In June of this year, the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) embarked on a partnership with Maryland Public Television (MPT) to develop programs that empower families and caregivers to cultivate healthy media habits. Three staff members took the initiative to train as Early Learning Media Ambassadors through MPT. We successfully presented the first of five programs, with plans to host each session in different locations across our expansive county.
The Early Learning Media Ambassador initiative is tailored for early childhood educators interested in helping families and caregivers learn how to use media effectively. MPT supplies programs and materials aligned with their curriculum. The main focus of each program is to teach parents how to engage with their children when it comes to trusted media sources. The material provided by MPT includes Media STEPs, which outline strategies like selecting appropriate content, talking about what children are seeing, exploring new things that they learned, and playing in both virtual and physical environments.
In June, we focused on the water cycle, setting up various stations for parents to engage with their children. We also provided iPads loaded with the PBS Kids app, which supported the program’s theme. We had approximately sixty participants come to the event. The feedback was very positive. Parents and caregivers commented that they did not know that PBS Kids offered such extensive content. Many stated that they would begin to incorporate the tips that were discussed as a means of encouraging media literacy in their children. Our next four programs will continue to cover the Media STEPs information that was presented in June, with new content drawn from the PBS Kids shows Work It Out Wombats! and Molly of Denali.
(All photos courtesy of blogger.)
Shannon Young is a Public Services Specialist for Youth and Teens at the Surratts-Clinton Branch of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. She is currently a member of the Children and Technology Committee, the Maryland Inclusion and Accessibility Team, and the Diverse BookFinder Community of Practice.
This post addresses ALSC Core Competencies 3.3, 3.4 and 3.6.