We follow the Edexcel linear course which involves pure and applied maths with an additional focus on statistics and mechanics.
For a student who has done well in iGCSE Maths, an A level in Maths will be viewed by any university as one of the most rigorous and analytical preparations for a degree. Maths is a qualification in thinking rather than a particular skill, although it is a prerequisite course for degrees such as Engineering and many science based courses.
The reason why so many employers highly value mathematics qualifications is mathematics students become better at thinking logically and analytically. Through solving problems you develop resilience and are able to think creatively and strategically. The writing of structured solutions, proof and justification of results help you to formulate reasoned arguments. And importantly you will have excellent numeracy skills and the ability to process and interpret data.
Careers for men and women with good mathematics skills and qualifications are not only well paid, but they are also often interesting and rewarding. Maths supports careers in medicine, management and accountancy as well as teaching and research.
What skills will I develop?
- Mind training. Maths teaches you to think, to filter out irrelevant information and to concentrate on the key components of the problem in hand, tackling it in the most efficient way possible. There is often more than one way to approach a maths question and we aim to provide a ‘toolkit’ – methods and ideas which a student can choose from to solve each problem.
- Communication skills. Maths has great importance in the analysis and communication of ideas in all walks of life, whether in basic numeracy or in more advanced maths. Indeed, it could be said that it is the only global language. Our modern world has been, and continues to be, shaped by the application of mathematics in all forms of engineering.
A student with a maths qualification is in demand because employers realise that they have a number of abilities besides specific mathematical knowledge and understanding. Such students can be readily trained in a host of professional disciplines.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment is via three 2 hour papers at the end of Year 13, each weighted 33.33%:
- Paper 1: Pure Mathematics 1
- Paper 2: Pure Mathematics 2
- Paper 3: Statistics and Mechanics


Onions have a long history of human use, originating in southwestern Asia but having since been cultivated across the world. Their strong odor — actually a defense mechanism — and unique structure belie a complex internal makeup, composed of cell walls, cytoplasm, and the vacuole. As onions can be found in almost every grocery store or easily grown independently, educators tend to use them when students learn about plant biology, thanks also in part to their easily-seen cell walls.
Plant Cells and Animal Cells
Plant cells are distinct from animal cells: plant cells have rigid cell walls, rather than the more flexible cell membranes of animal cells. The cell walls are high in cellulose, a material that gives rigidity to the cell and which, when accumulated in large amounts in many cells, provides the strength and rigidity of everything from flower stems to tree trunks. Plant cells have one large vacuole — a large open area central to the cell which is used as a reservoir for water and ions, and in certain cases for storage of toxins. While animal cells may have vacuoles, they are not present as a single, large, central reservoir but as several lesser reservoirs distributed through the cell. Plant cells also have chloroplasts: these are organelles containing chlorophyll in systemic arrays to capture light and convert it to glucose.
Cell Walls Give Structure
Cell walls in plants are rigid, compared to other organisms. The cellulose present in the cell walls forms clearly defined tiles. In onion cells the tiles look very similar to rectangular bricks laid in offset runs. The rigid walls combined with water pressure within a cell provide strength and rigidity, giving plants the necessary structure to resist gravity and pressure. The cell walls and the pressure from water contained in both cytoplasm and more particularly in the vacuole are what give onion its solid substance and crisp snap.
Sandwiched between the vacuole and the cell wall is the cytosol. The cytosol is primarily water, salts and a variety of organic molecules serving various functions in relation to the cell and the greater organism. Within the cytosol are organelles: organic structures that serve as factories, communications centers and other functional elements in the management of the cell metabolism. Also floating within the cytosol are inclusions consisting of a range of elements, starches, proteins and other molecules used as building blocks for a range of functions. Also contained within the cytoplasm of the plant cell is the nucleus, containing the primary genetic material of the plant.
Vacuoles contain the necessary water, ions and a range of organic molecules produced by the plant, in many cases including those for pigment, or chemicals that produce the distinctive scent or flavor of a plant. In onions, the vacuole is very large and distinct. The characteristic scent of onions is produced by the combination of flavor precursors present as organic molecules in the cytoplasm, and a secondary organic chemical, the enzyme allinase, which is contained and restricted to the vacuole of the onion. Only when the onion is damaged by cutting, bruising, the attack of insects or rodents or through some similar mechanical destruction are the precursors and the allinase combined, forming a powerful scent. Similarly, in red onions, the coloration of the onion is contained within the vacuole.
A Classic Subject for Study
Onion cells are among the most common choices for cell studies in early biology classes. Easily obtained, inexpensive, they offer samples with no difficult technique required. The thin layer of skin found on the inside of an onion scale (one layer of onion) lifts off without effort and can be wet mounted on a slide with no need for extreme skill. Likewise, the cells are large, regular, easily seen and conform very well with the standard generic elements of all plant cells. The growing tips of onion roots are similarly used as classic subjects when observing meiosis, for similar reasons of easy access and easy handling by novices. Onions, coupled with apples, potatoes and elodea leaves, are among the most reliable and useful of lab subjects when teaching new students the fundamentals of biology and the foundational skills of working in a biology lab.
- ehaurylik/iStock/Getty Images


Preparing Students for Success in Elementary School
A “big kid” now, your five- or six-year-old is eager to learn and excel—and first grade is just a year away. Our private kindergarten program offers everything your child needs for a smooth transition from preschool to primary school: secure yet interactive environments, teachers trained in early child development, and small class sizes. Building on each child’s individual needs and skills, our teachers guide learning through a host of fun and engaging activities. With a focus on the development of the whole child, our kindergarten program is designed to stimulate cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development.
A Lifetime of Learning and Achievement
Studies show that a high quality kindergarten education can result in substantial benefits to children well into adulthood. Kindergarten programs with experienced teachers and small class sizes are linked to higher test scores and a greater likelihood of attending college. Learning more in kindergarten can even increase students’ chances of earning better salaries, marrying, and owning homes when they’re adults. Our kindergarten centers not only meet these standards of quality but also exceed state curriculum criteria in all areas of cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development.
- Cognitive: Learning to think logically is the cornerstone to success in later academic disciplines. As with earlier developmental stages, caring relationships, enriched environments, and engaging experiences kindergarten shapes five- and six-year-olds’ cognitive growth.
- Socio-Emotional: Research indicates that a child’s ability to regulate emotions and behavior is a strong predictor of success in school, work, and society. Such regulation is developed through responsive relationships with teachers, teacher modeling of appropriate behaviors, and activities to promote sharing and empathy, all of which are integral to our kindergarten program.
- Physical: We provide plenty of opportunities for safe indoor and outdoor play. Our play areas and activities not only help develop your kindergartener’s gross and fine motor skills, but also allow him or her to learn, explore, and socialize.
Developmental Activities Include:
- Promoting Literacy: Immersed in a vivid world of letters, words, sounds, and stories, your youngster is primed to develop a love of language and literature in our kindergarten program. These early experiences help develop the vocabulary, writing, and reading skills for success in first grade.
- Mastering Math: Curious about the expanding world around them, five- and six-year-olds love to categorize, compare, and count—activities that are perfect for mastering fundamental math skills they’ll need later. Our skilled teachers guide students through independent and group numerical activities for sustained mathematic success.
- Imagining Other Worlds: Whether your kindergartener wishes to be a chef, a ballerina, or the president, he or she will find the props and costumes necessary for rich dramatic play in our kindergarten school programs. Making up and acting out fictional personas and situations is an integral part of developing abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social skills.
- Speaking Spanish: Why not teach your child the second most spoken language in the world when his or her capacity to learn is greatest? Exposure to Spanish and learning activities abound in our kindergarten program. Your child will not only be exposed to another culture but also learn a language that can give him or her an academic—and career—advantage later.
- Exploring Science & Nature: Inquisitive young minds enjoy engaging indoor and outdoor science experiences. Guided by our skilled teachers, they observe, investigate, test, and discover the world around them.
- Developing Computer Skills: Children learn best through experiences and play. Rather than provide computer instruction, we give kindergarteners fun digital activities, expanding technological skills while keeping them entertained and engaged.
- Dancing to the Music: Fun fitness activities and dancing to music are incorporated into kindergartners’ routines, helping develop motor skills, coordination, and creativity. These are also excellent opportunities for children to socialize.
Partnering with Parents for a Seamless Transition into Elementary School
Research suggests that the transition between early childhood learning programs and elementary school can be a critical time in a child’s development, and that family involvement in education programs can significantly boost young children’s academic success. In addition to offering skilled teachers and small classrooms, we also partner with parents to ensure a seamless transition into primary school for your child. Through frequent meeting and collaboration, we work together to achieve superior educational outcomes in kindergarten and beyond.


