Sesame Street: an example of educational television that is still in force

A landmark 2015 study from researchers at the University of Maryland and Wellesley College found that watching “Sesame Street” delivers educational benefits as effective as preschool. … The study also indicated that “Sesame Street” improved school performance, particularly for boys.

Sesame Workshop is the non-profit educational organization behind the children’s TV show Sesame Street. Since its start in the 1960s, Sesamehas been evolving with one driving purpose in mind:To help disadvantaged youth prepare for school (and life) with a TV show.

Constant evolution

For as long as nearly anyone can remember, the show has crafted its own ingenious way of teaching kids both creative problem-solving skills and life lessons, all while singing unforgettable songs and having fun with the Muppet cast and countless celebrity guests along the way.

Sesame Workshop is constantly looking at technology, children’s needs, their content consumption habits, and in this way, the team continues to evolve along with technology.

Over the years, the show has led its cause by staying on top of the educational, social, and intercultural learning needs of its young audience, while evolving its curriculum to stay in tune with the times. The original Muppet cast — think Oscar, Ernie, Big Bird — has even expanded over the years to include other characters.

In the Israeli version of “Sesame Street” (Rechov Sumsum), the show introduced Mahboub, an Arab-Israeli Muppet who spoke both Arabic and Hebrew, and who worked to ease tensions between different groups on the show, in order to teach understanding and tolerance.

Cookie Monster has even taken up healthier eating — and gone on the talk show circuit to encourage his young adherents to do the same.

Now, the Sesame Street scheme has been taken as model for pre-school education in Mexico. Since the new school year will be based on television classes for all academic levels, this proved system is basic.

In Sesame Street the child is conceived as a whole person whose different areas must be in balance. It is for this reason that the didactic contents are directed not only at their intellect, but also at their emotions.

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