Collaborating for a Kinder World
June 23rd, 2022
By Tara Lenehan, Education Coordinator
Collaboration is key to RedRover’s mission, since we know that so much more is possible when we work together for a kinder world. RedRover recently partnered with the Friends of Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento, California, to bring the RedRover Readers curriculum to elementary school students across Sacramento through the 4th “R,” START, and expanded learning programs. As of June 2022, 10 new afterschool sites in Sacramento now have complete access to the RedRover Readers humane education curriculum!
Since 1986, the 4th “R,” START, and expanded learning programs have been providing supportive recreational afterschool activities for students. These programs focuses on activities that enhance students’ physical, social, and emotional development, and they will soon begin implementing the RedRover Readers curriculum into their daily programming. To ensure the afterschool educational staff receive the resources they need, the Friends of Front Street Animal Shelter provided RedRover Readers program books for each site.
The RedRover Readers program uses children’s books about animals to help students identify human and animal body language. By identifying accurate human and animal body language, students will also be able to better identify both human and animal emotions. When educators can help students identify “big feelings,” especially after returning to in-person programming after almost two years of virtual learning, we can better help youth emotionally regulate themselves before outside interventions are needed – creating a kinder classroom and a more compassionate future.
After completing the workshop, one afterschool educator shared, “You guys are so awesome, very passionate, and well thought out. This is a program that everyone in education should know about!”
Another shared, “This is a great program that promotes empathy, connection, and literacy in the class!”