Parental Partnerships for Tech Skills
Anyone working in urban development will be familiar with the phrase Public-Private-Partnerships, or PPP’s. Such partnerships are very common in the delivery of skills, careers and education programmes, with Education Authorities partnering closely with local businesses in cities across Europe to improve the employability skills of students.
The mutual benefits of collaboration for all parties is clear to see;
- For the education provider: A closer involvement with business can provide additional delivery capacity, more resources, people with specialist skills and valuable information on labour market needs (to influence young people’s career choices);
- For the business community: A closer involvement with the education system can help influence students future career aspirations, promote the business as a credible employer and attract some of the best talent to join it; and
- For the student: involvement in the partnership can provide improved employability skills, understanding about career options and contacts.
However, there’s also a raft evidence to suggest that actively involving parents in the delivery of skills programmes – particularly tech skills programmes – can also deliver significant benefits.
Reviews of the evidence of the impact of parental engagement on children’s education and achievement has shown that parental involvement has a beneficial impact on children’s educational outcomes1.
Some authors2 have also suggested that such engagement is vital to overcoming ‘digital exclusion’, as many parents don’t necessarily possess the skills, or in some cases the internet connectivity to enable their children to master digital technologies or take advantage of ‘Ed-tech’.
Families also play a big part in influencing and supporting student’s subject choice and the evidence suggests that some parents – particularly those from disadvantaged communities and/or ethnic minorities – can tend to see ‘tech’ careers as ‘not particularly for them’3.
One initiative that has sought to tackle this issue is the Educational Innovation Network in Viladecans, in Spain, a network which brings businesses, schools, parents and teachers together to try and tackle educational attainment in an integrated way.
One of the main projects of the network to date, has been to invest in technological devices in schools, and support teachers, students and families to better utilise them.
Having been awarded an URBACT ‘Good Practice’ label last year, Viladecans has just joined forces with the cities of Tallinn (EE) and Nantes (FR) to develop the WetrEIN Transfer Network.
This Transfer Network has recently been awarded some initial resources to explore the potential of extending this partnership further to identify other relevant partners, develop a shared understanding of the Good Practice to be transferred, explore the conditions and requirements for a successful transfer in the local context, and define the methodology for transferring the activities.
If successful at the end of this process, they may be awarded further funds to Transfer the Best Practice.
1 Desforges The Impact of Parental Involvement, Parental Support and Family Education on Pupil Achievement and Adjustment: A Literature Review, Department of Education and Skills (2003); Harris and Goodall, Helping Families Support Children’s Success at School. London, Save the Children. (2008, 2009) and Lindsay Parent Support Advisor Pilot Evaluation Final Report. London, DCSF. (2009)
2 Lewin and Luckin, Technology to Support Parental Engagement in Elementary Education: Lessons Learned from the UK, Computers and Education, (2010)
3 Lightbody, P. & Durndell, A. (1996). Gendered career choice: Is sex-stereotyping the cause or the consequence? Educational Studies;


Working with Sam: How It Works
Students meet with me for weekly lessons that transform their connection to ideas and to the art of writing.
My approach has three main steps.
Step 1: Start With What You Care About
In the beginning, I lead students through exercises that help them engage with their own curiosity. Every child cares about things. But they don’t always know how their interests can connect to something “academic”–even though they always can! Intellectualism is based on curiosity. Fanning a child’s interests is essential; leading them to connect their interests to bigger picture ideas or history is the high art of good teaching.
Step 2: You Exist Within a Universe of Other Curious People
For thousands of years people have captured the things that they’ve cared most about by writing. Through reading what they’ve written, your child can connect to their passions and interests, and then those become a part of them as they develop their own interests. Their ideas can blossom when they’re standing on the shoulders of giants. (You can look at examples of materials my students have studied.)
Step 3: Stepping into Your Part in the Play
Through writing your child can enter the ring of voices that have come to matter to them. But writing is not just a way person can express what’s in their head, it’s a way they can discover what they think. Writing can actually be a magical creative process that helps your child uncover what they didn’t realize they thought or felt. It’s a way to get deeper into themselves; it can lead them to new interests and epiphanies. Through writing, their ideas become a part of the web of ideas in the world. That’s the real power of writing.
And the Regular Stuff, Like Grammar?
Alongside all of this I cycle students regularly through foundation work (grammar, spelling, vocabulary). I compare these to dribbling exercises before a soccer scrimmage, or interval-practice before a big running race. They are not the point of writing. Writing is much bigger than the sum of these tools, just like a live soccer game is a lot more than a combination of drill exercises! But they are very important because they are tools we use to create clear writing, and mastering these gives your writing power.
This Process Has Ripple Effects
Writing and thinking are foundational skills that affect everything else. Gaining these skills often changes a student’s entire experience with learning. Watching this happen is very exciting.
This Approach vs. Standard Tutoring
Tutoring that offers homework help, or even skill-based lessons or classes, can provide a “band aid” to glaring problems. There is nothing wrong with this in its own right, but this kind of help often fails to connect a student to the joy of writing, and so limits the depth of learning. The approach described here focuses on the true transformation of a student’s skills, attitudes, and experiences with writing.
Homework help alone isn’t sufficient to teach writing, either to a student who’s behind in school or to an advanced student, because it does not individualize the writing process. Homework, especially in elementary and middle school, often follows a scripted prompt and misses an essential opportunity for a student to discover her own topic — i.e., to get connected to material and think. Homework help also does not provide enough time with an assignment to fully learn the skills associated with it. I spend many weeks per assignment with a student; we cover the material and skills thoroughly for maximized learning.
How Long Does It Take?
Writing is a craft that takes years to hone. It takes more attention to master than any other subject. This is why English is the only subject required every year through a child’s last year in high school. It is also why beyond that, most colleges require a freshman writing course, even for students who got A’s in high school English.
When guided in the way described above, students arrive faster to a level of mastery than the homework – or skill-only methods described above. Still, it takes time. With my work, students generally begin to see real progress in writing in about six months, with a breakthrough occurring a little after a year into lessons. Most of my students find themselves enjoying our work and all that they are learning and end up staying with me for three to five years.


Students explore the lessons they can learn from folktales and stories, the different roles reading plays around the world, what it means to be part of a family, how individuals can help make the world a better place, and patterns in nature.
Our complete 1st grade English Language Arts curriculum is made up of three main components: Literature units, Science and Social Studies units, and independent reading. Together, these three components build students' knowledge and understanding of the world, and support student mastery of all literature, informational, writing, speaking and listening, language, and foundational skills standards. To learn more, see the Pacing Guide for this course.
In 1st grade Literature, students realize how authors write texts both to bring readers entertainment and to help readers learn about and make sense of the world around them. Students explore the lessons they can learn from folktales and stories and how those lessons relate to their own lives, the different roles that reading plays in people’s lives around the world, and what it means to be part of a family.
In 1st grade Social Studies, students develop a deeper understanding of the world around them and how the efforts of a single individual or group of individuals can help make the world a better place. In Science, students explore patterns in nature, learn about the different ways that plants and animals use their body parts and senses to grow and survive, and examine the differences between plants and animals of the same species.
Students read texts focused on what it means to be a good friend, and examine key details about characters through discussion and writing, helping to facilitate building friendships in the classroom.
Students use the text and illustrations of fables and folktales to analyze setting, characters, and key details, allowing them to connect traditional stories to their own lives.
Students compare and contrast events and characters in multiple versions of classic fairy tales, grappling with the bigger lessons of each tale, and support their writing with details from the texts.
Students focus on subtle central messages and words that express feeling in various texts about reading and education around the world, discovering why people everywhere seek the power to read.
Students work to discover the central message of a text and to describe its characters, in order to build a deeper understanding of different types of families.
Students read informational texts about the seven continents, and what makes each of them unique, while working to understand text features and develop skills in writing about informational texts.
In this unit, students will read informational texts about animal adaptions. Students will make connections, identify main topics, retell details and write responses to the text.
In this inspirational biography unit, students read and learn about a diverse assortment of artists, musicians, and dancers, while focusing on identifying evidence from texts and illustrations.
Students explore the values, daily routines, structures, and rituals of ancient Egypt and compare them to those of society today, while exploring the evidence an author uses to support points in a text.
Students learn about the concepts of fairness and justice and about people who worked to overcome injustice, while developing informational reading strategies for reading narrative nonfiction texts.


