Disney in the Classroom - Jan 29, 2003

Disney in the Classroom
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by Lee Suggs (archives)
January 29, 2003
Lee talks about current children's television programming.

Disney as a Classroom- Teach the Children Well


A Disney True-Life Adventure
(c) Disney

When I was growing up there was very little of what is now called educational television.  I do remember watching Captain Kangaroo and Disney’s True-Life Adventures and I would have watched Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood if my little brother wasn't scared to death of Mr. Rogers' sweater or something. (Seriously he would scream and cry until we turned the show off.)  So since so little educational TV was available; I mostly watched thought provoking fare like Scooby Doo and The Roadrunner. The most famous educational TV show did premiere in 1969 when I was seven.  Sesame Street was a big hit with my four year old brother. (He didn't scream at all.) However, we mature second graders considered ourselves much too old for a "baby" show.

As I grew out of children’s programming very little changed.  Thoughout the 1970's and 1980's "PBS was the only network that consistently provided educational programming for children". ("Guilt Free TV", Newsweek, November 11, 2002) This situation lasted until 1992 when a rather large purple creature changed everything.

When PBS introduced Barney they probably didn’t know that they were creating a merchandising monster. However, soon every toddler in America wanted a plush Barney with that wonderfully soothing voice. ;o) In no time every producer of children's programming was scrambling to duplicate Barney's success with educational programming of their own. 

What all this means is that when my children were born there was no longer only one network with educational programming. Nick Jr. and Playhouse Disney now competed with PBS for the opportunity to educate little ones and to maybe sell just one or two million plush toys. My children watched shows on Nickelodeon, Disney, and PBS; but for some reason they tended to be most attracted to the shows on Playhouse Disney. ºoº =)   So for whatever reason the shows I remember my kids watching, when they were very young, were Out of the Box, Bear in the Big Blue House, and Katie and Orbie. As they got older they switched to shows like Rolie Polie Olie and Stanley.   Recently since they (O.K. we) don't watch these shows as much as we used to; (Playhouse Disney is usually shown when they are at school.) I recorded what they identified as their favorite Playhouse Disney shows (Bear in the Big Blue House and Rolie Polie Olie) and a Saturday morning show they currently watch.  (Fillmore) We then watched each program so I could refresh my memory about the content of these shows; and so I would be able to give my opinion on whether Disney's educational programs actually educate children, or are just a nice way to keep them (O.K. us) busy.


He’s one BIG Bear

My children watched Bear in the Big Blue House until they were about five years old. Bear episodes are built around a theme (such as Fall) and they do a good job teaching simple ideas. As we watched a Bear episode I was reminded that the series makes a great effort to make kids feel special, and that each show contains a wide range of characters that children can identify with. The Bear episode I remember the best was on potty training. While not an issue with anyone past the age of four or five; potty training is a BIG deal to children and parents when it is happening. I recall being very pleased that a show my children enjoyed was helping me deal with an issue I DIDN’T enjoy.

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