Introduction

ONCE UPON A TIME, long before Dr Seuss, early childhood education came from the home. During the first few years of a child's life, it was the parents, extended family, community and religious leaders who were responsible for teaching values—so that the child entered school with a solid moral background. While home values are still critical, it seems that increased responsibility is being placed upon the schools to instil in students appropriate values—collectively referred to as 'character education' (Ryan, 1993).

In New Zealand, Te Whāriki has consciously and judiciously designed the early childhood curriculum to address issues of character education, both overtly and covertly. Principles of holistic development, family and community, and relationships (Ministry of Education, 1996) are immediately brought to the forefront, along with the importance of building a child's moral compass from infancy onwards. Moreover, Te Whāriki is specifically concerned with promoting and developing the values of the child in light of their cultural heritage:

To address bicultural issues, adults working in early childhood education should have an understanding of Māori views on child development, and on the role of the family, as well as understanding the views of other cultures in the community. (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 41)

Values that are introduced in the home need to be respected, supported and reinforced in the school setting. Furthermore, since students come from different cultural backgrounds, the teacher needs to be familiar with the various cultures in his or her classroom, and facilitate mutual understanding and respect within the classroom community (Cowhey, 2006).

Dr Seuss has become a household name. His books are perennial favourites and are considered by many to be classics. Why is it that these books hold such power over young and old alike? Is it the outrageous characters that he created? The unconventional style of the art? Perhaps, it is the unique names of the characters, such as the 'Lorax', 'Zax' and the 'Sneetches', which have become part of our everyday vocabulary? Perhaps it is the rhyme and rhythm that holds the attention of readers and listeners. Whatever the case, there may be more than meets the eye (or ear).

This paper seeks to show an intimate connection between character education and Dr Seuss. Moreover, the author suggests that by using Dr Seuss' stories in the early childhood classroom in an appropriate manner, a teacher can fulfil many of the goals of Te Whāriki. First, the author discusses character education in early childhood, including culturally mediated learning. Second, there is a discussion of Te Whāriki and its foundation for well-rounded child development. Third is a discussion of the use of literature as a vehicle for teaching and learning across content areas. Fourth, the author examines Dr Seuss and selected Seuss books, and gives suggestions for specific lessons. Finally, the article concludes with the connection between the selected Seuss books and the strands, goals and objectives of Te Whāriki, visualised in a table.

Character education in early childhood: 'Train a child in his way'

There has been widespread controversy over what should and should not be included in character education in the classroom. Perhaps the most common term applied to character education is 'values'. In 1993, Ryan wrote a paper entitled Mining the values in the curriculum. In it, he discusses both formal curriculum and hidden curriculum. Lickona also traces the history of character education, stating that 'the Bible was the public school's sourcebook for both moral and religious instruction' (1993, p. 6). He discusses the decline of the family, trends in youth character, and the need to recover and support values which 'affirm our human dignity' (p. 9). Noddings (1995) addresses core values as 'themes of caring'. Nord (1999) takes issue that religion has almost entirely been eliminated from the public school curriculum, often relegated to distant history. He posits that such a paradigm shift has contributed to the decline of educational opportunity and rigour, particularly at the high school level.

From the teaching perspective, Strike and Soltis (1998) suggest classifying ethics as consequentialist and non-consequentialist. Citing Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, they define consequentilism as doing the greatest good for the greatest number. Non-consequentiaism is more in line with Kant's theories—seeking equal respect over maximum benefit. Whichever way a teacher chooses to run the classroom, each of these theorists has their roots solidly based in their respective religious or moral beliefs. It is widely held that character education has its roots in religion, and therefore we must exercise caution not to 'preach' from any specific religious set of values, but rather to seek common ground that is held by all. Miller and Pedro (2006) suggest:

In the world in which children find themselves today, understanding and appreciating those with whom you attend school, learn and play makes for a much richer living and learning experience, expands horizons, and breaks down traditional barriers.
(p. 293)

Kristjánsson (2002) refers to Western hegemony in his discussion of non-expansive character education. He builds a model that addresses values to be taught, as well as their emphasis in teaching. This model looks at religious-based education, values clarification, non-expansive character education and moral reasoning for children. À propos to Kristjánsson's concern is the realisation that Māori culture is far from the prevailing Western religions. Māori concepts of ritual purity and forbidden access are foreign to the hegemonic paradigm.

