In Reading Challenges and Opportunities Part 2, I explored the challenges our students face that contribute to their difficulties with reading comprehension. These past student experiences are things that we cannot change. Our job is to determine what we can influence. What can we do that will support student learning today, in our classrooms? We know that some of our students overcome challenges and make gains in reading comprehension by the end of fourth grade. We chose to examine the “internal resources,” or character traits and habits of our successful students. We wondered if we could help other students develop the same habits and recognize their own internal resources.
The internal resources we observe in our most successful students include: family loyalty, curiosity, and the capacity to persist in the face of challenges. This post will explore how we define each of these internal resources and how we try to draw out these internal resources in our struggling learners, and all our students.
What do we mean by family loyalty? This loyalty is shown by our most successful students for their families. Students regularly share stories about their parents and siblings. Students proudly bring their parents to parent nights and their younger siblings to meet us during recess. Older siblings return to help interpret for parents at conference time. Older siblings are seen attending the soccer games or music concerts of their brothers or sisters. We view this loyalty as an internal resource that helps students recognize a purpose for their learning. A good education will make their family proud, and help them contribute to their family’s wellbeing in the future. We draw this internal resource out in our students by taking the time to get to know them as individuals. I make time for monthly lunch dates with small table groups for example, and have short conversations with students during recess. In class, we ask them questions and have them write about their families. We ask, “what do you want to be doing in twenty years?” we ask parents to consider, “What do you want your child to be doing in twenty years?” We also emphasize to both parents and students the importance of learning the home language. Second language learning can be confusing for students in the short term, but in the long term it will benefit the students to know a second language. We believe that connecting with students in this way has made a big difference for them academically and socially, it helps them identify their inner resources.
Another internal resource students possess is curiosity, or a love of learning. I see this most clearly when we go on field trips in nature and when I include hands on activities to explore math, social studies, engineering or science. These activities encourage conversations with classmates, and reduce the usual caution about making mistakes in oral language that can occur in more formal classroom discussions. When my students seem to be getting discouraged with learning a topic, I strive to include an activity that will allow them to build a physical representation, to explore the topic in a hands-on way. These activities seem to reignite students’ curiosity and increase their readiness to tackle academic language and concepts.
The third internal resource we have identified is the ability to persist in the face of challenges. Many of our students share a room with their immediate family in an apartment. The apartment is often shared with other people. Students live in cramped living situations, but most find a way get their homework done and do their nightly reading. Families find a way to contribute school supplies and money for field trip busses. Parents find a way to take off work to help with field trips and volunteer in our classrooms. We emphasize to our students that these are all signs of persistence and that this character trait will help them learn in the face of challenges.
Clearly, it is too late to make up for language deficits that our students experienced before they came to school. We cannot assume that our students mastered all the phonic elements and reading comprehension strategies that they were taught in the lower grades. However, we can help them recognize the internal resources they already possess and show them how those characteristics and habits will help them as they build reading comprehension.
In my final post on Reading Challenges and Opportunities (Part 4) I will describe our use of the Scholastic Reading Counts program to help our students build their reading comprehension skills through regular practice reading real literature, and the reward of seeing themselves pass quizzes on the books they have read.


To inform and improve future music teacher professional development, the purpose of this survey study is to document the opinions and experiences of K-12 music teachers regarding professional development, as well as their perceived professional development needs. Factors under investigation include teaching experience, topics of interest or areas of need, past experience with professional development, and current views of online professional development. Alumni from a major university that are current K-12 music teachers will be asked to participate in this survey. The researchers aim to provide insight on how the needs of experienced music teachers differ from newer teachers, which could help further the development of authentic and personalized online professional development programs.
Designing strategies to improve music teacher professional development starts with providing teachers a greater voice in its design and implementation. As technology transforms the way people communicate in our digital culture, so can the method of professional development delivery. Online professional development (OPD) is an area in need of research, specifically on program design, effectiveness, and learner interactions (Dede, Ketelhut, Whitehouse, Breit, & McCloskey, 2009). OPD for music teachers is not a new concept, but it is continuously evolving and expanding as the teaching and learning abilities of instructors, technology access, and the format of content delivery improve (Bauer, 1997; Sherbon & Kish, 2005).
Informal interactions have been found to be a powerful form of professional development for music teachers (Conway, 2008). OPD has the potential to foster social learning by enhancing intentionality and shared identity, avoiding professional isolation, and allowing for network-building and serendipitous learning (Macia & Garcia, 2016). Virtual workshops and online communities can be an effective tool to improve teacher knowledge about an instructional practice (Fisher, Schumaker, Culbertson, and Deshler, 2010). It is important to note that technology itself does not facilitate learning, but it is possible for OPD programs to use it in ways that are consistent with various learning frameworks (Vrasidas & Zembylas, 2004). Focusing on teachers’ learning needs can help develop an authentic and personalized OPD program (Bauer & Moehle, 2008; Lock, 2006; Powell & Bodur, 2019).
This study is the first step toward developing an OPD program from the ground up. In order to improve the current methods of OPD, which is sometimes merely a pre-recorded video webinar or an online message board, we must first understand what it is that music teachers value in professional development. Then, the next step is to use technology in a meaningful way to connect teachers with the community and facilitators that will be most helpful to them. The results of this process along the way could be beneficial to any music teacher or organization that is interested in improving OPD.
Bauer, W. I. (1997). Using the internet for professional development. Music Educators Journal, 83(6), 22-27.
Bauer, W. I. & Moehle, M. (2008). A content analysis of the MENC discussion forums. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 175, 71-84.
Conway, C. M. (2008). Experienced music teacher perceptions of professional development throughout their careers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 176, 7-18.
Dede, C., Ketelhut, D. J., Whitehouse, P., Breit, L., & McCloskey, E. M. (2009). A research agenda for online teacher professional development. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(1), 8-19.
Fisher, J., Schumaker, J., Culbertson, J., & Deshler, D. (2010). Effects of a computerized professional development program on teacher and student outcomes. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(4), 302-312.
Lock, J. V. (2006). A new image: Online communities to facilitate teacher professional development. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 14(4), 663-678.
Macia, M. & Garcia, I. (2016). Informal online communities and networks as a source of teacher professional development: A review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 291-307.
Powell, C. & Bodur, Y. (2019). Teachers’ perceptions of an online professional development experience: Implications for a design and implementation framework. Teaching and Teacher Education, 77, 19-30.
Sherbon, J. W. & Kish, D. L. (2005). Distance learning and the music teacher. Music Educators Journal, 92(2), 36-41.
Vrasidas, C. & Zembylas, M. (2006). Online professional development: Lessons from the field. Education + Training, 46(6/7), 326-334.


