Over Christmas break, I had the opportunity to see the movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” in the theater and really enjoyed it. I especially liked the scenes where Mr. Rogers (played well by Tom Hanks) referred back to the songs that I remembered on his show from my childhood. I have come to know these songs and other Neighborhood of Make-Believe songs well. My daughter loves the “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” show (produced by Fred Rogers Productions) and I enjoy the music because I like how several of the songs are slight updates of Mr. Rogers’ originals. My family and I listen to Daniel Tiger songs all the time – and in them I hear a lot of Operational Excellence (OE) principles. After listening to these songs, I believe that OE is alive and well in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. In this blog, I will share how some of the lyrics to Mr. Rogers’ and Daniel Tiger’s songs illustrate the OE philosophy.
Operational Excellence in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe
Topics: fred rogers, Saint Vincent College, SVC, Michael Urick, Daniel Tiger, Saint Vincent, Operational Excellence, blog, saint vincent professor, st. vincent professor, Faculty Blog, Dr. Mike Urick, svc blog, Mr. Rogers
Last summer, I lent my skills as a videographer for two days worth of shooting for their video series, Early Literacy Quick Clips. These videos, which were created for the Fred Rogers Center Early Learning Environment™, use real world examples to illustrate best practices in early literacy in a variety of settings.
I shot the videos in a handheld direct cinema style for a variety of reasons.
- I wanted the videos to feel fluid and natural.
- I was able to react quickly to what the children and their caregivers were doing.
- I felt a tripod would distract, intimidate and possibly frighten the children.
The videos were produced by Jude Shingle, a talented artist/filmmaker and an Early Career Fellow for the Fred Rogers Center. He and I worked together to craft the look of the videos. It was a pleasure working with him. He was cheerful, energetic and open to any ideas thrown at him. Here is Jude introducing the videos (yes, that is my voice preceding Jude).
The experience of going to these daycare centers was also very rewarding. To see the time, effort, energy and enthusiasm put out by these caregivers gave me a greater appreciation for the work they all do. We were there for two days, and I left exhausted. They do this EVERY day.
Take a few moments and check out all of the Early Literacy Quick Clips (and please pass them along to anyone who might find them useful).
Topics: digital media, video, videos, media, pennsylvania, fred rogers, ele, child care, daycare, fred rogers center, Pittsburgh