To provide a modicum of balance, it is only fair to discuss Alfie Kohn's concerns about the way in which character education is delivered. Kohn (1997) suggests that schools are, in fact, teaching particular values, and that many programs have specific agendas. Since many schools offer rewards for the students who work harder, help others or exhibit the desired character traits of the week, students often work towards the rewards, rather than the altruistic values that we hope they will incorporate into their personalities (Kohn, 1997). Kohn's position is valid and once again points out the necessity to examine what is being taught and how it is being delivered.

While each of these theorists adds value to the discussion of what specific values should be taught to our children, it is not the intent of this paper to debate which theorist has the most validity. A bicultural curriculum, by definition, needs to embrace both (or multiple) value systems. In the case of Te Whāriki, predominant white, Christian values are taught alongside those of the Māori people. Similarities and differences need to be addressed. The author has chosen to investigate the use of identifiable literature (in this case, exclusively from Dr Seuss) that addresses academic content, and more specifically social content, as a vehicle that supports this bicultural curriculum.

What's in a program?

In the United States, there exists a 'hidden curriculum', which de facto, creates a cultural divide. Giroux and Penna (1983) discuss the hidden curriculum in terms of the norms, values and beliefs that are conveyed through both explicit and implicit instruction. These values are acquired through formal classroom interaction, as well as informal social interactions. Values instruction in the US has taken on a new face, and is currently referred to as 'character education'.

One of the most frequently used character education programs in the US is 'Character Counts'. This program has a foundation of six pillars, which include: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. Character Counts refers to these pillars as 'core ethical values' (Character Counts, 2007). McBrien and Brandt (1997) list honesty, kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, equality and respect as basic human values.

Other packaged programs in character education hold similar core values appropriate for moral development. For example, 'Open Circle', a program out of Wellesley Center for Women (Wellesley College), is a holistic program that sets adults as role models for children. The program extends not only to teachers and students, but to caregivers and administrators as well. Their 'mission is to work with school communities to help children become ethical people, contributing citizens and successful learners. Open Circle fosters development of relationships that support safe, caring and respectful learning communities of children and adults' (Open Circle, 2008).

'WiseSkills' is another commercially available character education program. It has three components: school component, family component and community component. Specifically, the elementary (primary) school component is based around monthly themes, such as positive attitude, respect, responsibility, self-discipline, relationships, personal goals, citizenship and conflict resolution (WiseSkills, n.d.). While many of the character education programs are research based, many are also proprietary in nature. Exactly who stands behind the purveyors of these programs is not entirely clear. Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware).

Whether a school selects a pre-packaged character education program or designs its own, whether there is a school-wide program or each teacher is individually responsible for developing classroom programs in values education, it has become generally accepted in the educational world that schools and teachers have assumed a major role in developing their students' moral compasses. Schools have both a formal curriculum and a hidden one (Ryan, 1993). The hidden curriculum includes socialisation messages, which Brint, Contreras and Matthews (2001) divide into four areas. They suggest that there are:

(1) Values connected to work performance (orderliness and industriousness), (2) values connected to interaction between self and others (respect for others, participation, cooperation, self-control and self-direction), (3) 'traditional virtues' (honesty, fairness, considerateness, responsibility, reliability and courage), and (4) modern values (appreciation of cultural diversity, appreciation of one's own culture, appreciation of individual uniqueness and special talents, and appreciation of choice and variety as values.
(p. 159)

Their study notes that while teachers post written rules in the classroom that govern appropriate behaviour, many of the actions within the classroom suggest routine practices which support future career development and life skills—such as the use of token economies, collaborative learning and activity centres, which supports children's 'capacity to move easily between many fast-changing activities' (p. 167).