Resources › For Educators Language Arts Warm-Up Practice Seven Effective Exercises to Stimulate Learning Share Flipboard Email Print XiXinXing / Getty Images For Educators Teaching Tips & Strategies An Introduction to Teaching Policies & Discipline Community Involvement School Administration Technology in the Classroom Teaching Adult Learners Issues In Education Teaching Resources Becoming A Teacher Assessments & Tests Elementary Education Secondary Education Special Education Homeschooling By Melissa Kelly Education Expert M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida B.A., History, University of Florida Melissa Kelly, M.Ed., is a secondary school teacher, instructional designer, and the author of "The Everything New Teacher Book: A Survival Guide for the First Year and Beyond." our editorial process Melissa Kelly Updated May 09, 2019 Just as a physical workout needs a solid warm-up for peak performance, warm-up exercises at the start of any class prime students to begin learning. Language arts warm-ups focus on grammar and composition with quick activities to encourage the creative flow. Grab your students' attention by engaging them with a stimulating task related to the day's lesson. You can introduce it on the whiteboard or with a hard copy placed on everyone's desk, but make sure they can get started immediately upon their arrival. Language arts warm-ups can review previously covered material or provide a preview of information to come. They should be quick, fun and designed for student success, such as the examples here. Identifying Adverb Clauses Adverbs modify other words, often verbs but also adjectives and other adverbs, by answering when, where and how. Adverbs may come in dependent clauses, or groups of words, making them a bit harder to identify. Welcome your language arts students to class by asking them to identify the adverb clauses in some recognizable proverbial sayings. Finding Indirect Objects Indirect objects receive or benefit from the action of a verb, but they don't always jump out of a sentence the way direct objects do. Exercises in finding indirect objects get students thinking beyond the easy answers, so warming up with an activity based on indirect objects should make their brains more limber and ready to receive new information. Uncovering Verbals Verbs sometimes stand in as other parts of speech. Collectively called verbals, verbs in use as participles, gerunds, and infinitives may be part of a phrase that includes related modifiers, objects, and complements. Task students with identifying these undercover verbs and revealing their actual identities for a fun way to engage your grammar sleuths. Practicing With Participles and Participial Phrases Building on the identification of verbals, an activity designed to further highlight the role of participles and participial phrases — when verbs become adjectives — sparks recognition that things may not always be as they seem. This useful concept for many language arts topics also translates to most other academic subjects as well. Differentiating Independent and Dependent Clauses A first glance, independent and dependent clauses appear the same. Both contain subjects and verbs, but only independent clauses can stand alone as a sentence. Start class with this exercise to remind students that rote answers rarely work in language arts and encourage them to use their critical thinking skills. Distinguishing Complete Sentences From Sentence Fragments Complete sentences can contain only one word, while sentence fragments may run on for several lines of text. Get students in the mood for grammar with a fun exercise challenging them to turn fragments into full sentences with the addition of a predicate. This activity promotes the development of complete thoughts. Remedying Run-On Sentences Run-on sentences result from missing conjunctions or punctuation. Starting class with an exercise in correcting run-on sentences prompts students to pay attention to the details. This makes a good opener for lessons on composition and creative writing.


