Schools Across the Country Use RedRover Readers to Promote Empathy
Sacramento, CA – Today RedRover, a national nonprofit animal welfare organization, celebrated literacy during National Education Association’s Read Across America Day. Nationwide, trained teachers used the RedRover Readers curriculum, including their new Raja Book 2 interactive app, part of The Restricted Adventures of Raja series designed to promote kindness and empathy towards animals and others. Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that encourages children to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss.
The RedRover Readers program is a unique story-based classroom curriculum that helps children, aged 5 to 11 years old, understand the emotional states of others and develop
empathy skills, skills which are linked to the prevention of violence. This empathy-based approach builds a stronger connection to animals and may help prevent cruelty and neglect. Animal cruelty committed by children is considered to be a key warning sign of future violent behavior, according to the American Psychological Association.
President and CEO Nicole Forsyth states, “RedRover Readers uses the power of stories and discussion techniques to help children imagine how animals and people experience their worlds and practice the skills necessary for self-awareness, social awareness and responsible decision-making.”
In ten years, the RedRover Readers program has reached more than 67,000 children in 14 states and trained more than 1,700 educators and volunteers. The program can be implemented in schools, after-school programs, shelters and other places books are read to children. The Restricted Adventures of Raja book apps can be downloaded at no cost in the Apple Store, Google Play and Amazon. The curriculum aligns to the U.S. Common Core standards as well as Social and Emotional Learning Core competencies.
About RedRover
Since 1987, RedRover has focused on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and humane education. To learn more, visit RedRover.org.
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Contact:
Sheri Madsen
916.429.2457 ext. 310
916.600.8157 cell
smadsen@redrover.org