Recently I had a cherished visit with my 3 year old grandchild. We bundled up and headed out the greenhouse. Skylarr had never been in my greenhouse with me and I think that she loved the warm cozy feeling that is only found in a small glass house. The contrast between windy and cold outdoors vs. warm and snug indoors was a neat experience. I gave her a small space of her own on my potting bench, complete with her own bucket of soil, watering can, and shovel.
We got to work and enjoyed the noise of the wind and rain that began to surround us outside. As we were working side by side, I began to think about the benefits that gardening provides to children. I’m sure that somewhere there’s a list of scientifically proven benefits, so I may miss a few, but the ones that were apparent to me are listed below.
Skylarr’s tiny fingers got a great little workout in the greenhouse. I would definitely say that developing fine motor skills is a benefit. Since we save pollinator flower seeds, it was a nice day to pour out a bucket of deadhead zinnias that we were saving for the spring. I explained what to look for and how to pick the seeds apart from the flower heads. She wasn’t picky at first and that was fine by me. She quickly began to rifle through my pile of seeds and added many to her pile of fuzzy dried flower petals and empty seeds. I knew in my heart that the seeds being separated was not nearly as valuable as our time together, so I just tucked her pile into a cup and left them for later.
Gardening is a nice beginning into the world of science for kids. Rich language bounces out of their mouths as they discover seeds, soil, and water’s role in the life of a plant. How many education majors are reading this today? Do you remember Lev Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory? Vygotsky taught us about the Zone of Proximal Development, where a child’s range of skills is developed through exposure to concepts and then mastered by social interaction.
Skylarr also was able to experience the beginning stages of plants and can anticipate what will happen next. She knows that we have tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs growing in the greenhouse for planting out into the raised beds. This summer she will be able to help harvest and prepare the vegetables for the dinner table.
I can’t think of a better experience to begin the natural conversation about being responsible for our food. Children need gardening experiences and support from caring adults to understand their vital role in managing food systems for the future. As a grandparent, I am well aware of the food insecurities in my community and across the world. Food deserts aren’t far away, where residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious fresh food. I believe that it’s my responsibility to teach my children and grandchildren how to grow and manage their food for the future. It’s never too early to understand the importance of agriculture to our world.
Spending family time in the greenhouse was a high point for our weekend. We talked about the plants and identified all sorts of new vocabulary with the tools and plants laying around. I explained what the watering can was used for and Skylarr quickly needed to water everything in her reach. She called it her “water cannon”! Now, I don’t think you have to be a grandma to find that delightful. Happy Gardening!
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South Africa commemorates National Book Week for a week in September 2020. It is an initiative of the South African Book Development Council (SABDC) in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture.
National Book Week is a virtual event this year. You can watch and participate in lived streamed sessions every day at 11:00 and 15:00. Click here to view the full programme schedule.
Cotlands has a longstanding relationship with National Book Week. We support the initiative and help our partners raise awareness for the importance of reading to young children on a daily basis.
Birth to two years of age is a crucial period for the development of language and preliteracy skills. You can foster the development of these skills by simply exposing your child to books.
When you read to your child, you teach fundamental skills about the communication process and build listening, memory, and vocabulary skills. Furthermore, research has shown that shared book reading experiences have a special role in fostering early literacy development by building background knowledge about the world, and concepts about books and print.
Sitting down and reading with your child is truly one of the best ways you can begin to lay the foundation for pre-literacy skills.


News and Updates
Composing Concepts for Beginners
This a a series of videos to help students and teachers understand the basic concepts behind composing. Follow the composer by either playing your instrument or using music notation software to create your own simple pieces following the basic steps outlined in the videos.
Students will not only learn how to compose, but also learn the meaning behind some of the terminology used in music composition.
Worksheets are available for download as needed.
Music Appreciation and Listening Activities
Below you will find several files for some straight forward Listening Activities you can have your students either complete at home, or together as a class. These activities are easily adjustable for any grade level. Files are available in both Microsoft Word and Pages formats so you can edit them to suit the needs of your classroom.
The activities include the following:
Create a concert program - have your students select repertoire for an upcoming concert by listening to several pieces and commenting on why they selected those specific pieces.
Music Appreciation - have your students compare two pieces by the same composer by focusing on listening to specific musical elements noted in the chart.
Active Listening Activities - have your students either identify the melody (or melodies) or ostinati used in band compositions and identify the instruments that play them
Bandology is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to more music for more kids via education, collaboration and community and founded by parents who have witnessed the long-term benefits of music education. This summer, Ryan will be attending this summer camp as a guest conductor for one of the band workshops. For more information, visit the organization's website: Bandology.
Summer Music Camp in Port Elgin
This summer, Ryan will be attending the Summer Music Camp held in Port Elgin, Ontario as the director of the intermediate band clinics. For more information, visit the camp's website: Summer Music.


Last week marked the 10th annual Essential Skills Day.
The Canadian government has a framework called the essential skills framework that focuses in on nine essential skills: reading, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communications, working with others, thinking, digital technology and continuous learning.
Mack Rogers, executive director at ABC Literacy Canada, said celebrating essential skills is about getting people to think and talk about skills.
ABC Literacy Canada is national charity based in Toronto. Rogers they have two primary goals. The first one is raising awareness about literacy and essential skills. Rogers said the second goal is about creating programs that they then share with the community for free.
“Essential skills are the foundational skills we have, to not only succeed in our work, but also to help us make good life choices and to have the competence to ask questions and continue to adapt to a changing world,” Rogers said.
Valley Adult Learning Association (VALA) in Fort Frances offers courses to enhance essential skills to help people fulfill their life goals.
Kim Redford, literacy instructor at VALA, said VALA offers people a place where they can upgrade their skills and find support in reaching their goals.
“Essential skills are important because it is what our government has deemed critical in order to be at your best and be most successful in our Canadian economy,” Redford said. “If you want to go out there and you want to get a job and succeed in a Canadian marketplace, then those essential skills are a critical piece to that.”
Redford added that they offer courses depending on what the individual’s goal is.
“If their goal is to move into post-secondary, then they might take some classes to get them ready and prepared for the learning environment that they might be facing,” Redford said.
The five goal paths that VALA can help achieve are employment, post-secondary, secondary school credit, independence and apprenticeship.
Due to COVID-19, VALA is currently only offering cricket and Excel. However, they do have a whole slate of online personal interest classes that are being run through their agency.
Rogers said there are also downloadable free resources on their website.
“They can order the paper copies when they have in-class workshops. All to support them in delivering learning for low-literacy learners, so learners who got disengaged from the learning world. It is about creating introductory models,” Rogers said.


Did you know that dyslexia can affect more than just reading and spelling? If you've ever worked with a child with dyslexia, you might have sat there cringing or gritting your teeth when sloppy letters emerged, words were slanted and off the lines, and a simple sentence couldn't be constructed.
Of course, that stress and discord only makes matters worse! Kids with dyslexia are like little sponges - they seem to absorb your feelings, and when you're stressed, they're stressed!
But if you take a deep breath, back up a step or two, and look at things from a different angle, you'll see that the dyslexic child is already working at capacity! You also have to look at all the foundational skills that affect writing.
Often, there's a crossover between dyslexia and dysgraphia. Dysgraphia, is in essence, a writing dyslexia. The label doesn't matter. What does matter is how you work with the child. There needs to be a three-prong approach you take to fill in the foundation of the poor writer's skillset.
First, make sure that motor skills are in place. Most parents and teachers overlook this simple step. All too often, kids with dyslexia have avoided skills that require fine motor abilities such as tying shoes, coloring pictures, or putting puzzles together. And yes, video games can help with eye/hand coordination, but the skillset is different from those needed in strengthening hand muscles for writing.
So, be sure your child's hand muscles are strong and that the program you use has this component in it. If not, then you're wasting your time. These skills need put in place, and there is definitely a hierarchy to learning!
Next, spatial skills need to be strong. This is what caused the dyslexic writer to run handwriting off lines and spread outside of margins. This is also where the writer has a difficult time forming letters correctly. If the writer can't perceive the images correctly, then he can't write them.
And, finally, the processing portion of the brain must be advanced enough to put coherent, organized thoughts onto the paper or computer. This is often the most difficult skill to put into place, and of course, it needs to be broken into smaller components for the writer to succeed.
Of course, words need to happen first, then sentences. From there, a five-point paragraph is taught with a topic sentence, three detail sentences, and a concluding sentence. If your learner is having a difficult time thinking of something to write about, give her a picture and have her write about what she "sees". This takes one step out of the equation.
See...it's not that hard helping the dyslexic child write. Like any skill, it just needs broken down into smaller, micro-skills that can be built back up to make a strong writing foundation!


Pre-K to Grade 12
A child’s ability to read and write is foundational to his or her ability to learn. With that in mind, the teachers at Regina Christian School are committed to helping your child grow in his or her literacy skills so that s/he is able to access the world that is available through literature.
Each level of education at Regina Christian seeks to advance children’s literacy skills while recognizing that each student will learn at a different pace. Early years (Preschool-Grade 1) focuses on letter recognition and phonemic awareness with name and sound, culminating in reading readiness. Primary (Grades 2-5) builds upon those foundational skills to increase student comprehension and the ability to understand the main ideas and details of texts. Students also work on developing their writing skills, learning various forms of writing and the writing process. Middle Years (Grades 6-8) goes further, helping students develop and refine their reading skills as they learn to analyze various texts. Students continue to participate in the writing process, using their creativity to create unique texts about various topics. High School (Grades 9-12) seeks to prepare students for further education, focusing on literary analysis skills and expository, persuasive, and creative writing. Students explore literature from Canada and around the world throughout their high school years.
Many studies show that although literacy instruction at school is important, a literacy-rich home environment is crucial to a child’s literacy growth.


Children are welcome into a safe, stimulating and nurturing environment where attention is paid to their social, physical and cognitive development. In this stage, play underpins all development and learning for young children. The learning activities are designed to ensure children enjoy learning and grow in confidence towards achieving their full potential. If you’d like to learn more about Start-Rite Schools please request information by clicking here.
It is a new world when toddlers take to their feet. They walk, talk and begin to develop relationships with each other. Toddlers are terrific learners and active leaders. They are beginning to understand group play and becoming better at communicating their thoughts. This is why our play-group programme is designed to:
– provide sensory experiences that emphasise the importance of their environment and relationships;
– emphasise language development to help children turn their ideas into words and sentences;
– facilitate group activities to practice social skills such as co-operation, sharing and taking turns;
The teachers and caregivers provide an unparalleled level of interaction while individually nurturing each child. The environment is designed to keep children excited and engaged. This makes for a stimulating day for toddlers. A foundation for reading success begins as early as the first few months of life. Introducing toddlers to books and languages nourishes early literacy development. Toddlers focus on first words and phrases, vocabulary development, following simple directions and identifying and naming familiar items. They continue to develop their language and communication skills through stories, singing, word games, and conversations throughout the day.
Toddlers need an environment that is safe, interesting to explore and filled with caring teachers who respond to their emotional and intellectual needs. Our program offers children a variety of fun, including stimulating activities such as matching and sorting, exploring colours, counting and categorising objects.
As toddlers learn more about themselves, they become aware of their social setting and are provided opportunities for group identity and experience which helps them gain an awareness of themselves and others.
As your child progresses from Playgroup to Pre-Nursery to Nursery, exploring art materials and experiencing music, dance, and drama is key. Our experienced teachers reinforce important development objectives through creative art activities, designed to build relevant skills and ignite the passion for learning. Because children are naturally curious and love to explore the world around them, we have designed our classrooms to enrich their learning experiences and are well-equipped to support safe exploration so your children have room to discover, build motor skills, and improve co-ordination.
At these levels, activities focus on experimenting with space to develop balance, hand/eye co-ordination, participation in creative movements to music and more. Your child will love our outdoor play areas that are designed for nature study, climbing and sliding.
A child’s world opens up in new ways as he or she improves co-ordination, learn complex games and begin to interact more with their peers. He/she is introduced to activities that will enhance language, math, science and social skill in a logical, natural sequence to encourage learning one step at a time.
In the Reception Class, children learn to prepare for the school where life skills are learned for a sure footing in our ever-changing world. Each day, our caring, experienced teachers are dedicated to providing a rich, nurturing environment that will prepare your child for primary years.
At this level, unique activities are designed to support your child’s development socially, physically, emotionally and intellectually all while your child is having fun. You feel confident knowing that our curriculum is designed to meet early learning standards established by a professional teaching organisation.


We have lots to say about the importance of what we do...
Music is a powerful force for all of us! Not only does it help us to express ourselves and connect to others but it is also a tool that supports early childhood learning. Our Little Beats classes are guided by music and the same can be said for almost all preschool classrooms around the world. As Jessica Baudin-Griffin, Intellidance founder, says "babies are born with rhythm" so it only make sense to pair academic concepts with music and movement!
In this video from our Little Beats From Home collection "Spring Yoga With Dani", you will see how the song "The Ants Go Marching" helps children to learn how to count. Pairing this song with the action of marching will help to further engage little learners so that counting can become automatic. This song is also great because it Is very repetitive. Repetition is important for children because it helps them to master different concepts. There are many other songs that can be used to support early math and literacy skills including:
If you'd like to learn more about the benefits of music for your baby, toddler, or preschooler, check out our blog about Learning Through Music in Early Childhood!


B.Sc or Bachelor in Science is an under graduate course usually if three years to five years of duration. B.Sc is the most popular choice of course among science students after their 12 th . It is the foundation course for students who want their career in the field of science. It is offered in a variety of science subjects at a majority of universities in India. B.Sc is the most popular course chosen the students with science after 12 th to pursue B.Sc Physics, B.Sc computer science, B.Sc chemistry, B.Sc biology, B.Sc mathematics. B.Sc gives a privilege to students to choose a full time or part time course. Students can pursue simple B.Sc or B.Sc Honors. The professional B.Sc covers more job oriented subject like agriculture, animation, bio chemistry etc. it is considered to be the most beneficial courses for students who wants to pursue multi and interdisciplinary science as their career in the future.
B S Institute provides job oriented short term courses like NTT, NPTT,B.Ed,M.Ed etc.
NTT is the Nursery Teacher Training that provides nursery or the pre – primary level workforce in India. NTT students are trained in the area like child education, teaching methodology, nursery level subjects and communication.
B.Ed is Bachelor of Education is a two years of full time degree course that is essential for candidates who are pursuing a career in teaching and other related fields. B.Ed is not an under graduate degree and00 to follow a candidate needs to complete the graduation.
M.Ed also known as Master of Education is a master’s degree awarded by many prestigious universities in India. This degree in education often includes the following major’s: curriculum and instructions, counseling, school psychology, and administration.
Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) is a diploma level educational course. The duration is 2 years and further divided in 4 semesters. This course is considered to be the most important course for teachers to obtain proper training in order to handle children at an elementary level.


The Arts Community Service Program is designed to enable members to create and contribute to art education and activities in their community. Members are encouraged to advance their own artistic talents in the fields of painting, photography, music, and writing. Another aim is to foster opportunities in the arts for those with disabilities. Attention is given to legislative measures which will improve and expand art on national and state levels.
The Conservation Service Program helps members gain an understanding of, and appreciation for, all aspects of our environment and the world's resources, natural and man-made. Water and air quality, pollution, loss of habitat for animals, and preserving and improving the appearance and healthful conditions of our own communities are critical matters. Creating an interest in conservation among our youth is vital as well.
The Education Community Service Program focuses on literacy. More than 700 million people in the developing world, two thirds are women, lack these skills. Even in the United States, thirty-two percent of the adult population has a low literacy level which handicaps their earning ability. Eighty-five percent of juvenile offenders have reading problems. We need to continue to develop our own skills in reading and communications. This program focuses on both literacy and life-long learning in the community.
Home Life is designed to inform members the effect of well-being of individuals, families and communities by providing opportunities and resources to develop and implement creative projects that promote a healthy lifestyle, increase awareness, prevention, research, and treatment of disease; target personal development; address the issues of hunger, inadequate housing, and homelessness, and/or prevent or correct financial difficulties.
The International Outreach Program is designed to enable members to become better world citizens through advocacy, education, and action. What affects those around the world affects us all. By reaching out to other countries and cultures, we increase our understanding of others and simultaneously promote a better understanding of ourselves as Americans. Focus is often on women and children, resulting in an increased awareness of global human right issues.
Public Issues concentrates on investigations, programs and projects related to veterans, citizenship, and safety. Comfort and aid to returning veterans and their families is one feature. Safety on the highways and in our communities are concerns of this program. Responding to natural disasters and emergencies comes under this heading. Effective legislation, especially for veteran affairs, needs to be carried out. Emphasis on citizenship and voting are important features, also.


A Blog post
Focus on Elementary Education: Lev Vygotsky
- Mar 20, 2015
- Jared Wells
- In Elementary
- 0 Comments
Important People to know: Lev Vygotsky was a developmental psychologist in the 1930's. His work centered around how children engage in and develop higher cognitive functions in children. Why are his ideas important? Schools, and therefore parents, often focus on early math and language literacy development. However, there is evidence to show that children have the ability to develop more advanced cognitive functions at a very early age. The Problem: In middle school many students struggle with algebra because they have a difficult time migrating from the concrete nature of arithmetic (real numbers) and the abstraction of working with letters that represent unknown numbers. The Solution: Vygotsky believed that young children lay a foundation for higher order abstract thinking through imaginative play and questioning. When a child plays fireman/woman and uses a rope as a hose, they are exercising the part of their brain which is capable of abstracting a hose from a rope. That is the same part of the brain that is needed to see letters as unknown numbers! Take home message: Early literacy development is great, but not at the expense of activities that actively engage the child's higher order thinking and imagination. Want to learn more? Check out these educators in Colorado who are using Vygotsky's research in innovative ways. Jared Wells
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Theme: First Concepts
ABOUT THE SHOW
Numbers and counting turn into a fun adventure when Charlie visits the Numbers Kingdom, a magical world in which numbers reign. Join Charlie as he meets each of the charming numbers, and enjoys the singing, dancing, and of course – counting in this captivating series that brings the concept of numbers and numeracy to life.
It is important for future Math learning that a child’s first encounter with numbers and counting be friendly and fun. In this series, counting and numbers turns into a fun adventure as Charlie and his friends -The Numbers - introduce basic numeracy skills like recognizing and naming the number shapes, counting to 10, counting by number, and more.
By using a set of numbers, encourage your child to name the numbers and arrange them in the correct order. You can find number sets in many places – look for number magnets for your fridge door; draw the numbers on colored popsicle sticks; or print and cut them from our website! To include fine motor skills practice, you could even let your child draw numbers using their fingers and a small amount of paint.