Henri Edmond Cross was a French printmaker and painter. He was one of the most prominent Post-Impressionist artists, and along with Paul Signac, was much responsible for the second phase of said movement.
Henri-Edmond-Joseph Delacroix was born in May 1856. He was born in the city of Douai, northern France. His artistic talent was noted at an early age by his mother’s cousin, Dr. Auguste Soins, who was very supportive of him, even financing young Cross’ first drawing lessons, under the teachings of Carolus-Duran.
He studied for a short period in Paris under François Bonvin. Cross returned to Lille, where he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts before enrolling at the Écoles Académiques de Dessin et d’Architecture in 1878, where took classes for three years under Alphonse Colas.
Cross would continue his art education under Émile Dupont-Zipcy before moving again to Paris in 1881. That same year he would change his name to distinguish himself from Eugene Delacroix, Anglicizing and shortening his name to Henri Cross (the word Croix means Cross in French). 1881 was also when he first exhibited at the Paris Salon. Cross painted several landscapes in his early career, taking many trips to explore them, such as to the Mediterranean, where he met Paul Signac, who became a significant influence as well as a close friend.
Despite his close association with the Post-Impressionists, Cross would only adopt their style years later. His artwork continued to exhibit many influences, especially from his Realist teachers and artists such as Edouard Manet, Jules Bastien-Lepage, as well as from Impressionist painters.
In 1883, Cross met Paul Signac, who became both an influence and a lifelong friend. In the same year, the artist also met Claude Monet, whose influence is evident regarding Cross’ shift to landscape painting and a more bright color palette.
In 1884, Cross was one of the co-founders of the Society of Independent Artists, along with other distinguished artists, such as Odilon Redon, Albert Dubois-Pillet, Georges Seurat, Charles Angrand, and Paul Signac.
In 1891, Cross began to experiment and create paintings applying the Post-Impressionist techniques. Said artworks would become those the artist is most remembered by. His first Pointillist painting was Madame Hector France.
Around 1983, probably due to health problems, the artist went to a city nearby Saint-Tropez, where Paul Signac promptly followed his friend. Both artists became closer and began to host meetings with other painters, such as Andre Derain and Henri Matisse.
Both Cross and Signac began to develop what would be considered the second generation of Post-Impressionism, characterized by a sort of evolution of Pointillism, using lesser brushstrokes, providing more artistic freedom. They also began to utilize colors as a compositional element rather than bound them to replicate the environment.


Learning about the letter name subset of the vocabulary: Evidence from US and Brazilian preschoolers.
August 2, 2017
To examine the factors that affect the learning of letter names, an important foundation for literacy, we asked 318 US and 369 Brazilian preschoolers to identify each uppercase letter. Similarity of letter shape was the major determinant of confusion errors in both countries, and children were especially likely to interchange letters that were similar in shape as well as name. Errors were also affected by letter frequency, both general frequency and occurrence of letters in children's own names. Differences in letter names and letter frequencies between English and Portuguese led to certain differences in the patterns of performance for children in the two countries. Other differences appeared to reflect US children's greater familiarity with the conventional order of the alphabet. Boys were overrepresented at the low end of the continuum of letter name knowledge, suggesting that some boys begin formal reading instruction lacking important foundational skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Foundational reading sub-skills
Location of Study:
Type of Document:
- Treiman, R., Kessler, B., & Pollo, T. (2006). Learning about the letter name subset of the vocabulary: Evidence from US and Brazilian preschoolers.. Applied Psycholinguistics, 27(2), 211-227. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b9d8/9554c579512de82dcd63a0531569b204f5ce.pdf


Last week, we had another Progressive Early Childhood Education seminar up North. Before we speak with teachers, we get information on the school and how our approach can complement and not go against their existing curriculum. The approach and basic concepts of progressive education can help any teacher, regardless if their school is progressive or not. So teachers, listen up!
1. Know your students. Progressive education is child-centered. However, most traditional schools usually have packaged curricula that need to be unpacked regardless of the developmental skills of the students. One size should fit all. In reality, not all the students can follow the same pace.
During the first weeks of class, try to make a short observation log for each student that not only contains basic information but also interests, strengths, and weaknesses that you observed. If you notice a student having hard time with your Math lesson plan, for example, suggest websites that offer free Math activities. They can do this when they get home.
I understand that most school teachers have more than 25 students in a class and this may be difficult to do. But trust me when I say that your teaching can actually become easier if you try to get to know your students more and prescribe ways to work on their weaknesses and highlight their strengths.
2. Make activities more experiential. “Think of your most vivid school memory, whether good or bad.” I asked this from our recently concluded teacher seminar and their replies confirmed John Dewey’s belief of experiential learning or learning through experiences. One teacher said, “I remember a poetry reading contest that I joined and I was supposed to read ‘O Captain, My Captain’. Since the role needed me to look poor, my parents made me dress up in a dirty dress and they washed coffee all over me to make me look dirty. I cried when I saw the other participants who were spankingly clean!! I turned to my parents and said ‘How can you dress me up this way?!’ I had no choice but to read my poem in dirty clothes. Lo and behold, I won the contest!”
I asked that teacher, “Who wrote ‘O Captain, My Captain’?” She answered, “Walt Whitman”. The poetry reading contest happened 10 years ago and not only did she remember the author, I can bet she can recite the whole poem still. Why? Because it was wrapped around the experience of joining that poetry contest.
Children learn through experience and they remember things that they are involved in. I then told that group of teachers, that they are now the memory-makers of their students. I hardly hear children say they remembered something because they studied for it in school. They remember things that they have experienced rather than things they’ve memorized.
3. Use themes close to the interest of the students. In our school, our teacher are keen observers and listeners. They usually know what their students are currently watching, reading, playing , eating, etc. because they engage in a lot of conversations with them. I had to watch through PowerPuff Girls, Barney all the way to today’s Sofia the First and Dora the Explorer; read The Hunger Games Trilogy and other young adult literature and listen to Taylor Swift‘s whole RED album, just to learn what they’re interested in! Once you know this, you can use these to deliver your lesson plan and voila, you will get their much coveted attention.
4. Unleash your creativity! Believe me when I say that all of us are creative. Check out your strength and use that to jumpstart your creativity in your teaching. If you are a teacher who can sing, find songs that you can change the lyrics to suit your lesson plan and sing to your students. If you can draw, why not have illustrations in your powerpoint that you yourself drew? Find new ways to deliver an otherwise boring lesson plan and , again, you will get your students’ much coveted attention.
5. Work with parents. Your students are members of basic family units that influence their beliefs, behavior and values. You will only meet the goals you set for your students if you partner up with the people they spend most of their time with. Apart from the scheduled Parent-Teacher Conferences, try to have small chats with parents during drop-off and pick-up times.
**We would like to thank the preschool teachers and Bachelor of Elementary Education students of First City Providential College for last week’s PRESCHOOL EDUCATION seminar! If you want us to talk to your teachers or parents, you can contact us at teachertinazamora(at)gmail(dot)com.


