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Overall Curricular Goal and Background

The Attributes of Optimistic and Resilient Children

Specific Learning Goals

PART 1 - Overall Curricular Goal and Background

When Discovery Kids set about rebuilding their preschool television block, a primary goal was to create a curriculum that would define Ready Set Learn!

Discovery Kids spent a great deal of time identifying an overall goal for the curriculum. Pediatricians, teachers, parents and psychologists were interviewed and asked "What are the most important qualities children need to become lifelong learners?" Their responses were surprising. People did not name a particular skill or category of knowledge. Rather, people overwhelmingly agreed that persistence and the ability to accept and bounce back from mistakes and feelings of disappointment are the most important qualities of effective learners.

Preschoolers are natural learners. Eager to discover the mysteries of the world unfolding around them, they curiously explore all situations. An important goal of preschool education is to maintain and foster this natural propensity, thereby setting the stage for lifelong learning. However, there are obstacles to keeping this excitement about learning alive. Young children are just beginning to develop skills and knowledge of the world. They understandably encounter many failures and frustrations as a natural part of development. This can make them feel small, powerless and ineffectual. How well children recognize, modulate and cope with these feelings affects their ability to listen, concentrate, cooperate and persist - in short, to engage in the learning process.

Abundant research supports the opinion of these parents and professionals. Research has shown repeatedly that persistence and the ability to motivate oneself are essential characteristics of effective learners. Similarly, studies of children who cope well despite significant life stress (like illness or family dysfunction) indicate that what sets these children apart from peers who are more affected by stress are their optimism and resilience.

Thus, the overall goal of the RSL curriculum is to encourage an optimistic and resilient approach to learning in viewers.

To craft the curriculum, 6 attributes that optimistic and resilient children share were identified. Promoting these attributes is the heart of the curriculum. Each episode of "Paz" is created to model at least one of these attributes.

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