If such activities are intended to promote school-to-work fluidity, do they undermine other values that may be a part of the child's cultural capital? In no way should this be misconstrued as a disconnection from home values. In fact, as is stated in Te Whāriki, 'learning begins at home, and early childhood programs outside the child's own home play a significant role in extending early learning and in laying the foundations for successful future learning' (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 9). Schools must be cautious in their development and implementation of values education, to address not only the hegemonic values, but also those of the diverse minorities within the school. In the case of New Zealand primary (and secondary) schools, this means a sensitivity to and integration of Māori customs, understandings and values.

Te Whāriki and character education

The goals of Te Whāriki, developed in 1996 by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand, are by design intended to be inclusive. This curriculum takes into account both English and Māori cultures and culturally mediated learning, while being mindful of the heritages of all partners in the educational process. 'The Māori curriculum is an integral part of the document and provides a basis for bicultural early childhood education in New Zealand' (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 10). Te Whāriki intends to lay out the issues and curricula that should be addressed in early childhood, and to help develop a well-rounded, healthy child while still taking into account the multicultural nature of the overall student population. Outcomes are specified and experiences are suggested to help meet these outcomes.

One specific cultural connection that makes Dr Seuss' books a perfect vehicle in primary schools is the use of storytelling. Māori culture has a rich oral history component. While Dr Seuss is clearly not an oral culture, the concept of passing along important messages, such as etiquette, through the use of a story addresses a similar objective. Furthermore, as one looks at both Te Whāriki and Dr Seuss (particularly The Lorax), there is a clear reverence for 'mana' (spiritual essence), which resides in man, nature and even—according to Māori tradition—man-made items.

To begin, Strand 1: Wellbeing, has three goals. Both Goals 2 and 3 suggest a foundation in character or values education. Goal 2 states: 'Children experience an environment where their emotional wellbeing is nurtured' (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 50). Goal 3 states: 'Children experience an environment where they are kept safe from harm' (p. 52).

In addition, Te Whāriki has other pointers to the general areas of character education. Within Strand 2: Belonging, both Goal 3, 'Children and their families experience an environment where they feel comfortable with the routines, customs and regular events' (p. 60), and Goal 4, 'Children and their families experience an environment where they know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour' (p. 62), seem to be clearly directed towards areas of character development.

Nearly 3000 years ago, King Solomon suggested in Proverbs 22:6: 'Train a child according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it' (Gottlieb Zomberg, 1982). What is a child's way? When considering this, one can look to Vygotsky's (1962) zone of proximal development. Vygotsky discussed the idea that children can develop higher levels of cognition with adult help and guidance, when compared to on their own. Specific to Te Whāriki is the concept that children develop their cultural tools through interactions with parents and teachers. Howard Gardner (1983), in his multiple intelligences theory, addresses the ways that individuals learn, other than linguistically and mathematically. For this paper, Gardner's suggestion of interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences are the most relevant. However, most importantly, one can look at the cultural capital that each child brings from his or her home into the school setting. This capital provides a wealth of resources for the student. Each child brings his or her own understanding of class, gender, family roles, values, aesthetics and more (Bourdieu, 1984). Such a personal lens inevitably shapes the student, and his or her learning. As Te Whāriki so appropriately states:

There are many migrants in New Zealand, and, as in any country with a multicultural heritage, there is a diversity of beliefs about child-rearing practices, kinship roles, obligations, codes of behaviour, and what kinds of knowledge are valuable. The early childhood curriculum supports the cultural identity of all children, affirms and celebrates cultural differences, and aims to help children gain a positive awareness of their own and other cultures.
(Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 18)

The concept of culturally mediated learning can be applied in other countries where there is a culturally diverse student body. Today, our world seems to be shrinking—the physical movement and relocation of people is growing, and is coupled with the technology-assisted ties that we form. Teachers must be mindful to respect the diversity in their classrooms, and to encourage their students to do the same. Additionally, they must be careful not to push aside heritage in favour of societal progression. One way to aid the understanding of diversity and global issues is through literature.