Key themes and recommendations
This report is the result of a major collaboration between individuals and organisations deeply involved in music education across the UK. The conclusions drawn from this research have led those involved to look at the key messages that have emerged and to offer the following suggestions:
Next steps for the music education sector
- Articulate a more coherent message about progression routes in musical learning, and the possible routes available for young people at all stages – this requires much greater collaboration and coordination among schools, private teachers, Music Services, community music and national organisations.
- Implement more rigorous monitoring processes so that learners’ development and progress can be more effectively mapped, helping identify the most effective strategic support and practical interventions.
- Champion the role of music and music specialists so head teachers and governors truly understand the positive impact they can make.
Next steps for policy makers and funding
- Champion the role of creative learning in schools as part of the inspection framework – this would strengthen head teachers’ perceptions of music as an important contributor to school culture, outcomes and achievements for young people and attainment results.
- More effectively target and align funding, to support disadvantaged learners from social grades C1, D and E, address regional imbalances, and ensure a more equitable supply of diverse instruments UK-wide.
- Sustain and further enhance funding to Music Education Hubs in England to ensure they are able to meet the high ambitions set out for them.
- Increase exposure to music at initial teacher training level to ensure new entrants to the profession are adequately skilled to fulfill their statutory obligations, particularly at primary level.
Next steps for schools and teachers
- Continue to provide a rich mix and depth of musical styles, repertoire and experiences in the classroom that engage young people and meet their own expectations.
- Monitor learners’ progress more effectively to better identify both their individual needs and the resources and support required to meet them.
- Encourage greater collaboration between teachers working across the private and public sectors – this would encourage better sharing of good practice and go towards ending the isolation teachers can feel.
- Undertake regular and targeted continuing professional development via existing support structures – this requires greater collaboration between competing commercial and non-profit stakeholders.
- Advocate the benefits of music education with parents and carers to ensure better understanding and garner more support.
A final word
Our Making Music report clearly demonstrates that there is a lot to celebrate in the field of instrumental teaching, learning and playing in the UK. It is our challenge to ensure that the findings of this report will galvanize and inspire those within our sector – and those who have the power – to influence, change and further improve the circumstances in which children and adults engage with music.
ABRSM & all of our Making Music partners


Language Education Training Speech
Our In-Depth training days offer a more detailed look at some of the topics covered in our general overview training. We cover a review of the relevant evidence and research with more opportunity for discussion and individual application through interactive workshops. The following Pre-School training sessions are typically offered as half day sessions or twilight training sessions, however two or three sessions can be combined to create a training day.
Play and Cognition
This course is designed to promote the use of evidence based strategies to promote learning through play and the importance of additional practice. It will include how to scaffold play skills and set up appropriate learning activities in the home and at nursery. It will also cover how to incorporate individual targets into play and everyday routines and experiences as well as covering what is needed to be a successful play partner whilst developing independence and social skills.
Play and Fine Motor
This course is designed to promote the use of evidence based strategies to promote learning through play and become a competent play partner. It will include how to scaffold play skills and set up appropriate learning activities in the home and at nursery. Children with Down syndrome can have difficulties processing the information they receive from their senses and then co-ordinating their movements which impacts on their play development. Their motor-neuro pathways take longer to become established and the session will cover identifying appropriate targets, breaking activities into smaller steps and achieving more practice to develop and establish these pathways.
Developing early numeracy skills
This session covers numeracy development in children with Down syndrome and how best to support understanding and the use of early number skills. It includes practical ideas and examples for teaching early number including examples of activities for home and pre-school, guidance on tailoring activities to support strengths/weaknesses as well as suggestions for resources such as Numicon and See and Learn Number.
Encouraging positive social skills and managing challenging behaviour
This session covers the social strengths typically seen in children with Down syndrome and how to promote positive behaviour. The session will cover the social understanding of children with Down syndrome, building on these early strengths,and ensuring positive social experiences. In addition we will discuss the typical behaviours seen in the early years, strategies to promote positive behaviour and how to manage challenging behaviours when they occur.
This session focuses on putting into place and supporting a positive transition from pre-school to school. We will cover the key elements of a successful transition plan to ensure that the child, family and school are prepared for September. This will include how to develop positive communication systems and support schools to successfully include your child. Useful resources and strategies to promote the child’s strengths and overcome difficulties in the lead up to and commencement of school in September will be discussed. This session is aimed at promoting an enjoyable start to the school experience and supporting full inclusion from the beginning.
In-Depth Training: Pre-School Age
Other training available from LETS Go!:


