Private music lessons for kids are an effective way to help your children learn to play an instrument. But for parents who have little musical experience, figuring out how to begin lessons can be a difficult task. This article will show you what is involved in taking music lessons, and help you get your child's music education off to a great start!
First, let's get an idea of what to expect in private music lessons. In lessons, an experienced musician shares her expertise on an instrument with a student who plays the same instrument. During the lesson, the teacher assesses the student's difficulties and strengths, introduces new concepts, and assigns homework. After each lesson, the student learns by practicing the lesson material each day. Music lessons require more commitment than scouts or karate class, because much of the learning is the student's responsibility. If your child practices daily, she builds a foundation that the teacher can expand upon in the next lesson. But without practice, progress grinds to a halt, and you end up paying the teacher to say the same things every week. When you enroll your child in music lessons, it's important to realize that you're signing up for a few minutes of daily practice as well. By understanding what is expected in lessons, your child can make fast progress and have more fun learning music.
Generally, kids ages 7 and up who have a strong desire to learn, good listening skills, and willingness to practice are great candidates for lessons. Younger children often benefit more from group classes that teach basic musical concepts in a playful environment. These classes give young kids the chance to learn valuable musical skills without the responsibility involved in private lessons. Having fun with music at home is another great way to introduce young children to music. Singing silly songs, experimenting with sounds, and banging on pots and pans with your children can give them a positive view of music and encourage their creativity. An experienced music teacher at a local elementary school can show you many activities you can do at home to build your child's musical understanding.
If your child is ready for lessons, are you ready to support his musical development? Children generally achieve more when their parents actively support their musical efforts. Driving your child to weekly lessons, attending recitals, and helping her develop a regular practice schedule can lead to lasting musical success. Likewise, considering lessons a valuable investment goes a long way to help your child succeed. Lessons are most effective when taken regularly over a long period of time, so making a long-term commitment to your child's lessons gives him the chance to excel musically.
Once you've decided that lessons are a good fit for your family, it's time to find a good teacher. Generally, the teacher should have substantial experience, and should play the same instrument as your child. Be careful of teachers who claim to teach many instruments. Each instrument is unique, so a teacher who specializes in one or two instruments can provide more detailed, quality instruction than a general teacher can. Good teachers will be more than willing to discuss their teaching approach and expectations, and may even schedule a trial lesson to get to know you and your child better. Take the time to find an experienced, caring teacher who works well with your child. A teacher has the power to shape your child's attitudes toward music for years to come, so make sure to choose someone who empowers your child and makes learning fun.
When your child begins asking to play an instrument, don't feel pressured to start lessons right away. Take the time to decide if lessons are right for your family, and find an excellent teacher. In the meantime, have fun planning musical activities for your family. Go to a concert that features your child's favorite instrument, listen to recordings of the instrument, or visit a music store. Introduce your child to the idea of practicing and taking care of an instrument. Before the first lesson, your son or daughter will already have a strong musical foundation!
Christina Thompson is a professional trombonist and music educator living in Raleigh, NC. She offers private trombone lessons, musical workshops, and creativity coaching designed to help you discover, develop, and enjoy your unique musical talents. If you need help learning music, please visit http://www.summerglen-music.com


Keywords: eurhythmics, movement, music classroom activities, music education, music education of young children, rhythm, Emile Jacques-Dalcroze
Abstract: This article explores Dalcroze Eurhythmics and its use in music theory education, both at a young age and at the college level. The author shares her own research and experiences as an instructor and presents Dalcroze activities that can be incorporated into the music classroom. The exercises discussed address visual, aural, and kinesthetic learning styles. Topics include solfege syllables, rhythmic solfege, interval training, active listening, phrasing, chord building and chord resolution.


The web link above is a brief description of some studies carried out at Mc Gill University by Prof. Caroline Palmer. In connection to the chapter on performance from Jourdain’s book, it is clear that the brain works on different areas or aspects simultaneously when memorizing, or recalling music from memory; Palmer mentions that the motors skills take a significant part in the process of recalling music from memory, as well as, music that falls more naturally on the fingers, or that fingers have some familiarity with the nature of such music, is easier to memorize.
I have always had the worst musical memory and therefore have been interested in how this thing works. From what I read so far, I conclude that the development of musical memory is similar to the different learning styles that music education insists so much in the UK. As teachers we’ve been constantly advised to cater for the three learning styles, visual, aural and kinaesthetic. It seems that three styles are in operation in the process of memorization, with one of the three as a prominent skill that the learner falls back on.
In regards to music, given its aural nature, it gives the impression that we value the aural skill over the other two; at least, this is what I gather from Jourdain’s accounts on virtuosi. In my opinion, his accounst tent to be rather biases towards the traditional standards. As drummer Kenowwod Dennard from Berklee College of Music mentions, we need a new kind of virtuosity at this point in time; especially, when music education is trying to present itself as inclusive.


My Little Pony Printable Coloring Pages
here's a Galactic Communication Network phone in Tomorrowland that plays messages from around the galaxy.
Coloring Books - What Are They?
A coloring book is a book in which drawings are drawn using lines and which readers can fill up and color through the use of things like colorful pencils, pens, crayons and also other several types of paint and colours. There are coloring books for both adults and youngsters. These coloring books, and coloring pages and sheets are usually printed out on paper or cardboard, and some books are designed so that each page can be detached from the book once it is finished and used as a stand-alone coloring page. Many coloring books have a specific theme or tell a story, which means the pages can't be torn out them or the book loses its purpose. Coloring pages very commonly include animation or cartoon characters that kids are very fond of, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coloring pages or Cinderella Coloring pages. These coloring books are utilized by huge companies as advertising materials and ways of popularizing new cartoons or films. Lots of other fun activities can be found in children’s coloring books, like number games, mazes, connecting the dots and of course puzzles. Certain types of coloring books come with stickers which can be added to the pages that the kids color. Thus adding more character and fun to the whole activity.
Coloring Books History
The USA is the origin and birthplace of coloring books. A process called the democratization of art was the cause of the birth of coloring books. The person who influenced this process was an English artist named Josh Reynolds. Friedrich Fröbel from Germany and his Swiss teacher, Johann Pestalozzi assisted in inspiring this process. Educators from all over agreed that an education in the arts was crucial in developing cognitive skills and enhancing peoples' perception of the world. Educators assert that little children who are involved in art education can be expected to develop emotionally, mentally, spiritually and also socially.
Coloring books were the development of the McLoughlin Brothers. 'The Little Folk's Painting Book' was the first coloring book made by them in the 1880's. They collaborated with Kate Greenway on this project and the continued to publish coloring books well into the 1920’s. It was then that the McLoughlins joined the Milton Bradley firm. Richard Outcault is another man who really helped the progression of the coloring book. In 1907, Richard created a coloring book called Buster's Paint Book which was based on a character he had created in 1902 named Buster Brown. This book is what started the process of companies using coloring books as a means for advertising their products. The first coloring books were made with the thought that they should be painted and not colored, and despite the growing popularity of crayons in the 1930's, there was no change in this approach.
Educational Uses of Coloring Books
These days coloring books are commonly used in schools for teaching small children about different things. The topics for coloring books cover everything under the sun, like flowers, cartoons, alphabets, and even fruits and vegetables. Youngsters find these books easy and more engaging than other ways of learning as images are easier to remember and memorize compared to only words. Learning words through illustrations or photos is a superb way of facilitating language learn in non-native speakers also. Not to mention using images to expand people's comprehension of certain topics like geometry, which require graphic assistance to help understand the theories. Significant publishers have been creating coloring books that target adults since the 1980's. These books were directed at graduate students of anatomy and physiology to make their learning experience better.