In 1928, Piaget suggested the term 'schema', to describe the development of abstract mental structures. Anderson (1977) more fully developed the concept of schema theory to explain how children use their experiences and background to decipher cognitive dissonance as new experiences and learning come along. He posits that there is an integral network of schemata and sub-schemata, which children use to assimilate new information, particularly when it is cross-cultural. The schemata that children develop begin in their home environment, with the daily routines of the family. A simple example would be the use of the terms 'please' and 'thank you'. A child raised in such an environment might find it strange to meet other children who don't use these words. Similarly, children raised in an environment where physical boundaries are set, such as at a marae, encounter cultural conflict when they are permitted to enter a building without specific permission or formal welcoming activities. The cognitive dissonance that a child experiences in school helps them to develop new schemata to produce what we term 'learning'. This paper addresses links between the students' cultural backgrounds, the literature used in the classroom, and the goals of Te Whāriki. The ideas proposed below seek to take advantage of the rich Māori culture of oral storytelling. The ideas provided mesh Vygotsky's (1978) symbolic tools and Feuerstein's (1990) mediated learning experience (MLE) as 'sociocultural forces in shaping the situations of a child's development and learning' (Kozulin, 2002, p. 8) with the hegemonic values and the indigenous culture.

Using literature as a vehicle

Literature may be used at all ages to support concepts and content. One is certainly aware of literature being used with older students to address a variety of content areas. For example, To kill a mockingbird (Lee, 1960) addresses areas of prejudice, women's status and hypocrisy. The scarlet letter (Hawthorne, 1850) and Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Hardy, 1891) relate issues of fidelity and illegitimacy. 1984 (Orwell, 1949) looks at political concerns. While secondary schools have used cross-content literature for years, primary schools have only recently come to use cross-content literacy to teach concepts other than reading skills. As a result, a whole new library of children's literature has sprung up.

Recently, children's books have looked at a variety of issues faced by preschool, early childhood and primary school students. The Berenstain Bears series (by authors Stan and Jan Berenstain1) addresses the issues of going to the doctor and the dentist, fear of the dark, and nail biting. Books such as Brian's bird (Davis, 2000), Dancing wheels (McMahon, 2000) and A.D.D. Not B.A.D. (Penn, 2003) have put the issues of special needs students into literary form. Literacy instruction has become a forum for bibliotherapy—a vehicle for helping students to work through a variety of situations through stories that mimic or depict real-life situations.

Iaquinta and Hipsky state that bibliotherapy uses 'children's literature to explore children's feelings about self-esteem' (2006, p. 209) by allowing the student to identify with a character in the book. Bibliotherapy may help students to understand a disability, address issues of self-esteem, and problem-solve (Amer, 1999; Pardeck & Pardeck, 1994). Through using literature, students may improve their understanding of complex social issues (Goodwin & Jenkins, 1997). This is where Vygotsky's theory of guiding children in their understanding of new concepts plays a major role in helping children to navigate the morass of social mores.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has put together the Bibliotherapy Education Project. In addition to using books for those with clinical problems, the project's homepage states that 'developmental bibliotherapy may be used by teachers, librarians or lay helpers to facilitate normal development and self-actualisation with an essentially healthy population' (Bibliotherapy Education Project, 2007). Among the benefits of bibliotherapy are:

• increased empathetic understanding of others (cultures, lifestyles and lived experiences)
• enhanced insight and integration
• promoted coping skills
• provided information and alternatives
• stimulated discussion of feelings and ideas
• increased enjoyment of literature and reading (McMillen & Pehrsson, 2005, slide 5).

The author asserts that using Dr Seuss' books in a guided reading setting can play a critical role in the character development of students and, at the same time, support the goals of Te Whāriki.

