As the nation prepares for the beginning of a new school year unlike any other, WMHT Public Media, in coordination with Capital Region BOCES, is helping support educators, parents and caregivers with a variety of free high-quality, accessible educational media resources. Through the WMHT PBS KIDS 24/7 channel (for young learners ages 2-8) and the WORLD channel Home Classroom Learning Service(for learners grades 6-12) WMHT will feature broadcast programming linked to at-home learning resources that can be used by educators to supplement distance learning plans, or by parents to provide added enrichment and support for children’s educational needs.
WMHT has the ability to reach a majority of households with free, over-the-air station broadcast and a deep trove of digital resources (PBS LearningMedia, pbskids.org, PBS KIDS for Parents, and more) designed to support both in-school and at-home learning for students, which was critical at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
“At-home learning has become, and will continue to be, part of the educational program for many students at all grade levels,” notes WMHT President and CEO, Robert Altman. “We are here to support at-home learners with programming and materials that help students thrive.”
WMHT coordinated with Capital Region BOCES in March 2020 to launch the Home Classroom broadcast services and learning resources as schools first closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
"We are pleased to partner with WMHT to provide our communities with access to educational programming to keep students engaged and learning," said Capital Region BOCES Senior Executive Officer Joseph P. Dragone, Ph.D. "All of our component school districts share in our commitment to help students continue their learning with educational, interesting and fun content as schools begin the new year."
Additional details on the available offerings can be found below.
BROADCAST LIST APPLICABLE OFFERINGS
- WMHT PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: WMHT offers anytime access to more than twenty series aligned to curriculum goals – from science and math, to literacy and life lessons. Available on-air via your WMHT, and livestreaming on the PBS KIDS Video app, wmht.org/kidsvideo, and pbskids.org. Related parent and teacher resources are also available (see below).
- WORLD Channel: From 12 noon to 5 pm weekdays, the WORLD Channel offers programs on math, science, social studies and English language arts, curated by educators and aligned to related digital resources on PBS LearningMedia. To find WMHT WORLD Channel on your television, visit wmht.org/findwmht.
DIGITAL AND PRINTABLE RESOURCES
- WMHT Home Classroom: Connect to local and national learning materials and view upcoming broadcast schedules.
- PBS LearningMedia: Educators can find at-home learning resources connected to current broadcast programming, professional learning support, lesson planning kits and more in the PreK-12 Resources for New School Routines collection, which will continue to be updated in the coming weeks. Educator resources in Spanish are also available.
- pbskids.org & PBS KIDS Video App: Full episodes, clips, games and more educational tools for kids 2-8.
- PBS KIDS for Parents: Parents can find tips, resources, printables, an Activity Finder and more tools for learning at home with young children, including a special virtual event: Prepping for a Very Different School Year.
NEWSLETTERS
- WMHT Education Newsletter: A monthly newsletter for educators complete with activities, program highlights, and local opportunities.
- PBS LearningMedia Newsletter: A weekly newsletter for educators PreK through 12th grade, showcasing digital offerings that support new school routines.
- PBS KIDS for Parents: This newsletter provides curated resources, including video content, digital games, DIY activities, and parent-directed information to support in-home learning.