« Children as Young as 9 and 10 Think About Killing Themselves. Adults Around Them Have No Clue. | Main | Advocates Concerned Trump Plan Will Slash Ed. Research, Unmoor Nation's Report Card and Statistics Center »
Storytime, Meet Number Play: Early Math in the Home Matters for Later Skills
Parents have gotten the message that reading with their children can help instill lifelong literacy skills. A new study adds to the evidence that parents can be providing the same boost to numeracy skills by making sure their preschool children have an enriching math home life, too.
A new study in the journal Child Development tracked nearly 370 Spanish-speaking Chilean children and their families over two years, from the start of preschool through the end of kindergarten. Regardless of families' socioeconomic background, the study found preschoolers whose parents gave them frequent opportunities to do simple math problems and games at home showed better arithmetic growth and performance by the end of kindergarten than children with less-engaging early math environments at home.
Their parents, mostly mothers, had educations ranging from less than a high school diploma to four-year university graduates, with most at a community college level. The parents relayed how often they played a variety of activities at home:
- Mapping activities, such as reciting numbers, singing counting songs, orrecognizing printed numbers;
- Operational activities, such as simple adding or subtracting, telling time using clocks or calendars, and measuring; and
- Numeracy games, which was based on how many commercially available number-related games the parents recognized or had played with their child.
- Literacy activities, such as reciting the alphabet, pointing to letters as they read, or making up rhymes and songs with the sounds of letters.
The children were tested in several key math and literacy skills at the start and end of preschool and kindergarten, including verbal and object counting, identifying numbers, problem-solving, math vocabulary, arithmetic fluency, and placing numbers on a number line, among other tasks.
The researchers found, as in prior studies, that parents tended to have higher expectations for their children in reading than in math, and favored literacy over number activities. Better-educated parents recognized more commercial math games than less-educated parents did.
After controlling for the children's initial math skills and their parents' education, the researchers found basic "mapping" number activities were not associated with later math growth, but the time preschoolers spent playing more advanced "operational" number games with their parents predicted their growth and math performance by the end of kindergarten. In particular, frequent home activities were linked to better skills in comparing numbers and arithmetic fluency.
Some math and literacy activities also seemed to support each other. For example, frequent operational math activities such as addition and subtraction were linked with better vocabulary knowledge and letter-word identification, and code-based literacy activities such as identifying letter-sounds was associated with symbol-related math skills, such as arithmetic fluency.
The study adds to evidence of the importance of schools engaging parents in children's math education as early as reading.
It generally takes until preschool age for children to understand that a word like "four" represents a set of items, but prior studies have found infants and toddlers can understand concepts like counting much earlier, and playing math games improved their number sense over time. Similar studies have found that parents who regularly talk to their toddlers about math and numbers have children with significantly higher math knowledge by the start of preschool.
Perhaps equally important, studies have found that rates and severity of math anxiety increase in children as they age, in part because they tend to be exposed to more fear or other negative attitudes about math from parents and society at large over time. But when parents and kids have frequent opportunities to play math-related games and puzzles together, prior research suggests both generations build up better math skills and more positive associations with the subject.
Photo Source: Getty
- Infants Recognize Counting Long Before They Can Say, '1, 2, 3'
- Breaking the Link Between Parents' Math Anxiety and Students' Progress
- The Myth Fueling Math Anxiety
Do you have a question about education research, or just want to know what the evidence says about that pesky instructional problem? Let me know! Drop me a line at [email protected], or


By Teachers, For Teachers
The start of the new school year means you're more than likely to see some new faces among the teaching staff. To help get to know these teachers, learn facts about teachers and make them feel comfortable, try a few team-building activities. These activities will not only increase faculty morale, but student performance as well.
Research has shown that when school districts incorporate team-building strategies into their schools, it creates a sense of belonging, encourages tolerance and team spirit, improves communications skills, and creates an atmosphere of community. Here are a few team-building activities to try with your colleagues.
This activity is a great way to create team bonding and practice communication skills among colleagues. This is how it works: Each person is paired with a partner, and their goal is to find five things that they have in common with one another. Once the list is completed, each person must find a new partner who shares at least one of the things on their list. Then, their goal is to make a new list of five things in common. This continues until everyone has met in the classroom, or each person has at least one thing in common with everyone in the room.
This edible and fun team-building exercise has been used in school districts across the country. Have each teacher choose three pieces of candy from a variety of candies that are displayed on the table. Once they have chosen their favorites, put up the following chart:
Candy Confession Chart
Chocolate Kisses = Number of years teaching
M&M's = Where you live
Gum = Information about your family
Sweet Tarts = Favorite movie
Kit Kat = Share anything
Have each person take turns using the chart to speak to the rest of their colleagues about themselves. This activity is a fun way to eat, share and bond.
This easy team-building activity is a great way for teachers to get to know their colleagues on a more personal level and determine common facts about teachers. Here's how it works: Teachers arrange their chairs into a circle and each person is directed to write down one interesting fact about themselves. Next, the papers are tossed into a bowl and shuffled up. The object of this activity is for each teacher to pull out a card and guess whose interesting fact they are reading.
Have You Ever is an interactive team-building game that gets you up and moving around. To play this game, arrange the chairs into a circle. Then choose one person to start the game by having them stand in the middle of the circle. Their job is to say "Have you ever … "For example, "Have you ever participated in a 5k run?" All of the teachers that have participated would then stand up and find a new seat to sit in. The others who did not stand up would then take turns being the one asking the question.
This ridiculously hard, but fun team-building activity is a great way for teachers to quickly learn each other's names. Tell participants that they have three minutes to line up alphabetically by last name. Then tell them they must line up without speaking to one another. This sounds next to impossible, right? Well it isn't. There are usually at least one or two familiar faces that know each other to help get the line started. Then, from there, teachers will use hand gestures or whatever else they can think of to quickly get in line.
This activity is usually used as an icebreaker or getting-to-know you activity with students, but is can also be a wonderful team-building activity for teachers as well. To begin, have each person in the room write down two true facts about themselves and one lie. Then go around the room and have each person read their card. The goal is for the rest of the room to try and spot the lie.
What team building activities do you do in your school to learn fun facts about teachers?
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 Masters of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com, TeachHUB Magazine, and Hey Teach. She was also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com for five years. You can follow her on Twitter @empoweringed, on Facebook at Empowering K12 Educators, or contact her at Janellecox78@yahoo.com.