Background of Dr Seuss

Whenever the name 'Dr Seuss' is mentioned, most people think of The cat in the hat (1957). Dr Seuss, née Theodor Geisel, wrote 44 children's books. Many have been translated into some 15 different languages. What the general population may not know is that Seuss began as a writer and illustrator for a series of magazines. He did not originally intend to write for children. He was, however, an advocate for social change (Nel, 2001; Wolosky, 2000).

Many of Seuss' early drawings were political cartoons aimed at Mussolini, Hitler and Lindbergh. He

… devoted much of his considerable talent and influence to advocating political and social change. From condemning isolationism and attacking anti-Semitism, to his later works for literacy, the environment and against the arms race, Dr Seuss' most popular works reflect his passion for fairness, democracy and tolerance.
(Independent Television Service, 2008)

Random House Publishers contracted a new reader from Geisel and under the contract he was limited to 225 new words. The cat in the hat was born. After a bet with fellow author Bennett Cerf to write a book with only 50 words, Green eggs and ham (1960) made its appearance (Seuss Enterprises, 2002). However, Dr Seuss never lost his desire to advocate for 'social change, teaching generations of children not only how to be better readers, but better people as well' (Independent Television Service, 2008). It is this exact attribute that makes Seuss' work so valuable in early childhood character education.

Fitting it together

Engaging students in their learning is always a challenge. What is interesting for boys may not attract girls; what appeals to the more mature, critical-thinking students may stymie those who process in a more rigid manner. In many countries, particularly the United States, students with a variety of special needs are in regular education classrooms. Some of the special needs include learning disabilities, physical disabilities, emotional and behaviour disorders, and language deficiencies (those who speak a language at home that is different to the primary language of instruction). This wide variety of 'inclusion' students in regular classrooms may leave teachers hard-pressed to provide sufficiently differentiated lessons that reach all students.

Good teachers know that when the instructional level material being taught is relevant to the students, and within their zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1962), students find a relationship to the material which they are more likely to internalise. Furthermore, teachers also know that a constructivist approach (Bruner, 1966; Thirteen ed online, 2004) will allow the students to make the connection for themselves, which further solidifies the concepts. Based on the research of Piaget (Huitt & Hummel, 2003), children develop schema during their cognitive development. With each new experience, already existing schema are referenced and built upon. When cognitive dissonance occurs, so does learning. This is how our students begin to develop better understanding of the foundations inherent in real-world learning (Bruner, 1966; Festinger, 1957).

Herein lies the premise for using Dr Seuss' literature to present complex concepts. Many students are already familiar with Dr Seuss. His books fall into the students' zone(s) of proximal development. The rhyming schemes sound familiar. The colours are cheerful. The plots grab the students' attention. His characters seem familiar and inviting, even in books that the students have not previously read or heard. This author has read some of the less familiar books to classes of graduate students. Amazingly, they were held spellbound, waiting to a) hear the story, and b) figure out why a professor was reading Dr Seuss to them. Certainly, there are some of Dr Seuss' books that are more appropriate for the younger student, and there are many that can be used even at the high-school level. Each country, and many publishers, have their own rating systems for grade level identification. The 'upper-level' books are not discussed in this paper.

The lessons to be learned or extracted from Seuss' books are varied, and can be used by 'children of all ages'. While the lessons presented in this paper are geared towards early childhood, and more specifically towards character education, with a little tweaking they are equally suitable for the upper-primary grades, as well as for high school. The suggestions made are deliberately left open-ended. Key to using these stories as a foundation for character education is the development of questions that elicit higher-order thinking on the part of the students. Questions should be quite open-ended, to allow for discussion between students. Teachers can (and should) take their leads from their own students, and the situations in which the lessons are being used. The stories below are discussed in terms of general values education and some relationship to either Te Whāriki or Māori culture. For easy reference, Table 1 shows suggested correlations for each story presented to the Strands, Goals and Objectives of Te Whāriki.

