Sesame Street Continues to be a Winner
By Barbara Kolucki (bakoluck@aol.com)
At the International Film Festival held in Russia in September 2002, the producers of the USA based children's educational television program, Sesame Street, won yet another award. This TV show has most likely garnered more awards than any other for children. However, this time, it was not just the television series that won the award. It was specifically, segments they had produced that included or were about children or adults with disability.
I was privileged to work with some of the original creators, producers and researchers of Sesame Street way back in 1975-1981. It was during this time that children and adults with disability were introduced for the first time - sharing the "Street" we used to call it. Many of those first, early segments featured Linda Bove, an actress who is deaf, and her friends and colleagues from the Little Theatre of the Deaf. Additionally, one of the core group of Emmy award-winning writers, Emily Kingsley, had a son with Down Syndrome. Jason appeared on the show many times, as Emily became one of the key writers who introduced disability regularly and sensitively in the scripts she wrote.
As with other curriculum areas for Sesame Street, several of the segments and approaches were pre and post tested with the most important audience - children themselves. Did they like these segments? Did they understand them? Did they want to be friends with children who were disabled? Most often, the answers were yes, yes and yes. But it was important to keep in mind several other factors as well.
I have been working in this same field now for more than 20 years. I train media producers in dozens of countries around the world to develop books, television, radio and traditional media - not just for or about children who are disabled - but for and about all children. Most definitely, children and adults with disability are included in everything I do. I have discovered that this is truly "walking the walk" of the Convention on the Rights of the Child - all children are included - without making a big deal about it. Sometimes, the prototype media also "walks the walk" with regard to gender, ethnicity, peace education and various aspects of diversity. The goal is to celebrate diversity and provide a safe haven for all children.
In this work around the world, I have also learned a great deal about good and not-so-good productions. It is possible to have the most fabulous content and then have an actor who is uncomfortable with children who are disabled - and this will come across to audiences and the fabulous content can be lost. Or, if the content is too complex or preachy - the best actors can't save it. Or, one of the most sure ways of turning children - and adults off - is the poor or non-magical script. A good story is a good story is a good story - and it must be produced simply and well.
Back to Sesame Street. These were some of the exact lessons that were learned in the early days of experimenting with the best ways of including children who are disabled. What was too little? Too much? Some of the cast were more comfortable with children and adults with disabilities - and some were not - just as is the case with people in real life. Some of the scriptwriters wrote magical, award-winning scripts - but had writers' block when it came to disability. As time went on, the magical scripts and productions happened more frequently. And children who were disabled saw themselves reflected more and more often with sensitivity and naturalness. Or they saw role models of adults who had disability but were creative, productive, active people who anyone would want to be like when they grew up. And children without disabilities saw their peers with disability at an early age, regularly and accurately.
The Sesame Street segments that were submitted to the Russian Film Festival reflect this growth and diversity. Here is a run-down of those segments, together with a few votes for my own favorites:
Sesame Street Introduction: One of the new versions of the intro and theme song for the TV series include children who are disabled in the montage. If the theme song is symbolic of who lives on the Street -- then this is as it should be!
The Clapping Song: Gordon, one of the regular cast members, sings a song about clapping with Big Bird and a group of children - one who is using a wheelchair. No big deal or mention about disability. It is not the most dynamic segment - perhaps because Gordon does not seem to "engage" the children in any special way. But the child casting is good - one disabled child in a group of others as part of a group.
Butterfly: This is a beautiful 16 second segment with a young girl who is signing the sign for butterfly and then the sign morphs into a real butterfly. Simple and elegant.
Evelyn Glennie Plays the Trash Can: Evelyn Glennie is a well-known Scottish musician. She visits Sesame Street and is introduced to Oscar the Grouch. When she "tries out" to play with Oscar's Trash Can Band, she takes her shoes off. Oscar asks her if she will play with her feet and she tells him no, she is deaf and it helps her to feel the music. When she plays her drums - and a few trash cans - Oscar is thrilled to have her play in his band. Evelyn, a group of children and Oscar play away. This segment is delightful and natural. Evelyn does speak and there is only a slight detection of a hearing and speech impairment. And she plays a mean trashcan! There is often the stereotype that blind people are musicians and so I often advocate for the people I work with to present deaf dancers and musicians as well. I like this segment.
Rosita and Nicholas - Monster Dance: A little boy with Down Syndrome sits with the Muppet Rosita. Together they do a little Monster Dance - lifting their feet and moving their arms. From a production point of view, I would have liked to see Nicholas get up and dance with Rosita. I recognize the production/direction requirements for a Muppet to dance, but still think it would have been more magical if they both really danced. The segment ends with a sweet Monster Kiss.
