Peter's Picture Team - Peter's Picture

About the Peter’s Picture Team:

Debbie Golos, Director, Co-Script Writer, Co-Curriculum Developer, Researcher

Debbie B. Golos PhD is an Associate Professor of Deaf Education and coordinator of the Deaf Education Teacher Training program at the University of Minnesota in the Educational Psychology Department. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder in Bilingual Education, Equity and Cultural Diversity. Debbie currently studies the emergent literacy, identity development, language deprivation and educational media with young children. She has multiple articles published related to this topic in the Early Childhood Education Journal, the Journal of Children and Media, Sign Language Studies, and the American Annals of the Deaf. She conceptualized the idea for Peter’s Picture about 25 years ago as a means to provide fluent ASL and Deaf cultural role models while learning key early literacy skills. In collaboration with a Deaf and hearing team, and experience in directing children’s theater and creative writing, she co-wrote the scripts, directed the production, and collaborated with the team on the production for all four of the Peter’s Picture series. She is the author/co-author of 7 research studies related to the Peter’s Picture.

Annie Moses, Co-Script Writer, Co-Curriculum Developer, Researcher

Annie M. Moses, PhD., is the Editor and Chief at the National Education Association of Young Children (NAEYC). She earned her doctorate at Michigan State University and was an associate professor and coordinator of an early childhood teacher training program before joining NAEYC. Her research interests lie in early literacy, media, and early childhood development. She has co-authored two books published by Scholastic, and has published research articles in the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, the Journal of Literacy Research, and the Early Childhood Education Journal, among others. She serves as a Curriculum Developer for all four of the Peter’s Picture videos and co-author on 5 of the research studies.

Peter Cook, Actor

Peter S. Cook is an internationally recognized Deaf performing artist whose work incorporates American Sign Language, pantomime, storytelling, acting, and movement. He has traveled extensively around the country and abroad with Flying Words Project to promote ASL Literature since 1986. Mr. Cook has appeared in Live from Off Center’s “Words on Mouth” (PBS) and “United States of Poetry” (PBS) produced by Emmy award winner Bob Holman. Mr. Cook teaches at Columbia College where he received the 1997 Excellence in Teaching award. He has been featured nationally in festivals such as the Jonesboro National Storytelling Festival, Eugene Oregon Multi-Cultural Festival, The Deaf Way II and the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He was invited to the White House to join the National Book Festival in 2003. Mr. Cook has worked with storytellers and poets in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Austria and Japan. He is the lead character in all four of the videos in the Peter’s Picture series.

Judy Pratt, ASL Director

Judy Pratt has a Master’s degree in Deaf Education from San Jose State University and has been teaching ASL, Deaf culture, and Drama at various schools and colleges for past 20 years. She currently teaches ASL in Maryland. She has worked with children of all ages and provided ASL workshops to parents and teachers of Deaf children. Ms. Pratt has directed many play productions including, “Yentl” and, “Alice in Wonderland.” She has also acted in stage productions including, “Children of a Lesser God”, and the PBS film production, “The Voyage of the Mimi.” She was the ASL director and consultant for script translation and production for all four of the Peter’s Picture’s videos.

Peter’s Picture: Developers/Cast/Crew

Peter: Peter Cook

Children: Savannah, Robbie, Alex and Bella

Peter’s Picture: Our Trip to Paulie’s Pizza, Rika Roo: Erin Ferguson, Paulie: Curt Radford

Peter’s Picture: Our Trip to Country Bob’s Backyard, Rika Roo: Erin Ferguson, Country Bob: Ben Jarashow

Peter’s Picture: Our Trip to the Library, Rika Roo: Erin Ferguson, Lucy: Ellen Hanna

Peter’s Picture: Our Trip to the Farm, Rika Roo: Nicole Sager, Farmer Fran: Judy Catron

Co-written, directed and produced by Debbie Golos PhD

Curriculum Developers: Debbie Golos PhD & Annie Moses PhD

Co Script Writers: Annie Moses, Nicole Sager (“Our Trip to the Farm”, “Our Trip to Paulie’s Pizza”)

ASL Director: Judy Pratt

Set Designer: Michael Schmitz

Filmed/Edited by Stage 12

Funding for three episodes was provided by Sorenson Communications Inc. Funding for “Our Trip to the Farm” was provided by the Colorado Department of Education