Proposing A Metaliteracy Model To Redefine Information Literacy
Metaliteracy is envisioned as a comprehensive model for information literacy to advance critical thinking and reflection in social media, open learning settings, and online communities. At this critical time in higher education, an expansion of the original definition of information literacy is required to include the interactive production and sharing of original and repurposed digital materials. Metaliteracy provides an overarching and unifying framework that builds on the core information literacy competencies while addressing the revolutionary changes in how learners communicate, create, and distribute information in participatory environments. Central to the metaliteracy model is a metacognitive component that encourages learners to continuously reflect on their own thinking and literacy development in these fluid and networked spaces. This approach leads to expanded competencies for adapting to the ongoing changes in emerging technologies and for advancing critical thinking and empowerment for producing, connecting, and distributing information as independent and collaborative learners.
Communications in Information Literacy


Counseling at Oracle is driven by our school mission to provide a college preparatory education to students in Buffalo. Our counselors work to ensure that all students have the psychological, social, and educational skills and support that will enable them to succeed in high school and go on to a college of their choice.
The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.
Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for you — the place where you can further develop your skills and pursue your passions. But SAT scores are just one of many factors that colleges consider when making their admission decisions. High school grades are also very important. In fact, the combination of high school grades and SAT scores is the best predictor of your academic success in college.
About the ACT (Source: www.act.org)
The ACT® test assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It’s a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT.
It also gives you a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.
- Critical reading skills
- Math problem-solving skills
- Writing skills
You have developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school. This test doesn’t require you to recall specific facts from your classes.
The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are to:
- Receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
- See how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.
- Enter the competition for scholarships from NMSC (grade 11).
- Help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.
- Receive information from colleges when you check “yes” to Student Search Service.
Links to PSAT/SAT/ACT Examination Preparation Tools:


Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
I recently had an interesting conversation with two other art educators
about how art teachers go about determining "what to teach" in their
classrooms. We all agreed that there's so much to teach today about
art/through art, that's its really difficult to decide on "what's really
worth teaching?" Just looking at the variety of topics that have arisen
on this list over the past few years demonstrates this point.
So, I thought I'd pose a few questions here to see what kinds of responses
they might stir up:
1. How do you determine what to teach in your classroom?
2. If you could teach only 3 things (ideas/concepts) to kids in a year,
what would those be?
3. What are the "essential" ideas worth teaching/knowing in art?
While you may respond to any of these questions, I'm particularly
interested in your ideas on the third item. If you look up the word
"essential" in the dictionary, you'll find definitions like: "necessary to
the existence of a thing," "most important," and "constituting the essence
of something." The other way of thinking about this is "What are the BIG
ideas in art?" These "big" ideas are not specific to a particular artist
or work....they enable us to understand something about "Art" in general.
Art comes in many forms and is made for many purposes.
Art makes us look at our world in new and different ways.
Artists today are constantly reinventing art.
I have more of these, but I'm curious as to what others think are the "BIG
ideas" in Art.
Praying for lots of rain in Florida,
CRAIG ROLAND. Associate Professor-Art Education.
Department of Art, FAC 302, University of Florida, Gainesville Florida.
32611-5801. (352) 392-9165 - Art Ed Office (352) 392-8453 - Fax
new email address: rolandc


Gross motor development is an important skill for growing children. Gross motor skills are a key factor in the overall child development that requires action at larger muscles, promote coordination and movement. To improve these skills play various gross motor activities listed below with your children at any age.
This game requires you to pick an object or person and use actions to demonstrate what it is. Players have to guess based on the actions you choose. This awesome activity promotes creativity as well because if one action is not leading them to guess correctly, you need to come up with others.
Great list to play a charade, choose from Halloween, Christmas, Camping and more.
Having stable balance is such an important gross motor skill for great posture. Playing hopscotch encourages this by having you hop on one foot, or both feet as you pass by each square, which helps to develop muscle coordination. As you become more comfortable with hopping on one foot, you can challenge yourself to move more quickly.
Blowing bubbles is a fantastic way to develop gross motor skills. Any child (or adult!) who plays with bubbles will not be able to resist the urge to chase after bubbles, which will have them running. This encourages changing direction at various paces and will increase their reaction time. Furthermore, chasing bubbles can help to engage muscle, especially when extending to reach a bubble high in the air or stomping on one that has not yet popped as it reaches the ground.
This is a great gross motor activity to promote gross motor skills! Swings require you to pump your feet and get your body to move in a fluid motion while off the ground, which helps to develop motor coordination skills.
Not only is dance a great form of creative expression, it also encourages you to develop the skills of sequencing, balance, strength and body awareness. Dance requires a lot of core strength, as jumping, twirling and other movements can be demanding. Not only does your child need to be aware of the people around them, they also need to be aware of the position of their joints.
A treasure hunt is a fantastic and fun choice for gross motor activities as it encourages a child to develop a sense of direction physically. As they search for hidden objects, they will practice bending and turning. For a really neat gross motor skills activity, try having them complete it outside and incorporate the surrounding nature into the hunt.
This is a simple but effective gross motor activity to achieve the promotion of stable balance. It could be a morning starter that you do together, by timing yourselves to see how long you can stand on one leg. Then, switch to the other leg to ensure you are conditioning both sides.
Walk the line
This is a simple game among gross motor activities that can be modified in a variety of ways. Tape a line somewhere outside or in your household and have your child walk along. Variations could include sliding, hopping, jumping. It could be something you put in front of the door, so they must try it every time you head out for school or to run an errand.
What a fun way to develop gross motor skills! Encourage your child to climb by using the equipment at the park. This will increase their coordination and strength. As they become more comfortable climbing, encourage them to try the monkey bars!
An effective activity for developing gross motor skills is the balloon toss. See how many times your child can throw a balloon to a partner and keep it in the air. Add variations, such as moving closer together and then further apart. Encourage different types of tossing, such as underhand or overhand.
Hula hoops are so versatile! You can use them as obstacles for hopping over or into. You can change the direction, sideways, backward, forwards or all three. You can practice catching them or tossing them to a partner. You can also race your hula hoop, by rolling it and trying to outrun it. Spinning a hula hoop on your arms or around your waist is yet another effective way to develop coordination and strength.
Jumping games are a simple way to increase those gross motor skills. Tape targets on a wall and having them jump to touch it, placing targets along the floor and jumping from one to next or having a jumping contest can be engaging ways to practice this skill. Alternatively, you could purchase a small trampoline and have your child practice different jumping styles (star, pike, tuck, etc.).
Obstacle Course Play
This activity promotes gross motor skill development because it can involve a variety of skills. Add stations that incorporate climbing, jumping, balance and throwing to hit as many skills as you can. Use whatever is around you, such as chairs and other equipment or use the surrounding nature.


By Teachers, For Teachers
What does a great lesson plan look like from an outsider’s point of view?
If you were to design a perfect lesson plan, what characteristics do you think it would contain?
Oftentimes, teachers think they are creating an amazing lesson plan until it falls short, and they find out it wasn’t that amazing after all.
Sometimes you may even surprise yourself and find that the quickie lesson that you put together in a matter of minutes was the one that really hit home with your students. But what exactly did you do that really spoke to your students? More concisely, what teaching strategies did you use that made that lesson plan effective?
Here are five basic teaching strategies to deliver an effective lesson plan. These characteristics can be used in any grade.
Having an objective for your lesson isn’t just important for you to know why you are teaching the lesson, but it’s important for the students to know why they need to learn what you are teaching them. As you are planning for your lesson, think about what you need your students to know, and what are they going to take away from your lesson. After you have figured this out, then you need to explain your objective to the students so they know why they need to learn what you are about to teach them. Try to offer real-word examples if you can.
Before you begin your lesson, make sure that you teach and model your expectations for the lesson. For example, if you were teaching a science experiment, the first thing that you would do is show the students how to properly use the materials. You would also tell them the consequences of what would happen if they do not handle the materials properly.
Children learn by doing, not just by hearing. Get your students engaged in the lesson by having them partake in hands-on activities. Use cooperative learning techniques, or technology like an iPad or a whiteboard to enhance your lesson. Keep their minds and hands moving and you’ll see that it will help you reach your lessons objective.
While students are busy applying the skills that you have taught them you need to be mobile and move around the classroom to make sure all students are keeping on track with what they are supposed to be doing. Take this time to answer any questions, give the children who may be off a task a gentle reminder, and scan the classroom to make sure all is going as planned. As you move about the classroom, ask students critical thinking questions to strengthen their comprehension skills. Use how and why questions to make sure that you are meeting your objective.
When you see a student paying attention, working hard, and doing what they are supposed to be doing to meet your goal, compliment them. Make sure that all students see you doing this, so they will understand why you are pleased and in turn try to meet your objective for the lesson in a positive way as well.
Once your lesson’s objective has been met, take a moment to reflect upon what had worked and what did not in your lesson. Look for any patterns that may have come up, or try to find what you were lacking in a particular area. Once you are armed with this knowledge of self-reflection, you can take that information and do something with it. Talk to your colleagues, or go to an online teaching blog and talk about what you discovered and get others’ input. You will find this self-reflection to be extremely valuable in developing your skills as an educator. This deep understanding will only help your lessons become more effective.
What elements do you think need to be in a lesson in order for it to be an effective one? Do you know what specific characteristics make for a great lesson? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below, we would love to hear your ideas.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds a Master's of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com, as well as a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com and TeachHUB Magazine. You can follow her at Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, or on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators.


