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Sesame Street Begins Teaching Math and Science

Posted by Soulskill on from the c-is-for-cookie dept.

An anonymous reader sends in this excerpt from ABC News: "This season of 'Sesame Street,' which premiered today, has added a few new things to its usual mix of song, dance and educational lessons. In its 42nd season, the preschool educational series is tackling math, science, technology, and engineering — all problem areas for America's students — in hopes of helping kids measure up. ... This season, 'Sesame Street' will include age-appropriate experimentation — even the orange monster Murray will conduct science experiments in a recurring feature."

10 of 271 comments (clear)

  1. Right on! by gman003 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This alone will probably do more to improve education than the entire No Child Left Behind Act. Provided, of course, that it actually teaches the purpose of experimentation and science, teaches kids to ask "why?" and devise experiments to test ideas. All too often, "kid science" is "do this, then this, and now look at the pretty (green goo|flames|shiny), followed by a lecture on what went on. I'm hopeful that this will be one of the ones to get it right.

    1. Re:Right on! by migla · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have no kind of inkling about the first sentence of the previous poster, but the part about 'teaches kids to ask "why?"' I'd like to amend: Hope it teaches them to want to ask "why?".

      (Or maybe that would obviously be implied?)

      --
      Some of my favourite people are from th US; Vonnegut, Chomsky, Bill Hicks.
    2. Re:Right on! by Cryacin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Shut up. Not now. I'm busy.

      These are words that should never be uttered by a parent to a child. Why? Because it promptly snuffs the flame of curiosity. Most parents don't even realise they're doing it. They're just too absorbed in whatever they're doing to notice what they've just said to their curious 3 year old.

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    3. Re:Right on! by hedwards · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Probably because NCLB was an unfunded mandate which had bench marks set via standardized testing of a rather elaborate nature. Also due to the stakes it tends to crowd out significant portions of the year when teachers are theoretically supposed to be teaching.

    4. Re:Right on! by Cryacin · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No problem. It's all in the wording, and that the childs question is a good thing, rather than a bad thing. I would respond: Hey, that's a very good question, and as soon as I'm done with this, let's explore it together. This still keeps their enthusiasm kindled, and in fact may inspire them to go off on their own and find out.

      Have you ever had a girlfriend/boyfriend (don't know who you are or what you're into, so no offence here) that was just a wet blanket?
      A: No! I don't want to go swimming, I'm busy! Or;
      Hey, that sounds like fun, but let's do it tomorrow because I have something urgent to do right now.

      It's all about keeping the enthusiasm, and certainly NOT bending to the childs whims and fancies. Remember, you have the lead as a parent, not the child, unless it is an appropriate situation to teach the child how to lead. Most importantly, you need to get the child used to delayed gratification rather than instant gratification, or they will become exactly the impulsive, narcissistic, borderline sociopath you are talking about, that will be sorely disappointed when they collide with society at large.

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    5. Re:Right on! by Shadow99_1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      They only get #1 spots when they talk about the 10,000 year old space aliens that built the pyramids or the coming apocalypse(s)... Which may explain the bulk of their modern programming...

      Sarcasm aside... I've found the BBC far more interesting and informative lately.

      --
      we are all invisible unless we choose otherwise
  2. Sounds great to me by damn_registrars · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If Sesame Street helps reduce the frequency of math-phobes in our young population, I will be eternally thankful. Too many people have escaped learning math due to being afraid of it; if they are introduced to it at a young age they might not develop an irrational fear of it.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  3. Re:"Teach the controversy!" by walkerp1 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It's a shame you don't have a political party that represents you. *shrug*

    It's even more of a shame that he doesn't have a constituency.

  4. Re:"Teach the controversy!" by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1, Insightful

    They is one, they call themselves "democrats".

    Sincerely,

    The rest of the world.

    Ah, fair point, fair point.

    I wish the Progressive Party still existed in force on a national level. *sigh*

  5. Bill Nye is an evil doppleganger by SuperKendall · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The only true TV scientist is Beakman. Bill Nye is a Beakman wannabe, 100000x less interesting. But Bill had the backing and so Beakman was lost to us all.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley