an important mission to Oscar the Grouch.  Much like Princess Leia’s message to Obi-Wan Kenobi, the message comes in the form of a hologram from Oscar’s alien Grouch friend Lothar.  But rather than declare that Oscar is his only hope, Lothar’s message is “Oscar the Grouch: Get lost!”

Later, Big Bird asks the Droids if robots have feelings.  As they discuss different emotions, C-3PO remembers a time when he and R2-D2 became separated in the desert, which you may remember from the first Star Wars film.  Does this mean that their appearances on Sesame Street are in Star Wars continuity??  In a universe of Wookies, Ewoks, and whatever Admiral Ackbar is, why could there not be giant birds, Grouches and monsters?

Having successfully delivered Lothar’s message, C-3PO and R2-D2 head back to their home galaxy, only to return a few months later (in episode #1396, aired on March 17, 1980), this time not by any sort of space craft, but by bus.  Their mission is much less clear here, as the Droids spend their time on Sesame Street singing the alphabet song with Bob, saying hello to Linda, and considering going to the park while it’s raining.

In the very best segment of the episode, and what may be the best segment of the entirety of Sesame Street, R2-D2 falls in love.  She’s quiet, short, has a pointed head, and lives on Sesame Street.  Oh, and she’s a fire hydrant.  Love knows no bounds…  or species or mechanics, it would seem.

R2-D2 and C-3PO made a few more appearances on Sesame Street, taking advantage of R2’s unique way of speaking.  They teach Big Bird how to count to four by counting the beeps, and Big Bird sings a song about how he says “banana” while R2-D2 says *bleep blop boop* (or something close to that).

Although that was the end of the Droids’ time on Sesame Street, it wasn’t the end of Sesame Street’s connection with the Star Wars universe.  In 2009, Oscar the Grouch appeared alongside Darth Vader in the feature film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, both of whom can be seen at the real Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.  In 2012, Elmo and Cookie Monster appeared on the Australian radio show “Fifi and Jules” where they reenacted a pivotal scene from The Empire Strikes Back.  And most recently, a certain “Darth Chicken” appeared in the “Pizza the Musical” episode of Elmo the Musical.

Both Star Wars and Sesame Street have been engrained in the public consciousness for decades, so it’s only natural that their paths should cross every so often, whether it’s in sunny days on Dagobah or a Rubber Duckie frozen in Carbonite.

Happy Star Wars Day, and May the Force Be With You!

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I will never forget the afternoon it happened.  Pascaline, my daughter, was 18 months old and playing on the living room floor.  The afternoon sun began to spill into the room and illuminated her with this magical, golden light.  Everything in me wanted to capture that moment, to make time stand still.  But I didn’t even own a camera.  At thirty years old, I decided to buy my first camera.  Ten years later I’m still in love with the magic of photography. For years I assumed good photography was out of my reach.  I’m so glad I found I was wrong. Whether we are documenting the latest blanket fort our child has built or our baby’s chubby legs, there are several simple ways to tell their story and capture their world through the photos we take, even if you don’t have a professional photography background.

Here are five photo tips for capturing your child’s world.  You don’t have to own an expensive camera for these photo tips.  The built in camera of your SmartPhone will do the trick.  Knowing what story to tell is the focus.

1. Refuse to Say Cheese.  This four word statement is my mantra to moms all over the world.  No matter what country my family and I are travelling through, the local people may not know a word of English but they still say “cheese” to their kids when taking their photos.  Refuse to say “cheese” and capture the story—especially the ones without smiles.  There is no question about how cute smiles are but frowns are fun too!  Now that my kids are older, nine and twelve years old, they get a kick out of their fussy pictures much more than the smiling ones!

2. Pick a Story Based on Their Developmental Stage.  Every parent knows how easy it is to take thousands of photos of their child.  Picking one story to tell helps give your picture taking focus.  For example, did your baby discover his toes or fingers recently and sucks on them all day?  Did she learn to sit up recently on her own?  Or maybe your toddler is in love with princess dresses and wears the same dress every day, refusing to let you wash it.  Finding the story of what is happening today helps give you focus and keeps you from overshooting.

3. Turn Off Your Flash and Face the Window Light.  The built in flash to your camera or on your smart phone gives horrible results.  The flash washes out your child’s skin coloring, and it often leaves your little one looking like he has a five o’clock shadow.  My advice is to turn off the Auto flash and have your child face the window light.  The results of window light is soft, flattering, and most of all, no five o’clock shadows.

4. Limit Yourself to 36 Photos.  When I first started photography, it was still a film world.  I had two rolls of film that I would use for every portrait photo shoot.  Being limited to 36 photos per roll of film caused me to slow down, look for the shot, and find the story before shooting.  The digital world is wonderful because we can take endless photos.  But this is the exact reason why the digital photo world is overwhelming.  I don’t know about you, but being able to take endless photos can feel stressful.  It becomes so easy to overshoot the moment to where I have fifty photos of the same moment.  Anyone relate?  Next time you set out to capture your child, limit yourself to 36 photos—tell yourself you only have two rolls of film.  How are you going to spend each photo?   Take a deep breath, slow down, find the window light, and in taking these steps, you are setting yourself up for success.
5. Document Defining Details.  Sometimes we can get so focused on capturing our child’s face that we forget about all the little defining details.  As you capture a photographic story of your children, consider adding images that are defining details specific to their age.  This could be the shoes they wear, their bedroom, or the favorite toy.  Your child can be in the photo, but for defining detail shots it’s almost fun to not have them in the photo.

Photography is powerful.  It provides a visual record of our child’s world.  Even if the photo isn’t perfect, the story still moves us.  My mom has a photo of me as a baby standing in my crib with my dad sitting on the couch watching TV next to the crib.  I LOVE seeing the rust colored shag carpet, the wide wing collars on my dad’s polyester shirt, or the paisley orange colored couch that he’s sitting on.  Mom wasn’t a professional photographer.  There is clutter around the crib, toys all over the floor.  Yet, when I look at the photo, I don’t see all the imperfections, I see me—and I see this real world I came from.  When my kids are older, I love that they too will have a visual history of the world they came from.  And this sense of “knowing you came from somewhere, a place where you were loved” will help them stand that much taller.       

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Stay tuned for more information about the Sesame Street comic book available as part of Free Comic Book Day on Saturday.

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