Jupiter – The Largest Planet in Our Solar System
The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter is covered by swirling clouds of hydrogen, helium and ammonia. Huge storms and raging winds create the swirled colors of Jupiter’s atmosphere. The Red Spot, a gigantic storm, has been visible for at least 300 years.
Scientists still have a lot to learn about Jupiter. They know that its atmosphere is similar to that of the Sun – mostly hydrogen and helium. If it was larger, the planet might have become a star. They also know that it has a strong magnetic field, much stronger than the Earth’s. The gases on Jupiter are so thick and heavy at the surface of the planet that they become liquid metallic hydrogen. Scientists believe an icy rock core lies at the center of the planet.
Fun Facts about Jupiter for Kids
- Jupiter has more than 50 moons.
- Four of the moons are the size of planets.
- Io, one of the moons, has more volcanoes than any other planet in the solar system.
- Europa probably has a liquid ocean beneath its crust.
- Ganymede is such a large moon that it has its own magnetic field.
- Jupiter has rings, a fact that surprised scientists. The Voyager 1 expedition discovered the rings in 1979. The thick rings are made of dust and bits of rock.
- Raging: fierce
- Gigantic: huge
- Visible: can be seen
- Liquid: fluid
Learn More All About Jupiter, the Largest Planet in Solar System
Check out this cool Jupiter video:
A video of the top 5 amazing facts about Jupiter.
Question: What is the temperature on Jupiter?
Answer: The average temperature is a chilly -234 Fahrenheit.
Question: How long is a year?
Answer: A year on Jupiter is 4,331 days. Keep in mind, though, that a day on Jupiter is only 9 hours, 56 minutes – less than half a day on Earth.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Jupiter Fun Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Aug 2017. Web. 24 Aug 2017. < http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-jupiter/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2017). Jupiter Fun Facts for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-jupiter/
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Students at South Delhi government school study on tabs
Students of class one to three at South Delhi's Nigam Pratibha Vidyalaya were thrilled to see a demonstration on their future academic lessons at a workshop today conducted by Qualcomm, Sesame Workshop India (SWI) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).
The students were given tablet mobile phones for a trial during the workshop followed by a small Sesame Street puppet show.
The project 'Play 'n' Learn' combines Qualcomm mobile technology and digital content from Sesame Workshop India's Gali Gali Sim Sim to make learning a better experience through Android educational mobile games despite the students' socio-economic backgrounds.
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), revealed last year, had found that reading and numeracy skills among Indian students had dropped off in India's rural schools.
Ashish Sood Chairman of Education Committee of SDMC said "there are many elementary education challenges in India such as teachers' leadership skills and drop-out ratio amongst students''.
Sood said that the initiative by Sesame Street's Gali Gali Sim Sim in partnership with Qualcomm would be highly effective and may have international recognition.
The project aims to improve education quality considering the ASER 2013. "According to the ASER, we are working on Hindi and Math concepts that need to be improved amongst students" said Anuragini Nagar, senior programme manager at Sesame Workshop India. She added that the educational mobile games that were in line with CBSE course structure enhance students' learning experiences.
"Our continuing association with Qualcomm Wireless Reach seeks to bring together modern mobile communication technologies and access to high educational content for children" said Sashwati Banerjee, Managing Director at Sesame Workshop India.
Banerjee said in a statement that technology had helped students across the globe in developing skills and that India would definitely benefit from the project.
(Posted on 24-07-2014)
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WHAT IS THE HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY? Founded in 1815, the Handel and Haydn Society (H+H) is considered America’s oldest continuously performing arts organization. Its Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus are internationally recognized in the field of Historically Informed Performance and known for excellence and innovation in music education. Read more about the Handel and Haydn Society »Read more about our Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus »Read more about Historically Informed Performance »Read more about Handel and Haydn’s education program »
WHAT IS HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCE? Historically Informed Performance (HIP) is the practice of performing works as composers intended, using period instruments (from the composer’s time or built like those that existed then) and ensembles comparable in size to those that would have performed during the composer’s lifetime. Learn more about Historically Informed Performance »
WHO ARE HANDEL AND HAYDN? George Frideric Handel (Halle 1685–London 1750) was one of the great composers of the Baroque era. Born Georg Friedrich Händel in Germany in 1685, he anglicized his name when he became a naturalized British subject in 1727. He studied in Germany and Italy before settling in London, and was heavily influenced by both the Italian Baroque and German choral traditions. He is most famous for his oratorios, including Messiah, but also made important contributions to opera and chamber music.Joseph Haydn (Rohrau 1732–Vienna 1809), or Franz Joseph Haydn, was one of the great composers of the Classical era. Like Handel, he made important contributions to the oratorio genre, most notably with The Creation. He was known for being a musical jokester, and wrote many false endings, surprising loud chords, and even pauses for violins to re-tune. He is often considered the father of both the symphony and the string quartet.
DO YOU ONLY PLAY MUSIC BY HANDEL AND HAYDN? Despite its name, H+H does not exclusively play the music of Handel and Haydn. At the time of its founding in 1815, H+H’s name was chosen to honor Handel, then considered the greatest of the “old” composers of the Baroque period (1600–1750), and Haydn, considered the greatest of the “new” composers of the Classical period (1750–1830). A model of innovation and excellence, H+H has presented countless American and Boston premieres of works by composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Verdi, as well as Handel and Haydn.
WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU PERFORMING THIS SEASON? View the complete 2013–2014 Season »
WHO IS YOUR ARTISTIC LEADER? WHO CONDUCTS PERFORMANCES?Artistic Director Harry Christophers conceptualizes and plans the entire season. He leads five of the nine concert programs this season. The remaining concerts of the 2013–2014 Season are led by H+H Associate Conductor John Finney, Richard Egarr, Scott Metcalfe, Grant Llewellyn, and H+H Concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky. Read more about Harry Christophers »Learn about this season’s concerts »


Every Bed of Roses: ANZAC Day - an Ode to the Fallen and a list of ANZAC resources for you
Anzac Day Wordfind (downloadable PDF on the blog)
Origin of ANZAC Day
anzac day worksheets - Google Search
Download a FREE Anzac Day teaching resource pack from R.I.C. Publications.
Anzac Day Word Walls for younger students. www.teachezy.com www.earlychildhood.com
Anzac Day,Year 2,Art Education,Theme Ideas,Social Studies,Literacy,Teaching Ideas,Classroom Ideas,School Ideas
Diggers - World War 1 - ANZAC
Veterans Day Poem (no link, just photo; "I have a little poppy, as red as red can be, to show that I remember those who fought to make me free.")
Video-text from the picture book-Simpson and his donkey-Mark Greenwood interspersed with primary source images.
10 Ways to help Children Understand Anzac Day *Has 'Postcards to the Troops' details for chn to send letters to Australian soldiers.
Anzac Biscuits Recipe for Anzac Day, 25 April, 2014. Happy Anzac Day Australia!
ANZAC day (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) is a day to celebrate the ANZAC's who caught on the shores of Gallipoli, this is the ode that is said every of April
leading and learning: Time for a mini research unit on ANZAC Day
Anzac Digger & Modern Digger. Anzac Day 25-4-2013. http://www.news.com.au/national-news/australia-celebrates-and-remembers-on-anzac-day-2013/story-fncynjr2-1226629003721
ancaz day craft kids paper poppy
One Minute's Silence. Poppy artwork. I like the choice of the subdued black background. It goes well with the story.


What: Music starts out simply, usually by learning to sing the “ABCs” or the “Wheels on the Bus.” As a child grows, music becomes an important part of the learning process. They sing, they dance and even learn to play instruments. Music and musical education are an integral part of a student’s education, providing them with invaluable tools. This March, celebrate the value of a musical education during Music in Our Schools Month.
Background: Music In Our Schools Month began in 1973 as a single statewide celebration. Over the years, it has grown to be a national celebration. The purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for children, and it is celebrated by music teachers, school faculty, parents and students alike.
Story Pitch: A number of groups and organizations can promote music education throughout the month of March. Music teachers in elementary and high schools will want to promote music education by encouraging students to get involved by playing in the band or singing in the choir. In addition, musical instrument producers and retailers may note the importance of a musical education. They can encourage students to come in and test out their instruments, while promoting new deals and merchandise. Local choirs and voice groups may want to also encourage children to come out and audition. Area voice or instrumental teachers can take this time to offer deals for lessons to children wanting to further their musical education. Meanwhile, schools and colleges for the musically inclined will want to promote their programs.
Story Hook: According to the National Association for Music Education, schools that have music programs have significantly higher graduation rates than those without music programs. Additionally, schools with music programs have higher attendance rates. Consider the following when you make your pitch:
- How can educators encourage students to become involved in musical education?
- In what ways can parents participate in their children’s education, urging them to incorporate music?
- How should parents incorporate music into their home lives?
- In what way does music benefit children?
Tips: A long-time music teacher can provide great insight on how music influences a student’s education. In addition, parents who have used music as a learning tool and have seen its impact would be a knowledgeable resource.
Music Teachers National Association
National Association for Music Education
National Education Association
–Researched, compiled & written by Kimberly Cooper
Event Dates from CHASE’S Calendar of Events


In EYFS English is used throughout the school day, during activities and when playing. We encourage children to develop their communication abilities in English as soon as they enter Nursery (age 3), focusing on the development of oral fluency and moving to a letters and sounds focus as children begin along the path toward achieving critical reading comprehension skills. In the EYFS programme, communication and language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment, to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves, and to speak and listen in a range of situations.
Learning a language is a natural process for children, who pick up languages with relative ease at an early age. Research tells us that students who learn a language before the age of seven develop native speaking skills, which is why languages form such an important part of the IBSB EYFS and Primary School Curriculum.
Children begin along the path towards achieving critical
reading comprehension skills.
When moving on to the Reception Class (age 4), the focus moves to Literacy Development, which involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children are given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest, with more time spent on learning the skills necessary to read and write. By the end of EYFS children are expected to be able to use their phonic knowledge to read and understand simple sentences and to write simple sentences with some confidence.
In the Early Years setting we ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language, making sure that children are ready to benefit from the opportunities awaiting them when they begin Year 1.


Slang from the 1920's
David Spencer's Education Paragon is a free educational resource portal helping David Spencer's secondary school students, their parents and teaching colleagues with understanding, designing, applying and delivering assessment, curriculum, educational resources, evaluation and literacy skills accurately and effectively. This wiki features educational resources for Indigenous Aboriginal education, field trips for educators, Davids Music Jam, law and justice education, music education and outdoor, environmental and experiential education. Since our web site launch 10.5 years ago on September 27, 2006, online site statistics and web rankings indicate there are currently 1,868 pages and 11,682,604 page views using 7.85 Gig of bandwidth per month. Pages are written, edited, published and hosted by Brampton, Ontario, Canada based educator David Spencer. On social media, you may find David as @DavidSpencerEdu on Twitter, as DavidSpencerdotca on Linkedin.com and DavidSpencer on Prezi. Please send your accolades, feedback and resource suggestions to David Spencer. Share on social media with the hashtag #EducationParagon
Slang Words Through the Years
Slang from the 1920's
Instructions: Read the pages in your textbook "Canadian History A Sense of Time" and use 12 of the following 1920's slang words to tell a story about the hardships faced in the early 1920's by soldiers (pages 62,63), job hunters (pages 66,67), farmers, immigrants children (pages 68,69) women (pages 74,75), and aboriginals (pages 76,77), the temperance movement and police (pages 88,89).
- all wet - wrong, mistaken
- apple sauce - nonsense, meaningless flattery, or baloney
- baloney- nonsense
- bees knees - wonderful person
- berries - the best
- big cheese - very important person
- blind pig - illegal drinking spot
- bump off - to murder
- bunk - nonsense
- cat's meow - very sharp
- cheaters - eyeglasses
- coffin varnish - cheap, inferior wisky
- dead soldier - An empty beer or whiskey bottle.
- dogs - human shoes
- drugstore cowboy - A young man who hangs around public places and shows off in an attempt to impress women.
- flat tire - A dull or boring person.
- gangster - A criminal who belongs to a gang.
- gatecrashers - Police raid on speakeasy.
- giggle water - alcohol,booze
- gin mill - an illegal still for making alcohol.
- heebie-jeebies - The jitters.
- high hat - snobbish.
- hooch - whiskey or liquor.
- hoofer - chorus girl.
- jack - money.
- keen - attractive
- kisser - lips
- moonshine - whisky or liquor, usually cheap and low-quality because it is made in illegal stills. may also mean nonsense or baloney.
- upchuck - to throw up
- real McCoy - whisky or liquor that is not watered down--also people who are genuine and can be counted on.
- ritzy - elegant
- scram - leave in a hurry
- speakeasy - illegal drinking spot
- spiffy - fashionable
- splifficated - drunk
- swell - marvellous
- whoopee - a wild time


When I studied Fine Art at university, I was surprised that we were not taught art techniques. We were not taught much about the materials we were using or how to use them. We weren’t taught the colour wheel, shown colour charts, or even how to paint. We were not required to complete tonal gradation charts, or know the names of the pigments we were using. We did no preparatory sketching, didn't keep sketchbooks or any records of our work. We studied how to make art without any reference to the craft of art making. I can only assume that the omission was deliberate and that knowledge of materials and technique was considered superfluous to the making of important and avante garde work.
Although I graduated with respectable results, I felt quite unprepared for a career as an artist and struggled to make art outside of university. This was a big disappointment, I had a degree in art, but I did not know how to be an artist. I embarked on a post graduate diploma, qualified as a teacher and I taught.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to teach art with a poor understanding of materials and techniques. I found that most of my students showed no interest in my highbrow philosophy of art making, they wanted to learn to draw and paint in a naturalistic way.
And so began my second art education – I taught myself the craft of art making. I became knowledgeable and skilled in drawing and painting, in materials and techniques and I passed on this knowledge to the best of my ability.
My students learned to make beautiful, realistic paintings; they understood their materials and honed their skills. But their work was superficial, it lacked substance. This was another big disappointment to me, although my students and I knew how to paint well, this did not bring us any closer to being artists.
It has taken me a long time to understand that art is a complex thing. Technique is a means to an end, but certainly not an end in itself.
So, what is it that sets good work apart?
but more importantly,
Can I make a good work of art?


This set of free online resources for music teachers includes lesson plans and activities, summative and formative assessments, video examples, and documented best practices. Designed to be effective and adaptable in a wide variety of music classrooms, the resources were developed through Carnegie Hall’s five-year residency in a New York City elementary/middle school.
The Toolbox currently features grade-specific music education resources addressing fundamentals of Rhythm and Meter, Form and Design, Expressive Qualities, Pitch, and Performing.
The Music Educators Toolbox was developed in partnership with PS/MS 161 in upper Manhattan. Major funding in support of this partnership was provided by The Irene Diamond Fund. Additional support was provided by the Lanie & Ethel Foundation.
An ongoing project, the Music Educators Toolbox will continue to expand in the following content areas: resources for grades 6–12, resources for ensemble directors, and resources for administrators.
To access resources related to the Music Educators Toolbox, you may be asked to sign in to Carnegie Hall’s Digital Library. The Digital Library provides access to free digital resources for teaching and learning from Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
Click here to view the official rules for the Music Educators Toolbox peripole.com give-away contest.


For many elementary school kids, music class will be the only chance to fall in love with the tuba, discover they love singing alto in a choir, or to experience the rewards of learning and performing as a group.
But those opportunities are continuing to decline in Ontario classrooms because fewer schools have the trained teachers, instruments or spaces to teach music, says a new report released Monday.
A survey of 1,000 schools by People for Education found that only 41 per cent of elementary schools have a full-time or part-time specialist music teacher this year.
Ten years ago, 48 per cent of schools had a music teacher, the research and advocacy group said. And it’s down from 58 per cent in 1998.
Longtime arts advocate Holly Nimmons calls the decline “criminal” because not having access to music robs kids of vital opportunities in the name of short-term budgets.
“Music education is endangered and this is a wake-up call,” says Nimmons, executive director of the Coalition for Music Education.
Among other findings, the report said children in smaller and rural schools are the least likely to get a chance to try the violin or rehearse the melody for a choral piece, as a result of too few teachers and funds to hire them.
Schools in the GTA are more than twice as likely to have music teachers than those in eastern and northern Ontario.
Budget cuts have had a negative impact on teaching other arts as well, including dance, drama and visual arts, the report says, despite the Ministry of Education’s recognition that the arts play a vital role in creativity, academic achievement, leadership and problem-solving.
Of schools with Grade 7 and Grade 8 students, only 15 per cent have a visual arts teacher and 8 per cent have specialist drama teachers.
The report cites lack of space, instruments and arts supplies as roadblocks, on top of “an underlying perception that other curriculum areas take priority over the arts.”
Eastern Ontario music teacher Jim Palmer said he fears the decline is more grim than the numbers show, because it was up to principals to determine who are “specialist teachers” and in many cases they may not even have qualifications outlined by the ministry and the Ontario College of Teachers.
Palmer, also director of advocacy with the Ontario Music Educators’ Association, said his group wants the province to require anyone providing music instruction in the public system to a become properly certified music teacher.
Without music classes, kids lose “an organized opportunity” they may not otherwise get to learn an instrument, create and perform with others, and be exposed to a creative and critical processes that are key to “21st-century skills,” said Palmer.
Few are actually against music and the arts, he added, but those subjects have been allowed to languish over the years because of other academic priorities taking the spotlight, such as math and literacy.
The decline of music education is “an unintended consequence,” said Palmer, who teaches at Athens District High School near Brockville, where students have an instrumental and band program, and an extracurricular blues band.
The association has been lobbying for a meeting between the ministry, teachers, school boards and other supporters of the arts to come up with a solution.
Advocates also stress that when exposure and learning about the arts aren’t provided in the classroom, it creates have and have-not schools, with students in more affluent communities benefitting from outside fundraising while other kids miss out.
That issue was highlighted in a 2013 report from People for Education, which noted that elementary and high schools able to fundraise were filling the gaps by using those dollars to supplement costs of instruments and supplies, and pay for kids to see live performances or exhibits.
The report calls on the province to put in place policy and funds that ensure all elementary students have the opportunity to learn and instrument and perform in a choir, band or orchestra. It also wants all students regardless of where they live or their family income to receive arts instruction during school hours.
Corrections – May 15, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated Holly Nimmons’ surname.