132 SEL apps, games, and activities for building character in the classroom.
Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills make us better people at home, at school, in our communities, and in the workplace. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), these skills (as well as the knowledge and attitudes that propel them) include how to "understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions."
Unfortunately, SEL is all too often put on the back burner, relegated to a means of "classroom management." True, SEL might not be core content, but it's the core of all content. Thankfully, many school districts are recognizing this, as are developers of everything from games to VR. Perhaps the biggest endorsement for SEL and character education came earlier this year when the World Economic Forum's New Vision for Education declared character qualities and SEL "every bit as important as the foundational skills required for traditional academic learning."
SEL might not be core content, but it's the core of all content.
Of course, implementing SEL and teaching character aren't without challenges or debates. There's a lack of consensus about how we measure SEL and character skills (and whether we should or even can ), how technology fits into SEL instruction, and whether you can truly "teach" SEL or character. A few things are clear, however: SEL is important, teachers value it, and digital technology is part of our lives. Yet many teachers struggle to find the time, support, or resources to integrate SEL, let alone technology, into their day-to-day plans.
This is the reason for We All Teach SEL, an 11-part article series offering quick, practical tips and tools for integrating SEL into any classroom -- no matter the subject or grade. Explore the topics below to find actionable activities and resources that build on tools you might already be using and content you're already teaching.
Created with the generous support of


We have so many resources to teach fractions, we have linked these across a few pages. Below you can find our games that teach fractions, followed by links to a list of PowerPoint presentations and PDF and lesson plans.
Games that Teach Fractions
In Fish Lake, players practice with Fractions while learning math problem-solving strategies. They’ll also be introduced to Native American history. Who knew you could get this excited about fractions? Recommended for grades 4 and up. Runs on iPad, Mac and Windows computers.
Follow two teenagers who apply their knowledge of fractions, decimals, measurement and statistics to retrace the Ojibwe migration through the U.S. and Canada. Plays on the web on Mac, Windows or Chromebooks.
AzTech begins with teaching fractions and progresses to basic statistics. AzTech: The Story Begins teaches math as well as incorporates social studies and language arts – because real life isn’t broken down by subject. Making it twice as nice, it can be played in English or as a bilingual English/Spanish experience.
Fractions Teacher Resources
From “Understanding fractions” with examples of how Native American children told time by the sun to “Finding the least common multiple” we have ready-made presentations you can download in PDF or PowerPoint formats.
Introducing fractions – Before you jump into teaching how to add, subtract, multiply or divide fractions, it’s best to take some time to be sure your students understand what a fraction is. This lesson starts with four videos that explain what exactly IS a fraction. For those who would rather use slides for a more detailed explanations to students we include PowerPoint presentations you can download and modify.
Teaching equivalent fractions – This lesson plan begins with a definition then proceeds to examples of equivalent fractions and how these could be used. We like this lesson plan because it includes multiple ways to consider equivalent fractions, from distance to shapes.
Fractions equivalent to one – When is a fraction equal to one? This lesson plan introduces your students to converting fractions to whole numbers.
Adding and subtracting fractions with a common denominator. Those pesky word problems! This lesson walks through an example of a multi-step word problem that involves adding and subtracting fractions with a common denominator and converting one to be an equivalent fraction.


At Brooklyn Preschool of Science we aim to excite young kids about learning and to engage their innate curiosity about the world. Our age-appropriate, science-based curriculum taps into a child’s need to understand how things work, while providing a foundation for meaningful math, language, and literacy development. We believe early positive experiences with science and math offer benefits throughout all stages of education and life.
From our living wall of plants to our 300-gallon fish tanks to the multitude of living creatures residing in our classrooms, Brooklyn Preschool of Science has been designed to stimulate a child’s sense of wonder. We want kids to ask questions incessantly. Our goal is to respect and nurture our little scientists as they spend their days investigating the workings of the world.


What do you call the line that cuts a circle in half? If May 31 is a Wednesday, what day of the week will June 2 be? Is the sum of 521+459 more or less than 1000?
Plus operations, fractions, patterns, angles, three-dimensional shapes, Celsius and Farenheit, and: Rena's baby sister is 11/2 years old. How many months old is she?
Math skills are crucial--and there's no reason for students to struggle. Brain Quest Math Grade 2 teaches kids the fundamentals of math and the pleasure of being a problem solver with 1,000 curriculum-based questions and answers reflecting the latest school standards. Because learning plus practice, time, skill and drills add up to knowledge.
Vetted by a panel of America's highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude.
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Published Date: May 10, 2006
Dimensions: 5.64 X 1.97 X 7.24 inches | 1.06 pounds
Earn by promoting books
About the Author
Marjorie Martinelli is coauthor - with Kristine Mraz - of Smarter Charts and the new Smarter Charts for Math, Science, and Social Studies. Their popular blog chartchums keeps teachers in touch with ongoing and relevant classroom issues and ways to use charts as a support. Chartchums is also on Facebook and on Twitter @chartchums! While in schools as consultants with the Reading and Writing Project, the teachers they've worked with have begged them to write a how-to book about the amazing charts they introduce to consulting classrooms. Smarter Charts was that guide, and Smarter Charts for Math, Science, and Social Studies extends that work across the teaching day. She is Senior Research Associate and Co-Director of Reading Rescue at the Reading and Writing Project where for the past ten years she has lead numerous leadership groups and presented at many national and international educational conferences. Prior to joining the Reading and Writing Project, Marjorie was a New York City public school teacher, a teacher-researcher, and an adjunct teacher at Bank Street College of Education. She has an MA in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University and is a contributing author to Lucy Calkins' Units of Study for Teaching Writing. She is also the author of two Brain Quest Math decks for first and second grade. Listen to an interview with Marjorie and Kristi, the Chartchums, on Education Talk Radio.