The purpose of this study is to discover the stakeholders essential nature, meaning, and value of the intensive one month Florida based art education and cultural learning program for the South Korean elementary school teachers. Based on a phenomenological study, data sources included in- depth interviews with six Korean teachers, the program coordinator, the program administrator, the Korean program coordinator at the teacher participants home university, and two program assistants from a university in north Florida, intensive observations of whole events and activities, and review of the teacher participants research journal notebooks, materials, and documents. Findings indicate that the program can encourage the teacher participants and other stakeholders to understand people in different cultures, provide participants who are interested in studying abroad with a beginning experience, and begin, through firsthand experience, to adjust their fixed or stereotypical views of cultures other than their own through the construction of new cultural perspectives.
AN ART EDUCATION AND CULTURAL LEARNING PROGRAM FOR KOREAN TEACHERS
Six Korean elementary teachers have experienced culture, arts, and education in Florida during a month
Bezorgdatum:tussen vrijdag, 6. november en dinsdag, 10. november


Sari, Fitra Eka (2010) MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN BERHITUNG ANAK PRASEKOLAH MELALUI PERMAINAN KONSTRUKTIF. Other thesis, University of Muhammadiyah Malang.
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Numeracy is one of the important basic skills for preschool children, because the arithmetic usedchildren in their daily living, other than that numeracy is one of the basic skills needed to prepare the child to the next educational kejenjang namely Elementary School. Therefore many parents and kindergarten teachers provide a variety of learning methods to count preschool children with the hope that his students master math skills. But sometimes the method given is not in accordance with preschoolers learning methods. Teaching methods appropriate for preschool children is through games, one game is constructive. When children play games constructive use concrete objects as symbols that are available to help him understand the concepts of abstract mathematics, such as the concept of summation, subtraction and count And most important when playing a constructive child unwittingly been learning to count with a pleasant atmosphere. Based on these descriptions, the author is interested in conducting research with the title "Improving the Ability to Count Children Preschool Through Constructive Games", to know how the increase in child preschool counting skills through constructive play. This research used the experimental method experimental design with pretestposttest control group design. The data collection was obtained from the provision of treatment and provision of constructive game measuring instruments (tests numeracy). Data analysis was done by testing differences in / ttest to determine the influence to play a constructive method of improving numeracy skills before and after treatment. Results from this study can be found that playing a constructive influence on math skills of preschoolers, in other words, constructive games can improve math skills of preschoolers. This is indicated by counting the upgrading of the experimental group received treatment from the pretest constructive game (27.71) increased to (30.14) on the posttest. For the control group who did not receive treatment did not occur constructive play a very significant improvement.
|Item Type:||Thesis (Other)|
|Subjects:||H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)|
|Divisions:||Faculty of Psychology > Department of Psychology|
|Depositing User:||Rayi Tegar Pamungkas|
|Date Deposited:||27 Mar 2012 03:15|
|Last Modified:||27 Mar 2012 03:15|
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How do you get to Carnegie Hall? There are many more ways than practicing.
For one, by simply attending certain New York City schools.
Carnegie Hall’s music education wing, called the Weill Music Institute, brings thousands of students and teachers from New York City schools to the Hall to perform pieces alongside master musicians. These musicians help students compose music using the institute’s own online curricula, which was developed with support from EDC.
“Youngsters need opportunities to create and respond to music as well as perform it,” says EDC’s Bill Tally. “Using this curricula, K–12 students play audio, video, and Web-based games. They can also visit the Online Resource Center that was created by EDC to provide access to the institute’s rich music education resources.”
As part of the project, Tally and Project Manager Alice Anderson are conducting a study with K–12 music educators, called the Weill Music Institute Evaluation. The results of that survey will help Carnegie Hall shape its online resources for music teachers. Carnegie plans to make online resources accessible and useful for music educators across the country.
“Music curricula like this help remind teachers that listening and responding thoughtfully to music—not just mastering skills for performance—are crucial parts of music instruction,” says Tally.
In a related project, Weill Music Institute is working with a Harlem school on K–8 music instruction that exemplifies New York City’s Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts, a citywide framework for arts teaching. For this project, Tally is part of the team in charge of designing music skills curriculum, resources, and assessments for grades K–2. Taking the lead from the classroom teachers and curriculum designers, EDC will help pilot and revise workable assessments that music teachers can include in their instruction. This work is gaining importance, following Carnegie Hall’s partnership with the New York City Department of Education on a variety of federal grants, says Tally.
Both EDC/Carnegie Hall projects were created to help students graduate with a solid foundation in music skills, as well as broader habits of listening and responding to music across cultures.
“We are finding that K–12 music educators often feel they are on their own when it comes to figuring out exactly what to teach and how to teach music in school,” says Tally. “Educators welcome Carnegie’s curriculum resources to help engage students and build musical skills.”
Originally published on October 18, 2010


The Visual Art Department is honored to give our students an education grounded in visual fundamentals, critical thinking and creative expression. Art Education is a vital part of the creative and cultural development of a maturing individual, and for this reason, we encourage problem solving and creativity throughout the students’ growth in knowledge, skills, and talents.
The classes offered are designed to introduce new students to basic and essential art knowledge and skills, allow all students to explore new techniques and create art that deepens their talent level, and finally, allow the more mature artists to work independently with guidance and an eye to their future in the art world.
As a student in Two-Dimensional (2-D) Art at Arkansas Arts Academy, basic principles of design are learned including, line, shape, perspective, spatial relationships, light/dark contrast, shading, color theory, balance, and overall composition. These elements of design are, then, explored through the implementation of principles of design: unity/variety, proportion, balance, rhythm, and subjective foci. The student learns the substantive methods and materials that will foster and enable him/her on to further visual arts exploration.
As a student in Three-Dimensional (3-D) Art at Arkansas Arts Academy, two-dimensional principles are carried forth through the use of three-dimensional space planning, exploration, and realization. Various media/materials are implemented in these programs, including paper, synthetics, natural materials, and ceramics. Our three-dimensional art program encourages further growth of imagination through creative use of space and design.
GRAPHIC + DIGITAL + ANIMATION ARTS
The Graphic+DIgital+Animation Arts program at AAA offers students a chance to learn the industry standard software used to make major motion pictures as well as build major brand campaigns. During the class, students us project-based learning to follow assignments as well as experiment on their own with tutorials and instruction via online resources. This is the perfect class to help students with the digital art aspect of their portfolio when applying for college. This is a key component to any graphic arts college application. In the end, students will have a short video of all the work they did during the year as well as a solid understanding of the industry and which discipline they’re interested in. They will have a head-start on realizing their dream!
Animation offers a medium of story telling and visual entertainment which can bring pleasure and information to people of all ages everywhere in the world.
- Walt Disney
Computers don’t create computer animation any more than a pencil creates pencil animation. What creates computer animation is the artist.
- John Lasseter


Jennifer A. Polack-Wahl, Professor of Computer Science, and Jacob Bowman, junior Computer Science Student, iPhone/iTouch app Short Vowel Mahjong is now free on iTunes. In the last three days 109 downloads have occurred. The downloads have primarily been in the United States but they included Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, China, Hong Kong, France, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Korea, UK, and Spain.
This app was made specifically at the request of Heather Howe a Kindergarten and First Grade teacher at Hartwood Elementary. Heather wanted a game that would reinforce short vowel recognition. Jacob and Jennifer A. Polack-Wahl brainstormed a variety of ideas and decided on a Mahjong style game. The list of words we used was approved by Heather and included approximately seven different words in each vowel (a, e, i, o, and u).
The app is for anyone who wants to help their children or students to reinforce short vowel sounds or start short vowel recognition. You do need either an iTouch or iPhone with IOS 4.0 to play the game. We want to find out how to make it better so we can aid elementary education, we are in it for the kids.
Continue to check out http://hartwood.umwblogs.org/ for more games in education. Our ice cream Math game is our next to be submitted to the app store.


How can you help your child get the skills they need to succeed?
At school, and later in the workforce?
Maybe they are doing OK, but you know they can do better… Or perhaps they are struggling with a reading difficulty or learning disorder.
How can you help your child get the skills they need to succeed? At school, and later in the workforce?
Like all parents, you want your children to be happy and successful. With so many alternative ways to help children it can be confusing for parents.
The great news is that all learning, behaviour and attitude is based in your child’s brain.
So improving your child’s brain can give them the best foundation for success.
What difference would it make for your child’s future if they could improve their brain now?
LearnFast brings together the latest neuroscience research-based programs so your whole family can benefit. Our programs cover a broad range of issues so if your child is struggling in the classroom we have a program that can help. We also have programs suitable for adults too.
We interact with the supervising adult to best support the end user of our software programs.
For preschool children
- Fast ForWord Reading Readiness - helping young children develop critical language and cognitive skills to prepare them for early learning
For primary and high school children
- Fast ForWord program - and intensive, evidence-based language and reading intervention that builds the brains superhighways
- Reading Accelerator program - advancing the key cognitive skills required to become a fluent reader
- Reading Assistant - an online reading tutor providing intensive reading practice
For english language learners
- Build English Fast program - uniquely targeting the phonemes of English to build the foundational skills required for all literacy
We have a suite of programs for adults too.
Our programs are easy to access from the comfort of your own home, whether you live in the city, a regional or remote community in Australia and New Zealand. We interact with the supervising adult to best support the end user of our software programs.


Massachusetts College of Art and Design is the oldest art school in Boston, but its library is even older than the college itself.
In 1871 the Massachusetts Board of Education created a "traveling museum." Plaster casts, drawings, paintings, and art books were transported by horse-drawn wagons to towns across the state. The purpose was to spread art knowledge throughout the citizenry. It was the first collection of visual reference materials in the United States created to support public art education.
The rigors of travel damaged the collection. Within a year the need for its safe storage became an arguing point for founding a state art school. Although we can’t be certain if this was a deciding factor, in 1873 the legislature did create Massachusetts Normal Art School (now called Massachusetts College of Art and Design), and the traveling collection did indeed come to rest under its roof.
As MassArt developed, and the field of art education evolved, the collectionalso grew and developed: more books were acquired, and then journals, slides, films, videos, and digital images. In 1988, the library was named for the late Morton R. Godine, a Vice President and Trustee of the college. This exhibit celebrates the library’s 133 years of democratizing access to art and design information. Unlike the treasures in some libraries, the Godine’s most valuable books and portfolios are worn and spattered. They’re used heavily to support research conducted with paint, clay, wood, plaster, furnaces, and kilns, as well as with pencils, paper, and keyboards.


GCSE Science (Triple Award)
Title of qualification
GCSE Biology / Chemistry / Physics – TRIPLE AWARD
Students will be awarded three separate GCSEs. One in Biology, one in Chemistry and one in Physics.
What will I learn?
- Life processes depend on molecules whose structure is related to their function. The fundamental units of living organisms are cells, which may be part of highly adapted structure including tissues, organs and organ systems, enabling living processes to be performed effectively.
- Living organisms may form populations of single species, communities of many species and ecosystems, interacting with each other, with the environment and with humans in many different ways.
- Living organisms are interdependent and show adaptations to their environment.
- Life on Earth is dependent on photosynthesis in which green plants and algae trap light from the Sun to fix carbon dioxide and combine it with hydrogen from water to make organic compounds and oxygen.
- Organic compounds are used as fuels in cellular respiration to allow the other chemical reactions necessary for life.
- The chemicals in ecosystems are continually cycling through the natural world.
- The characteristics of a living organism are influenced by its genome and its interaction with the environment.
- Evolution occurs by a process of natural selection and accounts both for biodiversity and how organisms are all related to varying degrees.
- Matter is composed of tiny particles called atoms and there are about 100 different naturally occurring types of atoms called elements.
- Elements show periodic relationships in their chemical and physical properties. These periodic properties can be explained in terms of the atomic structure of the elements.
- Atoms bond by either transferring electrons from one atom to another or by sharing electrons.
- The shapes of molecules (groups of atoms bonded together) and the way giant structures are arranged is of great importance in terms of the way they behave.
- There are barriers to reaction so reactions occur at different rates.
- Chemical reactions take place in only three different ways: proton transfer, electron transfer, electron sharing.
- Energy is conserved in chemical reactions so can therefore be neither created nor destroyed.
- The use of models, as in the particle model of matter or the wave models of light and of sound.
- The concept of cause and effect in explaining such links as those between force and acceleration, or between changes in atomic nuclei and radioactive emissions.
- The phenomena of ‘action at a distance’ and the related concept of the field as the key to analysing electrical, magnetic and gravitational effects.
- That differences, for example between pressures or temperatures or electrical potentials, are the drivers of change.
- That proportionality, for example between weight and mass of an object or between force and extension in a spring, is an important aspect of many models in science.
- That physical laws and models are expressed in mathematical form.
How will this course be assessed?
- There are six papers: two biology, two chemistry and two physics.
- Each of the papers will assess knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas.
- Each paper is 1 hour 45minutes.
- There are separate Higher / Foundation tiers
- Each paper is worth 100 marks.
- Each paper is worth 50% of each GCSE.
What skills do I need?
- Literacy- the ability to read and write fluently.
- Listening skills.
- The ability to co-operate in group activities.
- Practical skills (predicting, analysing and evaluating).
- Numeracy skills.
What is next for me after this course?
Communication skills, analysis and evaluation are essential for all Post 16 subject areas and a good GCSE in Science is a requirement for many courses and jobs. Skills and techniques developed in Science studies may be continued in a wide range of AS/A2 courses including: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Computer Science.
Many students who study triple award science are aiming to go towards careers in medicine, veterinary and dentistry.
Are there any restrictions with this course?
Students must be tracked at a minimum of a 4- at the latest data track. There must also be an equivalent achievement in maths.
Conversations will also be had with current class teachers to confirm suitability.


The first children embassy in the world, “Megjashi” from Macedonia (PDAS Megjashi) works with a "vision dedicated to a more just world for every child and follows the motto that all the ideals of the world are less worth than the tears of a child".
The use and implementation of these child protection policies are the ways in which PDAS Megjashi ensures that they are in accordance with international documents, norms and standards relating to protection and promotion of the rights of the child, while following the positive legislation and normative-legal documents and concepts relating to the educational system in Macedonia.
The paper includes 4 elements / chapters. It is harmonized with the international documents, tools and standards for protection of the children and their rights, and has been piloted in several elementary schools and is in compliance with the Law of Elementary Education, Official Gazette of the RN Macedonia No. 161 from 5 August 2019, Article 5 and Article 66.
In terms of prevention, we could use the tools that are already prepared and available, including instruments, procedures, violence, abuse and neglect type indicators, especially because a number of relevant institutions were included in their development, carried out in accordance with international documents and were piloted/ tested in several elementary schools.
In addition to prevention, the content offered in the Brochure can very much assist in the development of concept documents, bylaws, development of preventive programs, etc. since they define the types of violence, abuse, neglect, providing directions on how to work on positive discipline in the school, on positive parental discipline, cooperation with the parents, etc.


iBooks Tutorial Video
Thompson, C.M. (2007). The Culture of Childhood in the Visual Arts.
Gude, O. (2004). Postmodern Principles: In Search of a 21st Century Education.
Gude, O. (2014). New School Art Styles: The Project of Art Education. In K. A. Schwartz (Ed.), Art Educators on Art Education, pp. 83-100.
Duncum, P. (2002). Children never were what they were: Perspectives on childhood.
Coles, R. (1993). How to Look at a Mountain.
Malaguzzi, L. Your Image of the Child: Where Teaching Begins.
Wilson, B. (1974). The Superheroes of J.C. Holz: Plus an Outline of a Theory of Child Art.
Wilson, M. & Wilson, B. (2010). Teaching children to draw, chapter 8.
Stewart, M. (2014). Images, Ideas, and Teaching Art for the Long Run. In K. A. Schwartz (Ed.), Art Educators on Art Education, pp. 231-242.
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards.
Pennsylvania Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities.


Mathematics Curriculum Companion
Teachers and educators seeking additional resources or ways to support students in their numeracy are encouraged to explore the Birth to Level 10 Maths Curriculum Companion. This resource is a learning and teaching tool aligned to the Victorian Curriculum F-10 and Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF).
Everyday Maths tools for parents
Educators also know that it can be easier for children to understand maths concepts and practical applications when they can relate these to their everyday lives. The Everyday Maths resource helps parents take advantage of numeracy learning opportunities in everyday activities, with animations demonstrating how every day is a learning opportunity to establish and reinforce foundational numeracy skills. Teachers of early years to Year 2 are encouraged to share this resource with parents.
Derrimut Primary School
Derrimut Primary School has made the development of numeracy instruction a priority and is working to reframe the perceptions of numeracy and maths in the school community.
Find out how Derrimut Primary School is making maths fun here


In 2019, more than 20,000 teaching students took the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students (LANTITE) for the first time.
• 91.7 per cent of students met the literacy standard.
• 90.7 per cent met the numeracy benchmark.
In 2018, 90.5 per cent of students met the literacy standard and 90 per cent met the numeracy standard.
All teaching students are required to pass the LANTITE test before they can graduate to ensure that future teachers have the literacy and numeracy skills to provide a world-class education. The test ensures graduates have literacy and numeracy skills that put them in the top 30 per cent of the Australian population.
“For our children to receive a world-class education they must have strong literacy and numeracy skills,” Education Minister Dan Tehan said.
“We need our teachers to have strong literacy and numeracy skills to impart that knowledge onto our children. Our Government introduced the LANTITE test to ensure teachers entering the profession have the skills they need to provide the best education outcomes for students.
“Our Government will introduce a free, national phonics check for Year 1 students to further help parents and teachers identify how a student’s literacy is progressing. The establishment of the National Evidence Institute, a key Gonski recommendation, will further improve the quality of teaching in Australia.”
The Federal Government is consulting through Education Council to secure state and territory government support for the release of more detailed test data.


