At the Fred Rogers Institute, we love the opportunity to share what we learn from the life and legacy of Fred Rogers. Our resources are developed from research into our Archive, and are created to ask new questions and continue to bring Fred’s work into our lives today with children. Take a look around, there is something for everyone!
February 2023: Much as I don't like the cold February weather here in Pittsburgh, one evening I found myself looking at a wintry scene with new eyes, thanks to Fred Rogers. As I was walking to my car in the parking lot, I noticed that the snow was especially beautiful. It was sparkling like diamonds.
December 2021: With all the holidays this month, we talk about this season as a time of peace, joy, light, and hope. But it's also a time when it's easy to feel stressed, over-burdened and under-appreciated, so I am offering you a treasured video from one of our early professional development workshops.
December 2023: This month the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is giving a special gift to our very own "Speedy Delivery," David Newell, whom we all know as "Mr. McFeely." We're proud to announce that David will be inducted into the National Academy's Gold Circle at the Emmy's Children and Family...
August 2022: With all the attention on high tech these days, I was happily surprised by a low-tech moment I had when I was doing an observation in a preschool.
September 2023: A gazillion times! Is that how many times you've sung Itsy, Bitsy Spider and Wheels on the Bus? I know it's not easy to keep finding the energy and enthusiasm to sing the same songs over and over again, but I hope you know how much you're giving children when you do.
March 2022: I've always thought of the March newsletter as special because March 20 was Fred's birthday. Over the years, we've even celebrated Fred's birthday on March 20 in a special way - by wearing a sweater - and doing something neighborly. Maybe you'd like to join in that tradition too.
March 2023: March 20th would be Fred Rogers' 95th birthday, and I wanted to celebrate by sharing with you the tribute video that PBS produced shortly after his death in 2003.
May 2023: I've heard elementary school teachers say that one of the most important qualities that children need to succeed in school is the willingness to take risks. They're talking about "safe risks," like the willingness to offer ideas in class discussions, ask questions, try new things, or tackle problems ...
January 2022: Here we are at the beginning of the year when we're "looking ahead," wondering what this new year will bring. It seems kind of ironic, but "looking back" can help us with our journey ahead. There's even a name for that in early childhood — reflective teaching.
January 2024: We live in a world where we've come to expect instant gratification. We expect immediate answers to our emails. We expect next-day deliveries for our online orders. We expect our microwaved food to be ready in seconds. No wonder we get upset when we have to wait.
December 2022: In all the years that I worked with Fred, one of the things I came to appreciate is that he encouraged us to be "mindful" - and that was long before it was a part of our vocabulary.
June 2022: It was 1968 when Fred introduced us to his song, "What Do You Do with the Mad that You Feel." That was over fifty years ago, and the messages of that song are as needed today as ever. Fred knew how important it is to help children learn to deal with their angry feelings. But in his song he wasn't ...
November 2023: Around this time of year, a number of years ago, I received in the mail a drawing from my 3-year-old granddaughter. It was sent from her child care center. At the top was a note she dictated to her teacher, letting me know that the scribbles, lines and circles said "I love you, Grandma Hedda."
October 2021: However you're dealing (or not dealing) with Halloween in your work with children, this holiday reminds us of how much children love to dress up in costumes and how much they get from it.
February 2022: I think we'd all agree that being helpful is one of the social skills that we want to support in young children. But we don't always get the response we want when we ask, "Will you help me?" Researchers at the University of California, San Diego showed us there's another way.
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