Massachusetts Teachers Association uses education ad to attract attention to education

Added: 02/23/2006

On February 13, 2006, the ad campaign for providing children with a well-rounded education started. It was launched by the Massachusetts Teachers Association. The 60-second radio advertisement, entitled "Declaration," was aired on AM and FM stations in many of the state's media markets. The spot calls to mind public education's historic importance to the American democracy.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association launched an education ad in order to attract attention to the importance of improving the education. The education ad is a record of children's voices. They talk about the need for public education not only to teach the "three Rs," but also to enrich students' lives. It can be done by encouraging them to explore art and music and to stay healthy by participating in sports.

In order to help students succeed, sufficient resources should be devoted to the Commonwealth's public schools to help students succeed. This is what the education ad calls for. The need for making classes smaller in size, as well as a parental, community and government support of public education is underlined in the advertisement: "We need the state to invest in the future of our schools."

The MTA President, Catherine A. Boudreau, said: "Providing a high-quality education is a team effort." She also added: "It requires the involvement of parents and communities, along with teachers and students. It also must be supported by an appropriate level of commitment from the state, which means the governor and the Legislature must do their fair share to provide the resources, necessary for every student to succeed."

"Unfortunately, it has not happened," Boudreau continued. "Teachers are doing their part in preparing students to meet the demands of our changing economy. Our students rank first on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, score highly on the SATs, and excel by many other measures. But the time has come for those, who talk so much about helping the public education to back up their promises - to help ensure smaller class sizes and a well-rounded education for every child in our Commonwealth."

"Despite our public schools' many successes, they are facing far too much pressure to do more with less," Boudreau stated. "Art, music and sports programs are all under the ax, and resources remain insufficient in many other areas. Our teachers are still buying the basic supplies their students need out of their own pockets, while coping with outdated textbooks, aging technology and other evidence that, too often, the rhetoric and the reality are far apart where public education is concerned."

SS+K, an advertising and marketing firm with offices in Boston and other cities (famous in advertising for universities) created the education ad for the Massachusetts Teaching Association. The spot is airing in Greater Boston, Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester, and on Cape Cod.

To understand perfectly the appeal of the teachers, and it will not be exaggerated to say the children's as well, read a full version of this ad. Reading the lines and certainly having watched the ad, you will understand the motives and reasons that enhanced the teachers to make it.

CHILD 1: We, the children of Massachusetts,

CHILD 2: in order to create a more perfect education,

CHILD 3: need your help.

CHILD 4: We need smaller class sizes

CHILD 4: and a well-rounded education:

CHILD 5: Reading and writing, because they're the basis of communication.

CHILD 5: And with a good book you are never alone.

CHILD 3: Math, which helps us understand physics, astronomy...

CHILD 1: and where our allowance goes.

CHILD 5: And science, to learn about the world around us.

CHILD 2: Art, to show us that beauty really does come from within.

CHILD 6: And so our refrigerator doors are always decorated.