Who We Are
Sumitoyo Learning Centre is based on the principal that students learn at their own pace. Education starts with seeing things from their perspective. We emphasise on individual learning abilities, and our teaching is adjusted to the performance level of every student.
Our centre teaches and tutors children between the ages of 3 to 14 on basic learning skills. There are more than 2.5 million children enrolled in our programme worldwide, and we are the leading provider of Math and English enrichment. A variety of educational methods integrating both online and offline programmes are used. We believe in building a solid foundation for the lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
Our programme is the key to self directed learning. We nurture:
We use a systematic and customised programme, that utilises a unique and proven learning method. This allows for every child to have a customised starting point based on their abilities, regardless of their age or school grades. Every child’s study progression is based on their own learning pace.
Developing Critical Thinking Ability
Our programme is focussed on building a student’s foundation in Math and English. We also aim to help them gain self confidence and a lifelong interest in learning, as well as developing critical thinking and analytical skills.
Small Steps to Success
All concepts and skills in the programme are interrelated. Mastery of basic foundational skills is necessary before advancing further. This results in the improvement of a child’s accuracy and speed when completing more complex questions.
Our Learning Programmes
The diagnostic test will provide insight into the student’s abilities and learning needs. It is used to determine the best starting point for your child in the learning curriculum.
Initial Starting Point
This builds up the student’s confidence, which helps to ensure success as they progress to more advanced levels.
Self Directing Learning
Students will follow a self directed learning method to develop independent learning skills. Our instructors will provide guidance as the students progress in their individualised programme.
Before a student can proceed to the next level, an instructor will first give him or her a test to evaluate if they have achieved mastery at their current set of skills.
Managers and instructors will provide consultation and communicate with parents regarding their children’s learning progress on a regular basis.


Title 1 Program
What is Title I? Title I is a federal program that provides qualified Humboldt elementary students with additional reading instruction. The students who qualify just need extra time and they receive Tier 2 Supports within a small group setting with a certified Title 1 Reading Instructor who diagnosis and targets the specific gaps found in reading.
The goals of the Title program strive to provide an environment that:
a. Promotes a positive attitude toward reading
b. Improves student achievement in reading/writing
c. Builds students’ self-esteem and confidence
d. Enables parents to be reading partners with their child
How does a child qualify for Title I? Several different criteria are used to qualify a student. Although standardized test scores must be used for students in third and fourth grades, other criteria are used in addition. Teacher recommendations, parent recommendations, student screening information from Fast Bridge and other student data are used to determine eligibility for Title I services. At Mease and Taft students go to the Title I room each day for additional instruction in reading. The student may come individually or with a small group of students for more intensive instruction to students who need it.
A variety of instructional materials and method are used to develop competence in the following areas:
- Phonemic awareness
- Phonics and decoding
- Vocabulary development
- Reading Fluency
- Reading comprehension strategies
Student progress is monitored throughout the year and adjustments to the program are made as necessary. When a student’s reading achievement reaches their appropriate grade level, the student is dropped from the program if the Title I teachers and the classroom teacher feels the student no longer needs the extra support.


The curriculum in Perry Township Schools is aligned with the Indiana Standards as outlined by the Indiana Department of Education. Below are the names of the various series that we use at Southport Elementary School to support that curriculum.
Language Arts includes reading, spelling, grammar, writing, listening and speaking skills. The McGraw Hill Wonders Series provides the material used throughout the Language Arts curriculum. In addition, these are supplemented with library and trade books.
The Southport Elementary school-wide program emphasizes Reading Counts books and comprehension tests. Specific target goals are set per grade level and students are encouraged to meet the goals for both semesters. Awards are given to those who reach their goals per semester. The Young Hoosier Book list is included as a part of our Reading Counts program.
All students in grades 1-5 use the Everyday Mathematics program from the University of Chicago School Math Project, and published by McGraw Hill 2015.
This program teaches three levels of skills:
Mastery of skills occurs from repeated exposure over 2-3 years. Whole and small group instruction, questioning, dialogue, cooperative learning, and games are important components of this program.
Our science curriculum is from Carolina Science. The “Building Blocks of Science” curriculum uses the learning cycle – Think, Predict,Explore, Magnify to build on previous learning.
For Social Studies we are using the Pearson myWorld Social Studies series©2016. This series incorporates the Backward Design process by asking an “Essential Question” first, with the goal of focusing on the desired understanding that students should acquire, not superficial knowledge. Students explore concepts, build knowledge, and transfer what they’ve learned beyond the classroom.
Our technology standards have been established by Perry Township based on The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. Technology instruction is given to every classroom at Southport Elementary where students learn important skills related to publishing, keyboarding, and using the Internet and Microsoft Office.
General music education in K-5 follows the Indiana Music Standards. Our focus is on singing, playing, reading, notating, interpreting, listening to, analyzing and describing music. Our current textbooks are Making Music published by Silver-Burdett and Spotlight On Music published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.
Our physical Education curriculum follows the Indiana Standards as well. The goal of the curriculum is to develop individuals who are proficient at movement and who can use physical activity to:


Hands-On Beauty: teaching for creativity
Art education has been impacted by rhe standards and testing culture like all other disciplines and the teaching has been focused on things that are concrete (i.e. elements of art, art history foundational skills) and responsive to testing and assessment. Why is there such a disconnect between creativity and art education? Why are schools challenged to cultivate creativity? How can things improve?
I believe art education needes to focus on developing learners that think like artist, learners who are creative, curious, seek questions, develop ideas and play; we need to be much more intentional about how we communicate art's (critical) value and especially how we teach for creativity.
The Torrance creativity test, which has been administered for decades, has now shown, since the 1990s, a decline especially in the ages 6-12 in the United States. It is partly a mess of our making. As a parent, I often hear adults saying things to children; "Oh, look how well you've drawn that horse, it's so realistic. You are so creative." These messages are problematic because they focus on cliche notions of what creativity stands for.
Educators at the forefront of art education are "teaching for creativity" aka embodying the habits the artists employ:
- comfort with ambiguity
- idea generation
- transdisciplinary (research)
As an example, craft projects generally involve children following directions to reproduce an adult’s idea and require no original thinking. Crafts are meant to be useful, practical, or educational - subject to testing and assessment techniques.
Collage, on the other hand, is very important to children because through "lessons in creativity" it helps them to develop their reasoning and problem solving skills as well as help develop fine motor skills such as hand-eye coordination and give a boost to their creativity and imagination.
Art practices, particularly Process Art, allow children to experiment with their own ideas. By working with art materials and no preconceived outcome, children are encouraged to:
- Think openly
- Create new meaning
- Be more tolerant of others’ differences
- Have the courage to take creative risks


The University Record, February 22, 1999
By Amy Reyes
News and Information Services
The Division of Kinesiology is preparing to position itself as host of a research center designed to enhance the quality of life of infants, children and adults with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome is the most common form of mental retardation and affects one in 800 births, says Dale Ulrich, an associate professor of kinesiology who is leading an endowment campaign to fund the creation of the Center on Motor Behavior and Down Syndrome.
The research center will provide a means by which researchers in cognitive, language, social and movement skill development can collaborate on basic and clinical research. It will bring together experts from throughout the world whose work can impact the lives of people with Down syndrome.
Parents have many questions. They want to know how to prevent some of the consistent problems that children with Down syndrome experience. It would be nice to have an organized program for children with Down syndrome so that we can answer these questions under one clinical roof, says Ulrich, who specializes in adapted physical activity, motor development, physical activity patterns and skill development in developmental disabilities.
Although there are a number of medical research centers in this country and abroad that specialize in treating the medical problems that afflict some people with Down syndrome, Ulrich says there isnt a research center designed to bring together scientists for the purpose of exploring non-medical problems associated with Down syndrome. Establishing the center is especially important today because medical advances have extended the life expectancy of someone born with Down syndrome from 20 to 60.
"To date, there has not been a meaningful impact of research in improving the developmental skills of this population in the motor, language, cognitive and social skills domains. Very few scientists have elected to study children with Down syndrome. This has resulted in minimal progress in improving the day-to-day functioning of children with Down syndrome, Ulrich says.
In addition to sharing resources, the center will serve as a source for parents who will be taught the skills necessary to teach their children developmental skills at home on a daily basis. Most children with Down syndrome do not have access to the daily developmental therapy sessions needed to make meaningful progress in a reasonable amount of time, Ulrich says. Parents usually enlist the help of professionals to give the lessons, which are seldom administered daily. The frequency and intensity of the lessons are vital for children with Down syndrome.
As children with Down syndrome age, they typically become less physically active, and thus socially inactive, primarily because of an inability to keep up with their non-disabled peers. Ulrichs research has demonstrated that intensive intervention by parents can make significant improvements in motor skill development.
The center will provide an opportunity for the Division of Kinesiology to become a leader in creating new scientific knowledge needed to improve the quality of life in children with Down syndrome, says Beverly D. Ulrich, the newly appointed director of the Division. It will also be a source of interdisciplinary and collaborative learning for our students. Our goal is now to secure the endowments for the center.
While at Indiana, Beverly and Dale Ulrich collaborated on studies that examined the movement patterns of children with Down syndrome. Theyve also collaborated and continue to collaborate with Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Rosa Angulo-Kinzler. She is conducting research in the area of motor development of infants with Down syndrome.