The cat in the hat

The cat in the hat (Seuss, 1957) is arguably Dr Seuss' most famous book. The story describes two children sitting alone in their house on a rainy day wondering what to do—when who should appear, but the cat in the hat. This cat is full of mischief and invites the children to have a world of fun. The children struggle with the potential of new freedom: 'Then Sally and I did not know what to say. Our mother was out of the house for the day' (Seuss, 1957, p. 8). The fish in the story plays the part of their conscience, and repeatedly states, 'He should not be about. He should not be here when your mother is out!' (p. 11). For the Māori child, the comparison between the cat's forced entrance into the house and entering a wharenui with powhiri and mihimihi can lead to a discussion on cultural differences.

Readers of this story know that things get out of hand, until the narrator (the boy) commands the cat: 'Now you do as I say. You pack up those things and you take them away!' (p. 52). The teacher may note that these appear to be young children who know what is right and wrong, and who know when things are getting out of hand. When reading the story, the teacher might ask the class to suggest reasons for why the boy orders the cat in the hat to leave. This is an opportunity to guide a class discussion on recognising what is acceptable behaviour and what is not.

Besides knowing right from wrong, the book ends with the opportunity for the characters to discuss the truth with their parents. Mother returns home, and asks the children how their day went. 'And Sally and I did not know what to say. Should we tell her the things that went on there that day?' (p. 60). Here again is a golden opportunity for discussion. When do we tell parents about inappropriate behaviour? What do we tell them? 'Should we tell her about it? Now, what should we do? Well … what would you do if your mother asked you?' (p. 61). The children in the classroom will have different answers. They may change their answers as they get older, but however they respond, the teacher has the opportunity to discuss the choices that we make in our lives, and the reasons for our choices. Here is an opening to help children develop their decision-making processes.

Green eggs and ham

It is not hard to see how this book, also a perennial favourite, can be used to help children address risk-taking and stubborn streaks. Sam-I-am insists that the unnamed character try his green eggs and ham. Our protagonist staunchly declares, 'I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham' (Seuss, 1960, p. 12). Yet, as with many children, he has not even tried what the author's mother refers to as a 'thank-you portion'. Sam-I-am presents many scenarios for trying the new food, yet the refusals continue.

The dialogue continues, until Sam-I-am finally suggests, 'You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may' (Seuss, 1960, p. 53). Negotiations follow, and our headstrong character agrees to try the green eggs and ham if Sam-I-am will just leave him alone. However, what follows is: 'Say! I like green eggs and ham! ...Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am!' (p. 59, 62).

The wonderful lessons that can follow may certainly deal with trying new things (not necessarily food), taking reasonable risks, and addressing issues of being headstrong for no apparent reason. The connection to a bicultural curriculum seems obvious. Each of the cultures, both Māori and Pakeha, learn about each other's foods, customs and values.

The Zax

The Zax is a delightful short story in the collection The Sneetches and other stories (Geisel, 1961). In it, we find two typical Seuss characters of unknown gender or species. One is a north-going Zax, and the other a south-going Zax. Each has been trained to go in only one direction, and never veers off his track. In class, the teacher could equate this to two students with different cultures or backgrounds. When the Zax meet, they are stuck. Neither will compromise his standards and neither will stray from his set directional path. 'Never budge! That's my rule. Never budge in the least! Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east!' (Geisel, 1961, p. 32). An impasse results. However, what the educator will find is a wonderful story for introducing the concept and art of compromise, and for teaching the skills of conflict resolution.

Gertrude McFuzz

Gertrude McFuzz (Geisel, 1950) is one of the stories that can be taken in many directions. In it we find the story of a young bird with only one tail feather, who is jealous of another bird that has two tail feathers. She implores her uncle, the doctor, to find a pill that will add feathers to her tail. Naturally, if one pill adds a single feather, then two must add two, and so forth.

