James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., Puppets are identified as one fo the most effective tools for educating children. A needs assessment survey administered to participants at a Texas Parent Teacher's Association meeting showed one of the most popular topic choices was instruction in the use of puppetry to teach nutrition education. There are many effective nutrition curriculum on the market and a variety of puppets already available for teaching tools. It was more appropriate to develop a workshop that teaches participants how to enhance their pre-existing curricula and activities with puppets. This workshop provides training and familiarity with the sue of puppets to prepare school and center staff and parents with the confidence to venture into the world of puppetry; particularly in the filed of nutrition education. The workshop covers the types of puppets available, simple puppet manufacturing techniques, basic puppet skills training, choosing and developing the character, and brainstorming tactics for incorporating puppets into any education setting. Results form training at statewide workshops and the annual Texas Head Start pre=service conferences will be presented. Learn how to tap into a powerful education medium. Find out how a workshop like this one can teach participants to deliver a message to children and increase learning retention as public television has successfully done.