It has become such a cliché that arts programs are the first to be nixed in schools with tight budgets that music-oriented giving groups do not question how a community prioritizes its class lists. They simply try to supplement in areas where the government money has run out.
On Monday, VH1 aired a Divas of Soul special to raise funds for the music channel’s affiliated nonprofit, the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. The group provides musical instruments to schools that agree to hire a certified music teacher and incorporate music as a core part of their curriculum.
“It’s a strictly philanthropic perspective,” said Paul Cothran, executive director of the foundation. “One of the great things about No Child Left Behind is it does say that music and art are core subjects. But testing isn’t done on those subjects.” Without a test to fall back on, music education can fall by the wayside as schools try to keep up with the requirements of the 2001 standards-setting law.
Most schools offer some type of music education, and No Child Left Behind has not altered that significantly. (Cothran says the decrease has occurred over decades, not in the last several years.) Ninety percent of elementary-school teachers reported no change in their music curriculum since the law was implemented, according to the Government Accountability Office. Perhaps not surprisingly, decreases in music training occurred in schools with higher percentages of minority students and those that were identified as needing improvement academically.
Educators generally see the value of music training, but Cothran says he constantly must convince school administrators that music is integral to a well-rounded student’s education. “We’re not looking to create the next great pop star,” he said. Music training has been shown to raise SAT scores in other subjects and help students think more analytically.
Outside funding plays a role in keeping music in schools, but not all schools use it and most don’t rely on it completely. About 20 percent of public elementary schools rely on non-district funding for their music programs, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, but that figure jumps to 47 percent in secondary schools. About half of the secondary schools with access to non-district funding reported that 10 percent or less of their music budget came from such sources.
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation donates up to $30,000 of musical equipment to schools that are willing to integrate music into their core curriculum. That initial financial investment often turns out to be the biggest barrier to music teaching in public schools, one that Cothran’s group is happy to remove. The foundation’s assistants, all music teachers, then are on hand to help the schools figure out how to work music into the day with math and science and reading.
It makes sense that a well-known TV channel dedicated to entertainment and the arts would play a role in getting music into schools. VH1 Save the Music is helped greatly by the VH1 name to lure businesses and foundations to donate. “It brings a lot of cache,” Cothran said.
With every step into the world of public schooling, VH1 Save the Music becomes embedded in sometimes-arcane education policy. Cothran finds himself urging Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act and convincing states to maintain arts education as “core” subjects—an education term of art. “We’re an education group,” he said.


Mercer, Neil; Fernandez, Manuel; Dawes, Lyn; Wegerif, Rupert and Sams, Claire
Talk about texts: using ICT to develop children’s oral and literate abilities.
Reading, 37(2) pp. 81–89.
This article describes the outcomes of recent research on children's talk while engaged in joint literacy activities in primary school (Year 5). The research is based on a conception of talk as a tool for 'thinking together', with computer software being treated as a resource for organising and focusing children's involvement in collaborative activities. The results are used to discuss the value of classroom talk and computer-based activities for promoting children's literacy development.
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Plant Germination and Reproduction Activity Sheet – Free Science Printable Word Search Activity Sheet
Plant Germination and Reproduction Activity Sheet – Download the FREE science printable word search activity sheet. Our free printable activity sheet includes a fun word searching puzzle and a find-the-missing words game for kids.This free science word search game has fun facts all about the life cycle of a plant and how plant reproduction and germination works.
The word search game about plant germination and reproduction is a fun way to gain your child’s interest during science classes or homeschooling activities. Our free science word search activity is downloadable and free to print.
Our plant reproduction activity sheet is great for kids in Grade school in First Grade to Fifth Grade as well as younger kids in Kindergarten and kids in Preschool.
Primary school kids from Grade 1 to 5 can use this free science printable activity sheet as a reading comprehension tool. Kids shall learn well about how plant reproduction works, because the kids will end up needing to read several times the plant reproduction fun facts to find the missing words.
This science word search game is a fun way for kids to learn and remember facts about plant germination and reproduction and also a great way for improving reading comprehension skills.
Younger kids who don’t know how to read can benefit from this free science kids worksheet as a listening comprehension game. Teachers and Educators can read out loud to the kids the plant germination and reproduction fun facts and then ask the kids to recall what the missing words are. Pre-K kids can also benefit from playing the hidden words puzzle while practicing to spot and recognize letters and words.
If your child is being home-schooled, or is enrolled in some extra-curricular program, then this is a fun activity, with reading comprehension benefits for first graders all the way to fifth grade kids.
Teachers can use the free word search activity about plant reproduction and germination for science classes at school and make learning about plant life cycle enjoyable for kids.
Private Educators and Tutors can use our reproduction and germination science activity sheet for extra-curricular programs and distant learning science activities.
This science worksheet will help kids learn about how plants grow and reproduce. Plants start their lives as tiny seeds. Seeds need soil, sunlight, water and air in order to grow. Once the seeds have the right conditions, the plant inside starts to grow and get bigger. It pushes open the seed coat. Tiny leaves appear and push out of the soil.
Learn more fun facts about how plants grow and reproduce by downloading this free science activity sheet!
Plant Germination and Reproduction Activity Sheet
Did you enjoy the Free Plant Germination and Reproduction Activity Sheet? Read lengthy information here.
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MLA Style Citation
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APA Style Citation
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Students and teachers across the country look forward to the same thing every year — summer vacation, the two- to three-month break after the end of each school year. The average school year is 180 days, leaving the rest of the year for students to languish and, some think, to forget what they learned throughout the school year. Why do we have summer vacations, and should we consider changing them in the future?
Why Do We Have Summer Vacation?
Summertime is synonymous with warm weather and trips to the beach, but in the 1800s and early 1900s, school breaks didn’t have anything to do with vacation and had everything to do with the rising temperatures. Air conditioners didn’t become standard until the mid-1960s, so cities and school buildings were often sweltering during the warm summer months.
In hot climate areas like Florida or Arizona, staying inside could actually become dangerous as temperatures climbed, so hot summer months were often spent outside. The rich could retreat to the cooler coastal cities, but everyone else was left to sweat at home. As air conditioners became more common, the practical need for summer vacations diminished, but the vacations themselves remained.
The Summer Slide
One of the main arguments against the standard summer vacation is the so-called “summer slide” — the tendency of students to forget what they’ve learned over the long summer months. Much of the beginning of the new school year is spent reminding students of the things they learned in the previous year before approaching new topics.
Some research has estimated re-teaching students at the beginning of the year can cost upwards of $1,500 per student every single year, or more than $18,000 over the course of the student’s school career.
Year-round schooling has been proposed as a solution to the standard summer vacation, and one school district in Virginia has been using a year-round schedule for more than a decade. Instead of a long school year and a large summer vacation, the students have a six-week summer vacation, four one-week breaks throughout the year and the standard holiday and spring breaks.
A study completed in 2012 found students on a year-round schedule increased their standardized test scores at a faster rate than schools on a traditional schedule.
Beyond Elementary Education
Primary school students aren’t the only ones who suffer from the summer slide — college students often fall into the same trap. Dorms close over the summer months, meaning students are spending their vacation carting all their belongings home and then back again at the beginning of the year. It also interferes with students who have part-time jobs or internships that continue throughout the summer.
Most colleges are very set in their semester scheduling, but there are other solutions to that problem — providing year-round affordable student housing allows these students to continue their studies, their work or their internships without interruption.
A year-round school schedule might not be the perfect solution to all school-related problems, but it can help prevent students from forgetting the things they’ve learned in the previous year. Year-round schedules can also make life a little bit easier for working parents — there’s no need to find as much childcare when kids are in school most of the year with short breaks in between.
If the goal is to increase test scores, school districts across the country could benefit from changing their schedule around a little bit, shortening summer vacation in favor of a more even spread of school days.