For a class setting, graduate students have suggested that this story be used to discuss drugs and drug overdoses, self-esteem, jealousy, concern with personal appearance, trying to keep up with others and emotional needs. Conversations can become quite lively when students are given the floor. Most important is the fact that this story provides a launch pad for the critical discussion of many sensitive issues.

One suggestion is to read part of the story and then ask students to predict what might happen next. Reading the next few pages will either confirm or reject their predictions. Stopping again, students might again predict how the story will end. It is the end message that is critical.

And, finally, when all of the pulling was done,
Gertrude, behind her, again had just one …
That one little feather she had as a starter.
But now that's enough, because now she is smarter.
(Geisel, 1950, p. 421)

The teacher can always refer back to this last page of the story if the students are having difficulty making the appropriate connections.

For children in a bicultural school, there is a special message. Each child has unique characteristics, none of which are superior or inferior—just different. The ability to compare and accept each other for who they are is a critical step in what Nieto (1998) refers to as affirmation, solidarity and critique.

What was I scared of?

What was I scared of? is one of Dr Seuss' lesser-known stories. It appears in The Sneetches and other stories. In it, a young boy walks alone at night in the woods. He claims that he is not scared of anything, when he 'spied them. I saw a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them!' (Geisel, 1961, p. 44). He remains unaffected until the pants move, at which time he turns heel and runs. A week later, he has another late-night meeting with the pants; and yet another the following night. Now, he is scared. But scared of what? After all, the pants are empty. There is an unknown element here.

How many children do we know that are afraid of the unknown? Adults too, for that matter. The boy describes his natural reaction: 'I yelled for help. I screamed. I shrieked. I howled. I yowled, I cried, "Oh, save me from these pale green pants with nobody inside!"' (p. 59).

Here lies the real lesson for the students. 'But then a strange thing happened. Why, those pants began to cry! Those pants began to tremble. They were just as scared as I!' (p. 60). By drawing upon Feuerstein's mediated learning experience (MLE), the teacher has the opportunity to select and interpret stimuli (the story) for the students (Feuerstein, 1990). What a wonderful way to teach students that perhaps someone new or diverse in the classroom is just as frightened as we might be. When given a chance to introduce themselves to each other, they might well become good friends—as happens at the end of What was I scared of?

The big brag

Yet another of Seuss' lesser-known works is The big brag, which can be found in Yertle the turtle and other stories (Geisel, 1950). This is an ideal story for teaching children about boasting and exaggerating the truth. It is also a story where children can explore the concepts that everyone has something that they do well but that does not make them better than anyone else; that everyone has something that they can't do as well as others, but that does not make them less or worse than anyone else; and that each person is important and special. We are who we are. In the story, it takes a lowly worm to teach these lessons to a rabbit and a bear.

The Sneetches

The Sneetches (Geisel, 1961) is a story that clearly addresses issues of multiculturalism. There are Star-Belly Sneetches and Plain-Belly Sneetches. Themes of prejudice and discrimination are blatant:

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches would brag, 'We're the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.'
(Geisel, 1961, p. 4)

The Plain-Belly Sneetches are left out of social activities and kept away. However, a character named Sylvester McMonkey McBean arranges to fix them up—to give them stars on their bellies. Of course, once this happens, the Star-Belly Sneetches must have their stars removed to retain their exclusivity. McBean becomes rich and the Sneetches learn several lessons.

This paper addresses early childhood, but it is interesting to note that Dr Seuss (Geisel) chose stars as a symbol of separation. For older students, the Sneetches may easily be used to show how stars were used during the Holocaust as a symbol of separation. It is no accident that the Sneetches are yellow and the stars are green. This specific distinction may need to be pointed out, since stars are also used in a positive way on many flags, and even on students' papers to identify excellent work products.

