Two former schoolteachers armed with piles of books, a laptop computer, Clifford plush toy dogs, PBS Kids videos and art supplies head to an elementary school. Clad in their KETC denim shirts, they represent a new vision of the power of public television in the community.

On any given day, 70 percent of the region’s children will watch Channel 9 at some time. Most people are well aware of Channel 9’s educational programming, the likes of Clifford the Big Red Dog, Arthur or Sesame Street. What remains less visible is the immense contribution of Channel 9’s education team, a unique department for a television station. The education team is dedicated to showing the public, from teachers and students to casual learners, how to harness and benefit from the immense amount of educational and enriching material available through Channel 9.

In addition to Dale Berenc and Sydney Meyer, the two former teachers who focus on preschool curriculum, the education team is headed by Amy Shaw, director of education services. A public television veteran, Shaw came to KETC in August 2003, from WSIU in Carbondale, Illinois, where she directed the station’s education efforts for five years. She currently serves on many local and national education committees and is integrally involved with what is happening on the education front in the St. Louis region and nationally. Shaw was the co-founder of one of KETC’s newest initiatives, the Channel 9 Digital Classroom.

Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Channel 9 has moved to create and implement resources that support educators in meeting the mandates of this legislation. The Digital Classroom does just that. It’s a digital video library consisting of over 20,000 searchable digital video segments and programs covering nearly every educational subject imaginable. The real advantage of this resource is that teachers and students can access these videos directly on their desktop computers, and the images appear instantaneously. The Channel 9 Digital Classroom employs very simple technology that can be used immediately by teachers and students when it arrives in their school.

The cornerstone of the Channel 9 digital Classroom is the training that teachers receive on how to use media in the classroom. The system is so simple that almost no training is needed on technology; rather, teachers learn how best to incorporate this valuable video service into their lesson plans to engage and inspire their students. Aligned with the Missouri and Illinois mandated teaching standards, the Digital Classroom is a major way KETC is making an impact on how children learn. “My involvement with the Digital classroom has transformed the methods that I use to teach, and the strategies that I provide for my students to learn. We have been able to travel far beyond the walls of our classroom,” says third-grade teacher Dari Stubbs.

Meanwhile, KETC educators Dale Berenc and Sydney Meyer apply their combined 40 years of experience teaching young children to Channel 9’s many preschool initiatives. For pre-kindergarten children and their parents, teachers and caregivers, KETC has been developing and delivering over 150 workshops annually for the last 10 years. The workshops are based on a view-read-do learning model to address different learning styles and increase retention. Adults are encouraged to watch Channel 9 kids programming with their children, read them books that accompany the programming, and then do hands-on activities with the children to reinforce concepts learned. Workshop participants are taught the most effective ways to watch the shows and are encouraged to engage their children in dialogue about the subjects a show presents. This inclusive approach broadens a child’s perspective, allowing him or her to be a learner, rather than just a viewer, and thereby absorb the lessons presented in each show. Television is transformed from babysitter to active learning tool when used in moderation and with the guidance of caregivers.

The results of these workshops have been tremendous, as indicated by a national PBS impact study in which Channel 9 participated. The study shows that parents and educators who attended a KETC education workshop:
• were more likely to discuss a program with the children in their care while watching.
• were more likely to view the program with their children and discuss characters from a program.
• were more likely to do activities and read a book with the children in their care related to a program watched.
Significantly, 57 percent of parents were still reading to their children at least once a day six months after attending a workshop.

KETC’s services include educating adults also. Older students may receive college credit by enrolling in classes broadcast on Channel 9. Students are welcome to tape these telecourses, shown overnights and in the early morning, so that they can “go to class” at their convenience. Every year, over 17,000 students from area community colleges and universities earn college credit by enrolling in one of dozens of Channel 9 telecourses. Telecourses provide more options to adult students and help more people earn college degrees.

In addition, Channel 9 is greatly expanding its services targeted to adults who are undereducated and underemployed, many of whom also have limited English language proficiency. KETC currently offers GED Connections, a televised preparatory course for the GED exam. Its multimedia approach combines video programs and online activities to make earning a high school diploma possible for students with a variety of learning styles.

Channel 9 believes that learning is a lifelong process that does not stop upon receiving a degree. How-to programs give learners the opportunity to acquire skills in sewing, painting, cooking, gardening, woodworking, home repair and many more areas. Even prime-time programs offer a wealth of knowledge in science, government, economics, history and world affairs.

These TV programs and services would not be possible or pertinent if Channel 9 did not value the spirit of community. Channel 9's community education efforts extend the impact of public television. Two projects currently in development focus on foster care and democracy. Both are collaborations between Channel 9 and community organizations, and are being spurred by upcoming television programming. This work is designed to engage individuals and foster community participation to raise awareness and effect change around specific issues.

Sesame Street and Barney & Friends might be television show most commonly associated with PBS, but clearly KETC’s reach goes far beyond what is seen on TV sets. From the Channel 9 Digital Classroom to workshops for childcare providers, classes for a high school equivalency diploma and college telecourses, KETC’s educational services are both innovative and effective ways to reach new audiences. The mission of public television stations is to provide an educational alternative to traditional television. Channel 9 is educating and inspiring more people than ever before, whether in front of the television, in the classroom or in the community.

To learn more about KETC’s educational services, visit the links below or call Amy Shaw at (314) 512-9041.