Growing into Music: a multicultural study of musical enculturation in oral traditions
Dr Lucy Durán
Higher Education Institute
School of Oriental and African Studies
Children who grow up in oral musical contexts such as the families of hereditary musical specialists commonly learn the body-language of music before they learn music itself. Throughout infancy and childhood they absorb the mannerisms of performance practice and the physical and social graces befitting of musicians. Learning music is accomplished largely by osmosis and imitation, often without a great deal of conscious intent. Children develop an unselfconscious musical confidence born of inherited or deeply-nurtured authority. Very little has been written about the processes of childhood music acquisition in the oral traditions of non-European cultures. The three-year AHRC-funded Growing into Music project arose in response to a pressing need to study these processes before they are overwhelmed by the institutionalisation of music-teaching and globalisation.
Since January 2009, we have been documenting oral music acquisition and transmission, conducting a detailed exploration of the processes by which children in diverse cultures become musicians, beginning with passive exposure in infancy and culminating in adolescent participation in public performance. We are considering our findings in the context of the belief, widely-held in such cultures, that these learning processes are intrinsic to the strength and depth of these highly-specialised traditions, which in all cases are central expressions of regional/national identity.
We are a team of four ethnomusicologists, each of whom specialises in particular geographic areas and ethnic groups. Each of us also has qualifications and experience in other relevant disciplines including music education, cognitive psychology, psychotherapy, film-making, popular music studies, music production, andbroadcasting-perspectives which contribute to the comprehensiveness of our study. Two of us are also bimusical-adept performers in the musical traditions which we are studying.
We have been studying musical childhoods amongst: Mande jeli (griot) musicians of Mali and Guinea; Langa and Manganiyar folk musicians of Rajasthan; hereditary accompanists in the art music tradition of North India; ashiq bards and classical mugam musicians of Azerbaijan;; rumba musicians of Western Cuba; and the musica llanera harp tradition of Venezuela, an oral tradition which both contrasts with and feeds into the more formal pedagogy of Venezuela's world-famous youth orchestras. We have been observing and filming the same children ‘growing into music' over two and a half years, making three fieldwork trips to each country.
These cultures have been chosen because they all have strong, relatively intact, oral traditions. They present fascinating differences with regard to the centrality of hereditary transmission, their positions on the continuum between art and folk music, the relative proportions of active transmission and passive acquisition, the balance between memorisation and improvisation, and the degree of mediation by musical literacy, institutionalisation, and globalisation.
During the course of the project there have been many preliminary film-showings and lectures in the UK, in the US, and also in the countries in which we are working. Perhaps Growing into Music's most significant impact had been in promoting these endangered oral traditions in their own countries.
The project has also resulted in a follow-on project forging musical links between Mali and Cuba: see www.mali-cuba.com.
As the project nears completion, we are now editing our final films which will be released as DVDs as well as in full high definition on our website www.growingintomusic.co.uk. We are also producing a scholarly volume which both addresses the project as a whole, taking a comparative approach in a co-written introductory chapter, and addressing the six cultures individually in chapters by each of the researchers.


Fortis Alberta has donated a power monitor to each library in the
Parkland Regional Library System.
They come in a small black case and included in the case is a quick start guide
and safety instructions.
The power monitor can be signed out for one week at a time.
The Kill-a-Watt Power Monitor lets you measure how much electricity
is used by appliances or other devices in your home or office.
Simply plug the Kill-a-Watt into an electrical outlet, and then plug your device into the Kill-a-Watt.
By tracking which devices are consuming power unnecessarily,
you can save hundreds of dollars a year in power bills and help the environment at the same time.
On January 27, 2011 Canadian families from coast to coast will Play for Literacy in support of Family Literacy Day which encourages parents and children to spend at least 15 minutes enjoying a learning activity every day. The Sylvan Lake Municipal Library will be participating in Play! for Literacy and invites families to come out and Play! at the Library on Thursday the 27th of January from 1-2 pm as we support Family Literacy Day.
The Sylvan Lake Library is planning a plethora of board games, card games, puzzles, guest storytellers, and refreshments from 1-2 pm on Thursday January 27th. We are also hosting a prize draw for Literacy Bingo, courtesy of The Henday Association. Come in as soon as possible to get your bingo card and complete the activities so you’re eligible for the prize draw.
Play for Literacy can include all types of play that encourages literacy and numeracy development as well as comprehension skills, such as board games, card games and imaginative self-created activities and games. Games, and the carefree act of playing, provide a fun outlet in which individuals of all ages can engage in activities that inherently provide new learning or opportunities to improve one's reading, writing, math and comprehension skills.
"Playing games not only has the ability to bring people together, it also provides a fun environment in which learning takes place," explains Margaret Eaton, ABC Life Literacy Canada President. "Card games help improve numeracy skills while board games, and even word association games, sharpen spelling, reading and comprehension skills. The reality that learning can take place while laughing and being engaged together as family is important to remember as we continue to be challenged in our day-to-day lives."
Family Literacy Day, held annually on January 27, was developed by ABC Life Literacy Canada (formerly ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation) in 1999 to celebrate adults and children reading and learning together, and to encourage Canadian families to spend at least 15 minutes a day enjoying a learning activity together. Visit FamilyLiteracyDay.ca to find a local event or to access resources to create your own celebration.
Alberta Society of Artists
AFA Traveling Exhibition
Maskwacis Bear Hills.
January 5 - 25, 2011
at the Library Presenting an eclectic mix of
artworks created by young artists and professionals,
this exhibition reflects upon the attributes important to the
Nehiyaw and their individual stories.Maskwacîs (Bear Hills) was generously funded by
Would you like to put balance back into your life this year? Join Kim Reinhart of Optimal Fitness and Kathleen Robertson of Vitality Nutrition and Wellness at the library to find out how.
Thursday, January 13
7 pm to 8 pm
Learn how to eat mindfully, develop healthy exercise habits and reduce stress.
All those in attendance will be entered into a draw for a one month training session at Optimal Fitness ($200 value) and a free nutritional assessment from Vitality Nutrition and Wellness. ($90 value).
About the Facilitators:
Kim Reinhart Kimberley Reinhart, is a Personal Trainer and the owner of Optimal Fitness in Sylvan Lake. She created Optimal Fitness in March of 2009 after being certified as a Personal Trainer through Can Fit Pro. Kim has her Level 1 Agatsu Kettlebell Certification, Level 1 MMA Fitness Instructor certification as well as the TRX Suspension Training course certification. Optimal Fitness specializes in small group training for all shapes, sizes and abilities. Visit the website for all services and class schedule.
Check out Kim’s website:http://personaltrainingsylvanlake.com/
Kathleen Robertson is a holistic nutritionist who provides personalized wellness plans to help you reach and achieve nutritional balance and reach your goals. Kathleen graduated from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.
Check out Kathleen’s website: http://www.vitalitynutrition.ca/


|PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ADDITONAL INFORMATION AND LINKS.
Email: Laurie Frick, System Wide Music Education K-12 Facilitator.
FOR CONCERT DATE INFORMATION, GO TO HOME PAGE
AND CLICK ON CONCERT CALENDAR.
Birmingham Public Schools is committed to having the
finest music programs possible. Students begin their music
education in kindergarten. Opportunities are available for students
to perform through high school in choirs, bands, orchestras,
pop ensembles, jazz bands, marching bands, electric orchestras,
pit orchestras, and additional vocal ensembles. In addition, our
students can paricipate in various festival experiences,
and perform as soloists and ensemble members in our
musicals. We also offer music classes in: AP music theory,
music technology and class piano.
Philosophy of Music Education
Birmingham Public Schools
The school music program is essential to the life-long learning process of students. The role of the music program is to educate students in music and give them an opportunity to use that knowledge. New research has shown that the study of music develops the higher order thinking skills and can increase mathematical, linguistic, kinesthetic and musical intelligence by helping to make connections between the neurons in the brain. In addition, spatial and abstract reasoning abilities can be enhanced. To this end, music educators will plan comprehensive, organized and sequential units of instruction. These units serve to
intellectually, emotionally, physically and aesthetically nurture students. During the learning process, students will employ the collaborative spirit, make connections with other subject areas and utilize “state of the art” technology in order to integrate this knowledge more effectively. This comprehensive program is designed to develop globally aware musically literate people. In addition, students will develop perseverance and discipline that will serve them in all other areas of life.
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As an adventurous little girl searches for the rare fruit of a special tree, researchers at Gallaudet University hope children and adults will start their own journey in bilingual language learning and love of reading.
“We wanted to translate our valuable research findings into useful, exciting, and real tangible educational resources for children to use directly—to hold, play, tap, and touch in their hands,” wrote Melissa Malzkuhn, Digital Innovation and Media Strategies Manager at Gallaudet's Science of Learning Center on Visual Language and Visual Learning, in an e-mail interview.
Figure. Melissa Malz...Image Tools
An all-deaf team led by Ms. Malzkuhn developed an interactive, bilingual app for the iPad that tells the tale of a curious girl's quest for the delicious fruit of the baobab tree, an original story first devised in American Sign Language (ASL).
The storybook was designed based on three overarching research findings, Ms. Malzkuhn explained:
* Early exposure to bilingual models leads to healthy cognitive development for both languages.
* It's important for literacy development, especially reading, for children to see vocabulary words used in context.
* Visual phonology—which is found in the forms of finger spelling as well as in the hand shapes, movements, and rhythm in sign language—plays a key role in the cognitive processing of deaf and hard of hearing children.
With these findings in mind, the developers included in the app 170 video-embedded vocabulary words that are signed and finger spelled, allowing users to tap on a video during reading when they don't know a vocabulary word or aren't sure how it is signed. The app can be viewed in three different modes: watch, read, and learn.
“In the watch mode, you enjoy the ASL storytelling, like a cinematic experience with an animated background showing the action as depicted in the story,” Ms. Malzkuhn wrote. “This is perfect for very young readers who are starting to learn to read or simply want to gain the concept of the whole narrative. This also is a good starting point for parents or others who want to learn and practice ASL.”
In the read mode, the video-linked words are highlighted, and readers can tap them to activate the video. The learn mode is a glossary of all the video-activated vocabulary words.
Ms. Malzkuhn and her team are developing two other apps. “The Little Airplane That Could” is a creative adaption of the classic “The Little Engine That Could,” featuring a little plane trying to take two dogs to their dog show over a formidable mountain, she noted. “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” takes a new look at a timeless fable with ASL storytelling and emotive paintings.
In addition to these two storybook apps, the team has plans in place for future research.
“We are currently developing an eye-tracking study using the Tobii eye-tracking system, and we are now collecting user characteristics through two other methods: data tracking that's already built in the app and a survey that we have completed with over 60 schools for the deaf in the nation,” Ms. Malzkuhn wrote. “After identifying the user characteristics, we will then move on to efficacy studies, but this won't start until 2014.”
The hope of this work is to inspire a love for stories and learning.
“That's the number one motivating factor behind this all, that research findings can be embedded successfully in a design that executes a narrative so well that children will enjoy reading and learning, leading them toward more stories,” Ms. Malzkuhn wrote. “At the heart of this all, don't we all love a good story?”
The app is available for $6.99 on the iTunes store: http://bit.ly/BaobabApp.
HJ Return to thehearingjournal.com
© 2013 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.


This unit introduces students to foundational concepts and pedagogies in the field of music teaching for Years 11-12. The unit equips students with the foundational skills to program a Music curriculum that facilitates students in Years 11-12 being able to: understand the powerful influence that political, social, technological and economic factors have on music in contemporary times; conduct independent research and compare and contrast works of music from different cultural settings and communicate understandings in written and practical forms. The unit prepares students to plan and teach the Music curriculum in the senior secondary years.
Prescribed Text - MUSIC: AN APPRECIATION
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Kandinsky Circles: Free Lesson Plan Download
Level: K-2 Art Education Lesson Plan
Art Elements: Shape
Art Skills: Cutting, Gluing
Art History: Kandinsky
* Get more free lessons like this, on our Lessons Page
Depending on time, you may want to have students only make 4 circles or 6 circles total on their paper. I have shown you how one finished circle looks, but these works of art can be time consuming. it’s such a great attic for students to evaluate sizes, and adjust their drawing and cutting to make sure the sizes are correct. You will find during this lesson students are very engaged and the room will be very busy and on-task! Black paper really makes these pop!


Meiji Restoration began when Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States moved into the Edo Bay [Tokyo Bay] and demanded that Tokugawa Japan to agree to foreign powers access trade in the nation in 1853. Through this new trade establishments, a sequence of events stated led by the Japan’s rise as modern imperial power house. With time, the Japan’s political intellectuals realized that the U.S and other neighboring countries are ahead in terms of military technology and so they felt vulnerable to western colonialism.
Japan political elites felt that rather than suffer to similar fate like the mighty Qing China in the hands of British colony, they had to close their doors against foreign influence and come up with their own modernization plan. They had to restore the emperor and build a great Japan’s political organization to hold off the western colonialists and project Japanese power. In 1866, the Hisamitsu of Satsuma domain and Kido Takayoshi of Choshu domain formed an alliance to work against Tokugawa Shogunate.
These leaders sought to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogun and place their own Emperor Komei into power. Through him, it became easy to keep away the western colonizers. Komei died in 1867 and his young son Mutsuhito took over the throne as the Meiji Emperor in 1867. Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned as the 15th Tokugawa Shogun transferring his power to young emperor who was stubborn to give up power easily. Presented with such chance, the Meiji Emperor issued a majestic ruling dissolving the house of Tokugawa a move that yielded good fruits.
The Boshin war broke up in 1868 when the Yoshinobu troops clashed with the samurai army from the Meiji emperor. The war lasted until May of 1869 and the Meiji Emperor’s armies had the artillery to win the war and the Tokugawa Yoshinobu surrendered to the Satsuma handing over the Edo Castle. This meant the Meiji Restoration was inexorable and ready for modernization. Besides, building unstoppable samurai army, the Meiji Restoration guaranteed incredible changes in the nation.
The Meiji Emperor set about great ways on transforming Japan into a more powerful modern nation. The empire abolished the four-tiered class structure and built a modern recruit army that used western-style uniforms, tactics and weapons in place of the samurai. The Emperor also ordered elementary education for both boys and girls. Improving manufacturing in Japan was the next set in his agenda. The emperor set out to transform textile manufacturing and other goods to heavy machinery and weapons production. By 1889, the Meiji construction exhibited on Prussia.
Within a few decade, the Meiji Restoration transformed Japan from a semi-isolated island country, under the threat of western domination to an imperial power house in its own will. To under more pain to the westerns, Japan seized control of Korea, won the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895 by defeating the Qing China and historically defeating the Tsar’s navy and army during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. In spite of the many traumas and social upset caused by the Meiji Restoration, Japan was transformed into a great nation and ranked among the world super powers. Today, japan remains the third largest economy in the globe and a voice to reckon in the innovation and technology field thanks to the Meiji Restoration.
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In his book, How Do We Know, Leonard Read claims that Napoleon Bonaparte was “more than anyone, responsible for government ‘education’ in the U.S.A.” As a firm believer in “education” (i.e. indoctrination), Napoleon was an early proponent of government-funded schools. Interestingly, Napoleon was less concerned with elementary education and allowed these to be administrated by local municipalities and religious groups. A true centralizer, Napoleon was more interested in secondary education, splitting the students (the male ones) into two groups: those headed for civil work and those headed to military service. “Public instruction,” said Napoleon, “should be the first object of government.”
Oddly, many modern Americans are in firm agreement with the late French dictator. Few American parents stop to question the vast monopoly of government education present in the United States. Many begin walking their child to the bus stop at age five without giving much thought to the sheer arrogance—and contradiction—of turning their children over to complete strangers for 5-7 hours every day. In fact, this bizarre reality has gotten so commonplace and accepted that when parents choose to keep their child out of the public system they are viewed as being a bit strange. In this bizarro world, clear-thinking, free-market people, who wouldn’t think twice about saying that centralized government is a dangerous thing, are only more than willing to applaud the idea of centralized education.
Edmund Burke wrote: “Tell me what are the prevailing sentiments that occupy the minds of your young men and I will tell you what is to be the character of the next generation.” Napoleon well understood this. He believed that the young men in France belonged to him alone and he saw to it that they were trained appropriately for a life that most benefited France. Do you think that it’s any different in 21st America? Not a chance. Children will be taught what politicians and educators believe is “best,” not the parents. All education is indoctrination. No child is ever taught “objectively.” But we have a situation in American education where those paying for the service are by no means controlling the service. PTA meetings may give the illusion of influence, but illusions are all they are.
Leonard Read writes:
The responsibility for the education of children rests with the parents. For how long? Until the child matures into self-responsibility. If never, the problem is not educational but custodial.
Note that last sentence well. If our children are not maturing into self-reliant citizens of productivity and industry, the problem lies not with what they have been taught, but with what they have actually learned. It has become somewhat trendy, especially in conservative circles, to talk negatively about the American school system. And rightfully so, please don’t hear me defending government education in any way. But the point is that too many parents rely on the government to educate their children without ever inserting themselves into the process. Discussions about education mainly consist of “Is your homework done?” And this is only a prerequisite for letting the kid play video games or send text messages the rest of the evening.
Parents have convinced themselves that the “government education” stops the minute the kid walks in the door, but in truth it is continuing unabated. If Burke is correct (and I believe he is), what is currently “occupying the minds of our young men” will do nothing to help them mature into freedom-loving citizens. We must be diligent in training them for the difficult task at hand. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2).
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Limestone cliffs in Saudi Arabia
When the Earth was first forming, about six billion years ago, there weren't any sedimentary or metamorphic rocks, only igneous rocks like quartz that formed when melted silica, carbon, and other molecules cooled off and stuck together. But gradually some of these igneous rocks began to break down into smaller rocks, and then into little grains of sand and clay.
When it rained, or the wind blew, these little grains washed away or blew away, and eventually they fell into rivers and oceans. When you go to the beach, you see a lot of sand made from quartz, working its way into the ocean. When you dig a hole in the dirt to plant flowers, that dirt is also made of broken-down rocks that blew away or were washed away, and so there's more good dirt in river valleys than there is on top of hills.
The oldest known sedimentary rock, from Greenland
By about 3.9 billion years ago (just a little less than four billion years ago), these loose bits of dirt and sand began to clump together again to make new rocks - these were the first sedimentary rocks. Most sedimentary rock forms in water, where the weight of the water presses down on the layers of sand and clay to squash them together into a new rock. Sometimes animals and plants get stuck in between the layers, and then fossils in their shape get molded into the new stone.
A fossil of a dragonfly, from Germany, about 150 million years ago
Because some kinds of grains, like sand, are bigger and heavier than other kinds, like clay, they sink faster when they fall into the lake or the ocean. That's how you get different kinds of sedimentary rocks. Some kinds are mostly made near shore, and they have mostly sand in them, like sandstone. Other kinds are mostly made farther from shore, and they have mostly clay in them, like shale. The particles that get furthest from shore are the ones that make limestone. All of these rocks still form today, just the same way they formed billions of years ago.
To find out more about rocks, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:
Science for Kids home page
Kidipede home page


