“At Sesame Workshop, we’re always looking at the most challenging issues facing young children today, and we look to see where there may be a void that we can help fill.”
Dr. Jeanette Betancourt
Technology plays a significant role in the lives of children, and can assist them in navigating through challenges in life and filling voids. For 50 years, children’s television program Sesame Street has entertained and educated children of all backgrounds. “We’re committed to giving children the tools they need to grow smarter, stronger, and kinder – smarter in the academic basics, stronger in terms of health and resilience, and kinder in the socio-emotional lessons we know children need to thrive,” says Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Sesame Street in Communities’ (SSIC) Senior Vice President for U.S. Social Impact.
SSIC is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. Dr. Betancourt makes a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and their families by overseeing and directing the development and implementation of research-based community and family engagement initiatives. The organization partners with community providers across the country to integrate materials into their day-to-day work to maximize impact.
Dr. Betancourt will speak at the upcoming 2019 IBPA Conference November 7-9. This year’s event will center around the theme “Kindness & Compassion: Building Healthy Communities.”
Asked what she’s most looking forward to at the event, Dr. Betancourt says, “I’m looking forward to connecting with like-minded organizations and learning how we can work together to give young children a strong and healthy start.” Joining Dr. Betancourt will be over 80 speakers and 650 attendees from schools, organizations, families, and companies around the world.
We reached out to Dr. Betancourt as part of the new IBPA 2019 Presenter Interview Series, which will highlight four speakers who will join us in Chicago this November. Each, during their presentations, will address issues surrounding bullying and discuss how schools and individuals can take an active stand against bullying. When asked what’s the most significant issue schools and students face in terms of bullying prevention, Dr. Betancourt says:
“Our belief is that foundational skills are established during the early years and part of this includes guiding young children to value similarities and differences in others while fostering a sense of compassion and kindness. These skills build a foundation for children to understand others in ways that prevent bullying while also encouraging children to become upstanders when confronted with bullying.”
Read the full interview transcript between IBPA and Dr. Betancourt below. Dr. Betancourt will open Friday of the 2019 IBPA Conference with a keynote address titled “Bringing Help, Hope, and Healing to Our Most Vulnerable Children and Families.”. View the full agenda here and register for the 2019 IBPA Conference to listen to Dr. Betancourt live here.
Dr. Betancourt Interview Transcript
Question: Why did you choose to present at the 2019 IBPA Conference in Chicago?
Dr. Jeanette Betancourt: It’s an honor to participate in the 2019 IBPA Conference, particularly given this year’s focus on Kindness and Compassion – something that’s at the heart of everything Sesame Workshop does. Through our Sesame Street in Communities program, we use research-based strategies and materials to address the development, physical, and emotional needs of young children, and we partner with community providers across the country to integrate our materials into their day-to-day work. When the invitation was offered to present at the IBPA Conference we recognized the similar mission we share and the opportunity to meet new partners who may benefit from Sesame Street in Communities.
Question: At the event, what are you most looking forward to?
Dr. Betancourt: At Sesame Workshop, we’re always looking at the most challenging issues facing young children today, and we look to see where there may be a void that we can help fill. We learn about new issues through our partners and through forums like the IBPA Conference. I’m looking forward to connecting with like minded organizations and learning how we can work together to give young children a strong and healthy start.
Question: What will you be speaking about and what do you hope attendees will take away from your talk?
Dr. Betancourt: In recent years, through our Sesame Street in Communities program, we’ve had a focus on traumatic experiences and the long-term negative effects on a child’s brain development and future wellbeing – especially when confronted with repeated traumatic experiences. We know that in many traumatic situations, such as family homelessness, parental addiction, or food insecurity, children and families face overwhelming stigma and hopelessness. But we also know that children are remarkably resilient, and one of the best ways in which we can counteract the effects of traumatic experiences is by fostering nurturing connections between children and the grownups in their lives, including caregivers, educators, and community service providers. With the help of our loveable Muppet friends, Sesame Street in Communities is connecting and empowering these important grownups to build a “circle of care” around children to build resilience, inspire compassion and hope for the future.
Question: What inspired the Sesame Workshop’s mission – “help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder?”
Dr. Betancourt: Since its inception in 1969, Sesame Street has had a “whole-child” curriculum – which is the bedrock of Sesame Workshop’s mission. We’re committed to giving children the tools they need to grow smarter, stronger, and kinder – smarter in the academic basics, stronger in terms of health and resilience, and kinder in the socio-emotional lessons we know children need to thrive. We believe all three are critical to a child’s lifelong success.
Question: What role does mental health play in bullying prevention?
Dr. Betancourt: So often the causes of traumatic experiences – like parental addiction, incarceration, or homelessness – are seen as “grown-up” issues. But they impact children in ways that often aren’t visible, and without the right support, children can experience a range of effects – including emotional and behavioral problems, like anxiety and depression. However, with the right support – and the right resilience-building strategies and socio-emotional skills – the effects of traumatic experiences can be mitigated. With the help of caring adults, traumatic experiences don’t need to define a child’s life trajectory.
Question: What is the most significant issue schools and students face in terms of preventing bullying?
Dr. Betancourt: Our belief is that foundational skills are established during the early years and part of this includes guiding young children to value similarities and differences in others while fostering a sense of compassion and kindness. These skills build a foundation for children to understand others in ways that prevent bullying while also encouraging children to become upstanders when confronted with bullying.