My Dad Racing in His Wheelchair: This is one my favorites. A young girl introduces her dad who is a racer using a wheelchair. He calls her his "coach" and she helps and encourages him in training - and cheers for him in the real race. After the race, she hops on his chair for a ride and he thanks his "coach". In many of the countries I work, there is an emphasis on caregiver education - that is, helping parents and other caregivers learn to nurture their infants and young children in a holistic, responsive and playful way. One thing that often if not thought about is including caregivers who are disabled. This is something that I make sure is included as often as possible. This segment is a beautiful example of loving father who has a close, positive relationship with his daughter.
Linda's Birthday: Linda is a long-standing cast member who is deaf. She does not speak and over the years has taught children a tremendous amount about deafness. In this segment it is her birthday and cast, children and Muppets sign and sing Happy Birthday to her. Simple and nice. I would have liked to see Bob, another cast member, teach the viewing audience to sign at least the words Happy Birthday so that everyone, viewers as well as the talent on the set, could sign and sing to Linda. But that will be another segment...
Signing Night Moon Poem: A young boy signs a poem about the moon. This is a beautiful segment. I want everyone to see it.
Dee Schur's "From Your Head" Song with Elmo: Elmo, one of the Muppets, asks Dee Schuur, what she is doing. She explains to him that she is reading braille, because she is blind and cannot see. He asks her how she learns about things and she simply explains that in addition to braille, she hears, feels and smells (and that she likes the monster way Elmo smells). Then she sings a song about one of the most important ways she knows about things is through the ideas that come from your head. Elmo and Dee have a nice rapport and the song is simple and clear.
Sad No More: This is the only animated segment in the selection. A young boy is sad because he lost his dog. His dog is the one talking and finally - we see the boy finding his dog - and the boy happens to be in a wheelchair. Nicely done.
Princess in the Low Tower: This segment is quite a few years old - and one of my favorites. It is a new age fairytale. We see a princess Muppet in wheelchair high in a Tower. She is talking to a Prince down on the ground, bemoaning the fact that she wants to go for pizza. She can't because she is in a wheelchair and there are only steps. The Prince volunteers to carry her down and she adamantly says no. Then he volunteers to bring the pizza to her and she tells him that she wants to go out for pizza herself. A local carpenter Muppet appears and volunteers to build a ramp. Of course, she is delighted - and wheels down the new ramp herself and then wheels off to join the carpenter for pizza. The distraught and confused Prince wants to join them - and of course, is also invited. I am quite sure that all young children do not get the subtleties of the segment - but adults do. But young children enjoy and learn many things from it as well.
Kids with Pets: This is a simple segment with three different children talking to a goldfish about their pets. One child is in a wheelchair and most probably has mild cerebral palsy, another is a seemingly non-disabled child and the last is a young boy with Down Syndrome. Cute and clear.
Christopher Reeve Goes to the Library: Christopher Reeve, former star of Superman films and still USA actor and director, visits Sesame Street. He meets his son who is already there, waiting to go with him to the library. Big Bird asks Christopher Reeve why he looks so different from the last time he saw him. Reeve explains that he had an accident and now has to use his wheelchair. He also explains how he makes his wheelchair move by blowing on the tube near his chin, and that he needs another tube to give him oxygen to help him breathe. Big Bird and another Muppet Zoe, comment that he still seems to be able to do a lot of things. Reeve says yes - that with the help of his family and friends he can do "lots of neat stuff" - like going to the library. Zoe asks if she could have a ride on his wheelchair and Reeves obliges as they wheel off to the library. Sesame Street has often invited famous people with disabilities to take part in the show - as it has with famous people without disabilities. Sometimes children recognize them - and other times they do not. But segments like this are a wonderful way of sharing the Street while teaching simple facts about disability to viewing children.
Count Me In Song: This is the ultimate inclusion segment. It is about being special, outstanding - and part of the world. We see images of diversity of all types - skin color, ethnicity, hairstyles, personalities, etc. And disabled children and adults are included throughout. It is magical, eye and ear-catching and celebrates the diversity in the world.
So as we see, sometimes the segments talked about disability. Often they did not. But after viewing the segments, it is obvious that Sesame Street continues to be a pioneer in the production of developmentally-appropriate, educationally and entertaining television for children. I am not sure how frequently these segments appear on the daily telecast. Or more importantly, how frequently children and adults with disability share the street - or set or live-action or animation. I know there have been experiments with a Muppet with a disability - and that these were not as successful as one would have hoped. I hope that this format is resurrected, because, as we all know - everyone loves the Muppets.
But, as previously mentioned, it is not the topic of disability that is most important. What makes the difference, always - is the script and production - and the naturalness and magic of both. And at least for these segments - there is both. But don't take my word for it - believe the jury in Russia who voted. They were children.
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