New educational resources for rabies prevention

I am delighted to introduce educators to a new educational resource, ALL ABOUT RABIES! This is an entertaining, activity-based, educational package for children in grades 1-9 (ages 6-15) that focuses on responsible pet ownership, rabies prevention, and treatment. The materials have been developed both in English and Spanish to reach as many countries as possible. There are three levels (grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9) to make them developmentally appropriate.

Each level is divided into four subjects for the teachers to use in addition to, or as part of, their curriculum: language & literacy, math & science, visual arts and music & drama. Within each level, teachers have ready-to-use materials for each subject, including information about rabies, activities with step-by-step procedures, worksheets and games. These materials were designed around the theory of Multiple Intelligences so as to reach all students effectively. Teachers will have the opportunity to learn about this innovative methodology that is being used worldwide.

The Multiple Intelligences Theory, developed by Dr. Howard Gardner at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (whom I had the honor of having as my professor), proposes that we all have eight distinctive but coordinated intelligences, each related to different aspects of our culture and different parts of the brain. These intelligences are linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic.

This internationally known theory provides a great framework and insight for the field of education. It helps teachers understand the full range of each child's intellectual strengths and provides the key to raising children to live in a global world. That is, nurturing each child according to his or her learning styles and then offering contexts and opportunities to enhance that potential. For the past twenty-five years, several educators and researchers within the US and around the world have been working to implement Multiple Intelligences Theory in the classroom.

In using these new materials, children will be using their multiple intelligences while learning about rabies and related content. Also, they will be practicing literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Most importantly, children will have fun while learning: they will play games, create songs, make drawings, read stories, design posters, and much more...

I hope that teachers and children will enjoy these materials and that they will contribute to eradicate rabies in our world.

Submitted by Valeria Fontanals, who developed the new materials. Valeria is an educational psychologist and kindergarten teacher who holds a Master of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has experience as a consultant, teacher, therapist, and trainer in the U.S Argentina, China, and India. She is a founder of an early childhood educational company (www.littletalentum.com) and an international consultant
company that aims to nurture children's strengths and values (www.proyectovf.com).

The new materials are available within the education bank of WRD website, and through these links:
All About Rabies! for Ages 6-8,  for Ages 9-11,  for Ages 12-14
¡Todo acerca de la Rabia! para niños de 6 a 8 años,  para niños de 9 a 11 años,  para niños de 12 a 14 años