For early childhood, the story of the Sneetches is easily adaptable to a variety of ethnicities and cultures. It provides an opportunity to discuss not only how groups differ, but more importantly, how they are the same. Whereas the history of colonisation of the Māori, along with the closing of Indigenous schools, marginalised the Māori students with what is frequently referred to as 'cultural deficit', the bicultural curriculum of Te Whāriki seeks to address, among many issues, the problems of underachievement. Using stories like The Sneetches allows all students to learn the lessons of acceptance and friendship. Students can be asked to question why the Sneetches discriminated against others based on looks or markings. They may be guided to explore how they view themselves and others. They may also be guided to question how they make decisions based solely on looks (selecting a book, food or toy). The Sneetches opens the door for discussion and exploration.

The Lorax

In 1969, John McConnell introduced the idea of an Earth Day at the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) conference on the environment. The idea took hold, and in 1971 United Nations (UN) Secretary-General U Thant proclaimed:

May there only be peaceful and cheerful Earth Days to come for our beautiful Spaceship Earth as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animate life.
(United Nations Cyberschoolbus, 2004)

As many took up the cry and challenge to guard the Earth, Seuss, already a political cartoonist, joined the movement to save the environment. His Lorax has become a symbol of those who 'speak for the trees' (Geisel, 1971, p. 231) and other endangered species, as well as for all environmental issues. The pictures show the sharp contrast between the beauty of what was and what could still be, and what our environment is likely to become if we continue to be wasteful, excessive and abusive towards it. Even the name given to the Once-ler is suggestive of the inherent dangers which face our environment.

For both the Māori students and the Pakeha, this story opens a door for discussion on the Māori oral history of Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother. Comparisons of stories, legends and respect for the environment may ensue.

Lessons stemming directly from The Lorax will certainly depend upon the students' ages. Children as young as four may be willing to sit for the story itself. They appreciate it for the pictures and the sounds of the words. Children this young can be taught to turn off lights in empty rooms, turn off running taps in the kitchen and bathrooms, and recycle paper, bottles and cans. While they may not fully understand the implications of recycling, they can become habituated to the process so that when they are of the appropriate age, they will be able to see how their actions speak as loudly as their words.

As the children grow and mature, teachers can add the appropriate lessons for why and how. Students in the early grades can understand that trash cans fill up easily. They can extend this real-life experience to overflowing landfills and other appropriate environmental issues. Teachers can explain how certain materials are recycled. By Year 3, students can read cartons to become aware of post-consumer recycled-fibre content. They can learn how metal is smelted and reused, as is the same with glass products. In the US, recycled plastic bags and bottles are being used to make park benches, and to provide the foundation for new roadbeds under the asphalt.

Most importantly, The Lorax is a conscience-raising book. It causes students to think. It allows them to construct their own meaning of environmental issues. While there is clearly an environmental agenda in this book, teachers should link social responsibility to the science lessons. Students can explore the concept of an ecosystem—which directly supports the Te Whāriki Strand 5: Exploration.

For easy reference, each of the stories discussed above is correlated to one or more Strands of Te Whāriki. Suggestions for the appropriate correlations to the Goals and Objectives are also shown in Table 1. Teachers may find that other goals and objectives also apply.

Conclusions

The Ministry of Education has laid a solid base for early childhood education. The Strands, Goals and Objectives of Te Whāriki are clearly stated and take into account the multicultural nature of New Zealand. Teachers and administrators in schools should take it upon themselves to become intimate with these Goals and Objectives as they plan their curricula.

Development of the students' moral principles and values is an integral part of early childhood education. While there are certainly many formats for delivering a solid curriculum on character education, the area of literacy presents an endless variety of resources. Specifically, the use of Dr Seuss' stories draws a close relationship between Te Whāriki and character education. Teachers of early childhood should seriously consider using Dr Seuss' books as a foundation for open classroom discussion of critical concepts relating to areas of self-esteem, multiculturalism, environmental issues, personal conduct, building friendships and conflict resolution.

With Seuss on the loose, I know I can find,
A story with meaning and morals behind.

Table 1: Correlation of stories to Strands, Goals and Objectives of Te Wha_riki

References

Australasian Journal of Early Childhood – Volume 35 No 2 June 2010

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