Language : English
Published : 2018
Pages : 832
Life-Span Development 17e
Out of stock
This book offers a comprehensive overview of the intellectual developments in urban conservation. The authors offer unique insights from UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and the book is richly illustrated with colour photographs. Examples are drawn from urban heritage sites worldwide from Timbuktu to Liverpool to demonstrate key issues and best practice in urban conservation today. The book offers an invaluable resource for architects, planners, surveyors and engineers worldwide working in heritage conservation, as well as for local authority conservation officers and managers of heritage sites.
An integrated language arts approach to literacy development that brings early childhood perspectives on how children learn in pre-kindergarten though grade three, together with explicit teaching of literacy skills and strategies teachers need to make it all work. Pre-service and in-service teachers get a wealth of valuable information for making children active participants in the process of literacy development with this integrated approach to language arts. The book encourages teaching reading, writing, listening, thinking, and viewing at the same time, using each skill to develop the others, and discusses both constructivist problem-solving teaching and more explicit systematic instruction. Through both theoretical and research-based rationales, plus extensive practical applications, renowned author Lesley Mandel Morrow presents literacy development as an active process between children and adults to create meaning and real purpose-and helps pre- and in-service teachers grasp the scope and complexity of early literacy development. This comprehensive, balanced approach to literacy teaching and learning covers oral language development, word study, phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, listening and writing. The reader is provided with a complete picture of early literacy development.
Happy-People-Pills for All explores current theories of happiness while demonstrating the need to develop advanced pharmacological agents for the enhancement of our capacity for happiness and wellbeing.
- Presents the first detailed exploration of the enhancement of happiness
- A controversial yet rigorous argument that demonstrates the moral imperative for the development and mass distribution of ‘happy-pills’, to promote the well being of the individual and society
- Brings together the philosophy, psychology and biology of happiness
- Maps the development of the next generation of positive mood pharmacology
- Offers a corrective to contemporary accounts of happiness
This new dictionary provides over 1,500 A-Z definitions of terms from the field of social care, concentrating on social work as a significant area within this field. Covering social work theories, methods, policies, organisations, and statutes, as well as key terms from interdisciplinary topics such as health and education, this is the most up-to-date dictionary of its kind available. It also provides extended entries on specialisms such as children and families, domestic violence, and residential care.
Useful appendices include a glossary of acronyms and a Table of Legislation, Regulations, and Codes of Practice. Entry-level bibliographies and web links provide further resources and the web links are listed and regularly updated on a dedicated companion website.
A Dictionary of Social Work and Social Care is a must-have for students of social care and related subjects, as well as for qualified social workers undertaking continuing professional development programmes.
Readership : Suitable for students studying social work and social care as well as qualified social workers undertaking continuing professional development programmes.


Curriculum & Topic Work
In primary schools, learning is organised into phases:
Early Years Foundation Stage: Reception Class Key Stage 1: (Years 1-2)
Lower Key Stage 2: (Years 3-4) Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5-6)
The New National Curriculum
In September 2013, the Government announced plans to overhaul the National Curriculum and in 2014 the primary school curriculum was up-dated with many changes. So why was a change needed and how has our school reacted to the change so far?
Why the big curriculum change?
The Government’s aim is to raise standards, particularly as the UK is slipping down international pupil assessment league tables. Inspired by what is taught in the world’s most successful school systems, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Finland, as well as in the best UK schools, the new National Curriculum is designed to produce productive, creative and well educated students who will be able to compete in the international market.
Although the new curriculum is intended to be more challenging, the content is actually slimmer than the current curriculum, focusing on essential core subject knowledge and skills.
What are the main changes?
The curriculum will encourage all pupils to understand, be interested in and show respect to others, whilst also developing their own self esteem.
The curriculum will enable pupils to become literate and numerate, having confidence when communicating, working with and responding to others.
The curriculum will enable pupils to develop analytical problem solving skills.
The curriculum will develop independence in our pupils enabling them to make healthy, safe life choices for themselves and others.
If Parents or Carers would like to discuss any part of the curriculum please contact school via the main office on 01942 243068, option 3 and the office team will arrange a mutually convenient time for you to speak with the relevant member of the teaching staff.
Please contact the school office for the current list of extra-curricular activities available or see our calendar on the Home page