In the strict "teacher-tell" model of traditional educational approaches, teachers who sought to become friends with their students were outside the norm. In some cases, this kind of behavior was actually seen as a breach of ethics. Teachers were the experts and students were the novices and the gap between them was to be maintained to preserve both order in the class and the respect for authority needed for learning to occur.
Recent research on how the brain learns has turned that view upside down in many educational environments. Although there is still some disagreement about brain-based research, it does appear to indicate students learn best that which is relevant to their lives.
How can teachers structure their content and presentation methods to reflect relevance if they have little, if any, understanding of their individual students and the way contemporary students live their lives?
And what better way to learn than to make efforts to be on friendly terms with as many students as possible? Hours spent searching the Internet might provide insight as to the likes and dislikes of students in your educational environment, but they cannot give you an understanding of the needs and wants of the specific individuals for whom you are responsible.
For some teachers, befriending students is a simple matter of being available to them as often as possible and sharing experiences. Teachers arrive early and remain after class to chat with students as frequently as possible. Attendance at all school extracurricular activities and formal functions provides additional opportunities to engage in life-centered conversations with students.
There are many things to talk about that bridge the age gap. Students may be surprised to learn teachers were equally enthralled by the musical stars of their day. Tales of struggling with homework and final examinations humanizes a teacher, and makes students feel like he or she is "one of them." Anything that narrows the perception gap where students see teachers as out of touch with their world promotes friendship.
Befriending students is not a problem.
However, given the fact we are only human, it is possible to become friendlier with some students than others. Indeed, it is possible that attempts to befriend students may lead to the discovery that some are simply hard to like at all! And those positive and negative preferences can begin to influence classroom behavior on the part of both teacher and student.
Fairness is critical in teaching and if your behavior towards certain students with whom you are especially friendly even hints at favored treatment in any way, the other students will sense the favoritism and react accordingly.
The fairness principle applies to all educational environments - elementary education, graduate education, and industrial education. If the trainer is on a company sponsored athletic team with a few participants and appears partial to them in the class setting, that can cause problems.
This presents a real ethical dilemma for many modern teachers. Ethics is about principles of right and wrong. Certainly it is not wrong to befriend students and in fact can be beneficial. But how far can one go before friendship extends to favoritism in the class?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_West_Ph.D.


Out of the 24 countries which saw their international literacy and numeracy test results examined, England came 21st for numeracy and 22nd for literacy. Perhaps even more shockingly, England was the only developed country surveyed where the population is becoming worse educated instead of better, with young people failing to do better in the tests than those in the 55-65 age group. According to the study, 8.5 million adults in England and Northern Ireland have the numeracy skills of a ten year old.
Despite the failings of our school system, the UK still has some of the greatest universities in the world, and indisputably punches above its weight in the realm of higher education. But if British children continue to fall behind their peers in other developed countries, the long-term viability of our leading status in this area could be called into question. More generally, having a poorly educated population is going to have negative externalities in terms of Britain’s economic productivity, employment rates and ability to compete in the global race.
But what can be done about this problem? Surely there aren’t enough hours on the school timetable to devote to more Maths and English? Well, in British Secondary Schools a significant proportion of the curriculum is devoted to learning foreign languages. The languages taught are in the vast majority of cases, European ones, particularly French, German or Spanish, which is understandable given that most of Britain’s trade is with other EU states. However, 51% of EU citizens can speak English, and this is particularly the case amongst the better educated and younger Europeans – the very people Britons are most likely to encounter during their future careers.
Instead of spending time learning to speak languages which they are most likely never going to use, this valuable time in the curriculum could instead be used to improve not only the numerical and literacy skills of young Britons, but also their skills in the fields of science and technology. Our fluency in English, the world’s language, gives us a massive advantage, and so since it is not necessary for us to devote a large amount of school hours to learning foreign languages, we have a great opportunity to gain a similar advantage in the skills which will drive our economy forward in the 21st century. Of course the value of other languages cannot be denied but if it is at the expense of basic literary and numeracy skills surely something is wrong.
In 1997 Tony Blair promised that education would be the top priority of his Labour administration. However, the fact that 16-24 year olds, the very people who spent most of their time at school while Labour was in power, are so intellectually backward, shows that Blair’s promise was not fulfilled and that Labour’s education policies were ultimately a failure. Whatever you may think of Michael Gove’s education reforms, he should be given credit for at least attempting to fix a system which is quite clearly in desperate need of repair.


Students at PS 56, learning about China, have crafted projects displayed in celebration of the coming new year
STATEN ISLAND, NY – ROSSVILLE — The celebration of the Chinese New Year on Sunday may be a fitting climax for art students at PS 56, who’ve been studying the history and cultural arts of China for weeks now.
All classes, from kindergarten through fifth grade, have been participating in “History Through the Fine Arts” a program taught and coordinated by Connie Kenney.
Mrs. Kenney has traveled extensively in China and has adapted her curriculum to each grade. Kindergartners have studied Chinese inventions and crafted Chinese fans. First-graders have read Chinese folktales, illustrated some of the characters, and created “yinyang’ clocks with Chinese numerals.
Second-graders are creating watercolor washes and embellishing them with oil pastels for their study of the Chinese landscape. They are working with oil pastels for the first time, drawing animals native to China, including the panda. They also learned about commonplace items that were first invented by the Chinese.
“The Chinese were the first to grow and eat soy,” explained second-grader Faith Fauci. “Today we use soy in sauce, tofu and soy milk,” added the 7-year-old.
Her classmate, Eddie Babilonia, noted that the Chinese also invited gunpowder, “They used it for war, and to make firecrackers.”
The Chinese invented silk, explained Frank Frost. “They used the fiber from a silkworm to weave into cloth and make their clothes,” he said.
Third-graders, meanwhile, designed blue and white porcelain vases with flowers and dragons, the symbol of the power and strength during the Ming Dynasty, which extended from about 1368 to 1644. After reading some Chinese lore, they wrote their own stories in Chinese calligraphy.
Third-grader Samantha Aloi said she enjoyed reading about the Forbidden City. “I learned that the Forbidden City was not really a city. It was the home of the Chinese emperor,” she said.
Her classmate, James Kelly, said he enjoyed learning about Chinese kites. “Long ago, Chinese kites were made of silk, bamboo, and silk for flying lines,” he explained.
Fourth- and fifth-graders created their own vases in color, using the symbol of the mythical phoenix. Fourth-graders also produced a watercolor of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Fourth-grader Alexander Hong read about the ancient Qin Dynasty (221 to 206 B.C.). “They began the tradition of having emperors as rulers,” he said.
Basel Romhen explained that the emperor of the Qin Dynasty built part of The Great Wall. “He built it to protect the Chinese from the Mongolian warriors,” he explained.
Mrs. Kenney said the children’s artwork will be displayed throughout the school, in hallways and classrooms, in the spirit of Chinese New Year.
She said she is also teaching her history-through-the-arts program to undergraduate students studying elementary education at the College of Staten Island.
Diane Lore writes about schools and education for the Advance. Contact her at email@example.com.