EDRE 552 – Foundations of Literacy
There are three online seminars that you will complete for this course. Two of the seminars incorporate the Five Essential Components of Reading Instruction, identified by the National Reading Panel (2000) as key to teaching students to read: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. A third seminar integrates all of the components for effective instruction. Additionally, a strand on understanding and working with diverse learners is interwoven in each seminar. Reading materials and assignments will provide you with an understanding of current theory of literacy instruction and the factors affecting literacy development. Coursework prepares educators to implement the Common Core State Standards and meet state and professional standards.
Course Materials/ Textbooks
- Class Materials
- First course in the Reading Endorsement


By the late '80s, the cost or chip fabrication had increased to the point that it was no longer feasible for university researchers to do architectural experimentation on real systems. Groups could no longer do the sort of experiments that led to the establishment of companies such as Sun and MIPs. Simulation replaced implementation as the experimental vehicle of choice, and papers in the field became much more incremental as researchers focused on improvements to existing techniques, rather than the exploration of new ideas at scale.
The current limits on processor performance improvement provide a strong motivation to rethink the systems that we build and study. Fortunately, the development of better design tools and methodologies, coupled with the rapid progress of field-programmable hardware, may provide a way to change the way that architectural research and education are done.
In our laboratory, we have developed Beehive, a full-system implementation of a many-core processor, as well as its memory, peripherals and a supporting tool chain for software development. Beehive is simple enough that it can be rapidly understood and modified by individuals with little hardware experience. It enables full-system experimentation at the hardware-software boundary, using inexpensive development boards and tools provided by Xilinx.
I will discuss our early experiences with Beehive, including experience with its use as the basis for a short course at MIT in January (http://projects.csail.mit.edu/beehive/), and as a base for a hardware transactional memory system.
Chuck Thacker has spent forty years in several industrial research labs. He received the BA in physics from U.C. Berkeley in 1967. He joined Xerox PARC in 1970, where he was responsible for the hardware of a number of innovative systems, including the Alto, the first networked personal computer. In 1983, he joined the DEC Systems Research Center, where he was responsible for a number of networking and computing systems, including the AN1 and AN2 networks and the Firefly multiprocessor.
He joined Microsoft in 1997 to help establish the Company's Cambridge, England laboratory. After returning to the U.S. in 1999, he joined the newly-formed Tablet PC group and managed the design of the first prototypes of this new device. He has also worked on low-cost computing devices for elementary education, and is currently working in Microsoft Research, where he leads a Computer Architecture group. He is the principal designer of the BEE3, and FPGA-based platform for research in architecture and algorithm acceleration, and has recently developed Beehive, a many-core computer system implemented on a single FPGA.
Chuck has published extensively, and holds a number of U.S patents in computer systems and networking. In 1984, he was awarded (B. Lampson and R. Taylor) the ACM's Software Systems Award for the development of the Alto. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of the Computer Science Department of the University of California, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). He is a member of the IEEE, a fellow of the ACM, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, which in 2004 awarded him, (with A. Kay, B Lampson, and R. Taylor) the Charles Stark Draper prize. In 2007, the IEEE awarded him the John Von Neumann medal, and in 2010 he was awarded the A.M. Turing award by the ACM.
Catherine Copetas, copetas [atsymbol] cs.cmu.edu


Aspects of Teaching Secondary Music provides a practical illustration of the skills, knowledge and understanding required to teach music in the secondary classroom. Musical concepts and ideas are discussed and a critical examination of key issues is given. This encourages the reader to engage with these thoughts and consider their views and beliefs in terms of how they will influence their potential to teach music in an inspired and effective manner.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1. What is Music in the Curriculum? 2. Issues in Planning for Music Teaching and Learning 3. The Music Department 4. Meeting Special Needs in the Music Class 5. Gender Identity, Musical Experience and Schooling 6. How Far do Tests of Musical Ability Shed Light on the Nature of Musical Intelligence? 7. Assessment in Music Education 8. Putting Listening First: A Case of Priorities 9. Developing Vocal Skills in the Secondary Classroom 10. Teaching Composing in Secondary Schools: The Creative Dream 11. Developing Effective Practice Strategies: Case Studies of Three Young Instrumentalists 12. ICT in the Secondary Music Curriculum 13. Designing a Teaching Model for Popular Music 14. Concepts of World Music and their Integration within Western Secondary Music Education 15. Jazz in Schools - A Practical Approach 16. Music Education and GCSE Music 17. Music Education and Research


Low Brass, High Standards by Jeff Barbee and George Palton
Through research driven pedagogy, our goal is to improve tuba and euphonium instruction at every developmental level.
- Low Brass High Standards will be presented a clinic at the 2020 Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference where Barbee and Palton discussed their research regarding low brass methods courses.
- The Four Horsemen Tuba/Euphonium Quartet performed at the Indiana Music Education Association 2020 Professional Development Conference. Their session included pedagogical compositions for tuba/euphonium quartet and strategies to implement chamber music into middle school and high school instrumental music programs.
- Check out our new Resources Page
- We recently completed a survey of nearly 700 Music Educators throughout the United States with a goal of comparing the confidence of teaching the tuba and euphonium to other mitigating factors. With our findings, we will offer program planning strategies, methods to bolster pedagogical approaches, and suggestions to improve teacher education curriculum; provide access to instructional resources; and publish data to assist with decision making and advocacy.


Music therapy has application in a variety of medical conditions, including autism, dementia and depression
As parents, educators, and friends, it is our job to see that our young people have the opportunity to attain the education that will prepare them for the future. Much of that education takes place in the classroom. We must encourage our youngsters in such pursuits as music education. Music education can provide students with a strong sense of determination, improved communication skills, and a host of other qualities essential for successful. Some people think music education is a privilege, but I think it’s essential to being human.
As I am a doctor, you may think I would always suggest a bottle of something for what ails you. However, first and foremost, I believe in the “do no harm” motto when it comes to healthcare. To me, that means to first try the least invasive route to feeling your best as possible, like a stress-preventing measure, special diet, or exercise program before popping a “magic pill.” All forms of music may have therapeutic effects, although music from one’s own culture may be most effective. In Chinese medical theory, the five internal organ and meridian systems are believed to have corresponding musical tones, which are used to encourage healing.
Recently in my wellness practice I saw Saurabh, an 11-year-old boy who struggled with severe social anxiety. His parents were discussing with me how to approach the teachers about making him comfortable in school. We had a 50 minute meeting to let ideas emerge. The father observed, “You know doctor, he loves Classical music.” His mother described a recent outing where there had been a lot going on and the child was quite agitated. But when someone put on some Classical music, he became completely calm. This story made me wonder how this piece of information might help us understand Saurabh’s brain. For some reason he couldn’t process all the sensory information coming at him in a busy social scene. But with the help of Classical music, it was as if the neurons, the cells of his brain, lined up and began to work properly.
Music differs in the types of neurological stimulation it evokes. For example, Classical music has been found to cause comfort and relaxation while Rock music may lead to discomfort. Music may achieve its therapeutic effects in part by elevating the pain threshold. It may be used with guided imagery to produce altered states of consciousness that help uncover hidden emotional responses and stimulate creative insights. Music may also be used in the classroom to aid children in the development of reading and language skills. There is strong scientific evidence supporting the use of music therapy for mood enhancement and anxiety/stress relief, according to Natural Standard research.
Here are five other conditions for which music therapy has been studied, supported by good scientific evidence:
People who have autism spectrum disorders often show a heightened interest and response to music. This may aid in the teaching of verbal and nonverbal communication skills and in establishing normal developmental processes.
In older adults with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other mental disorders, music therapy has been found to reduce aggressive or agitated behavior, reduce symptoms of dementia, improve mood, and improve cooperation with daily tasks, such as bathing. Music therapy may also decrease the risk of heart or brain diseases in elderly dementia patients.
There is evidence that music therapy may increase responsiveness to antidepressant medications. In elderly adults with depression, a home-based program of music therapy may have long-lasting effects. In depressed adult women, music therapy may lead to reductions in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and depressed mood. Music therapy may also be beneficial in depression following total knee replacement surgery or in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
There is evidence that music played to the womb during late pregnancy may lead to children being more responsive to music after birth. Soothing music may help newborns be more relaxed and less agitated. Pre-term newborns exposed to music may have increased feeding rates, reduced days to discharge, increased weight gain, and increased tolerance of stimulation.
It improves sleep quality and Alfa activity.
So it is obvious that music does play a vital role in our lives. In the hectic times that we live in, it is such musical evenings that give the required break and wellness we all look forward to.
Classical music has been found to cause comfort and relaxation while Rock music may lead to discomfort


Neurogames by Dr. Jonathan Reed presents a great fun numeracy game based on the concept of 'error-free' learning.
This bright and vibrant game provides a fun and rewarding way for your children to develop their numeracy skills.
Focusing on 5 main numeracy skills:
With three difficulty settings it is great for beginners and older children to use, as you progress through the game each correct answer receives a seed as an award. This can then be planted in the garden to create a rich and full living world, all based on how well you do within the game.
The whole game has easy to follow instructions and voice overs from Belinda the Bee who will talk you through every aspect of the game. This allows for the app to be used without adult supervision, as all the help the child needs is right there on screen, in a fun and informative way.