There are a lot of schools in the Philippines who have limited access to art, art education and art making. Unfortunately, art in the Philippines is under-appreciated that is why most students are not able to learn more about the practice.
During my research in the Philippines on summer of 2018, I took the initiative to collaborate with 3 local schools in different provinces to give free art workshops to their students. My purpose on doing this is to bring art to their community and use it as a platform for learning, co-creating and empower their abilities to create a work of art.
Because of poverty, most students are not able to buy art materials that is why I used my pocket money to buy supplies to use and to buy food to keep them full during the duration of the workshop.
Every sacrifice and travel was worth it when witnessing the students collaborate and contribute their voices to their artwork. I thought I have achieved my purposed.
The students were very curious about contemporary art during my lecture before the workshop. I showed examples of contemporary and talked about art history. They were very excited on discussing the practice of painting and could not wait to get their hands on the materials.
The students from the first workshop from Linao National High School was divided into 4 groups, each group chose a type of painting that they want create and must able to talk about the painting in front of their peers. It was their first time doing a art critique but it went successful.
The students of Cagayan National High School chose to do portraiture in black and white acrylic. Their project is to simplify a portrait of themselves and display it for a mini exhibition. Seeing the final outcome was a proud moment to them because they were able to do something that they have not done before.
The last workshop happened in Talibon Elementary School in Bohol, Philippines. These students ranges from preschool to 6th grade. They were taught to use watercolor and explore the material on their capabilities. My friends and I originally wanted to only teach 25 kids but a hundred or so of them joined in because of curiosity and excitement.
Giving back to the community is one thing that I will always do. I want to be a resource and create a community where art exist and used as a way of social cohesion.
This is a video compilation of what i have accomplished during my Summer Research Program funded by Office of the Undergraduate Research in Umass Dartmouth


Wordplay is a blog project featuring posts from students enrolled in ENG 320 Grammar and Linguistics (Fall 2019)
by Riley Hall
Have you ever said a word so many times that it starts to lose meaning? If not, use the word “language.” Try and repeat this word to yourself around thirty times and then say it out loud. Does it even sound like a word anymore, or just a mess of letters and sounds? This is a playful and interesting way to think about words being used until their initial meaning is altered; however, this occurs in everyday language much more frequently than we notice. Over time, our language changes, and regardless to what factors are behind this change, we must learn to be open and accepting to it.
In The Power of Babel, John McWhorter describes this phenomena as semantic drift. On page 31, he says that a word’s definition can change slowly over time, with each adjustment straying further from the last, until the old and new meanings are nowhere near the same. I believe that a prime example of semantic change is how we use the word “literally”.
We are all guilty of it, using literally in a manner that is far from literal. “This homework is literally going to kill me”, or “I literally cannot handle this”, when in all reality, doing homework has never actually killed anybody, and most things in life, we can handle. These are two examples of using the word literal in a figurative way. Now this doesn’t exactly make sense, and some might say it is more or less an incorrect way to use it. However, after taking into consideration McWhorter’s explanation, I think it is fair to say that the meaning of the word “literally has simply shifted or expanded.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word literally as “in a literal sense or manner, with exact equivalence, and in a complete accurate way.” This is the very basic and exact form in which literally is used. For example, “I literally got six hours of sleep last night.” Literally is used in the sentence to emphasize the accuracy of the statement. This is how we typically see “literally” being used. However, it also includes the following definition, “- used in an exaggerated way to emphasize a statement or description that is not literally true or possible.” This definition supports the use of literally in a figurative sense such as. “I literally turned the house upside down looking for my keys.” This supports the idea that using literally in a figurative way, is not necessarily incorrect.
As a future educator, I believe that it is crucial to be aware of the changes that take place throughout our language. If we are not informed of these alterations in the meanings of words, we might falsely accuse students of incorrectly using words in their writing and speaking. The best way to avoid this, is to ensure we are being open to the diversity and constant changes that take place in the language and dialects we hear in our classrooms.
Did We Change the Definition of ‘Literally’? (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2019, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-literally.
Literally. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2019, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally.
McWhorter, J. (2011). The Power Of Babel: a Natural History of Language. London: Cornerstone Digital.
Riley Hall, is a junior studying Elementary Education at Chadron State College. Once she completes her degree, she hopes to teach at the intermediate level somewhere in Western Nebraska.


Sixth to Eighth Grade Students Gain Skills in Video Production, Script Writing, Acting, and Teamwork during UCI's Summer Youth Program Digital Storytelling Workshop.
Exuberant enthusiasm and anticipation greeted parents and friends who came to view the digital storytelling products produced by sixth to eighth grade youth enrolled in UCI’s Summer Youth Program Digital Storytelling Workshop.
Instructor Viet Vu, Ph.D., greeted guests and explained how the three-week course was structured to develop both "traditional" literacies of reading and writing as well as "new literacies" of digital production and communication.
During their three-week workshop, students were taught how to create digital stories using video production equipment, video editing software, and computer devices. They recorded sound, written scripts, created storyboards, used green screen technology, edited videos, and learned about showcasing videos through distribution channels such as Youtube. Working individually and collaboratively, students progressed through the film-making process of pre-production, production, and post-production. All activities were aligned with NCTE, ISTE, 21st Century Learning, and Common Core State Standards.
To meet the above goals, Vu guided students through a series of three activities: (a) personal narrative, (b) green screen experiment, and (c) final project: friends. At the culminating open house on July 11, students shared their productions with parents and guests.
In reflecting upon student accomplishments during the workshop, Vu commented, “Students came into this class so hungry to learn how to create videos and post to Youtube. Although, it was great to see them so engaged in the digital storytelling process, what was really amazing was when some of the students said that they learned to take more risks with their storytelling, became more patient, realized the importance of teamwork, and made good friends.”
About Viet Vu: Dr. Vu holds three graduate degrees related to literacy development, digital storytelling, and technology - an M.F.A. in film and television from UCLA; an M.A. in education with an emphasis in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); and a Ph.D. in Education, with an emphasis in language, literacy, and technology. He has written award winning screenplays, produced short documentaries that have aired on NHK Japan Broadcasting, published five English language textbooks for Japanese elementary school students, and published articles on the use of technology to support literacy development.
Photographs from the Summer Youth Program Digital Storytelling Workshop
Read more about the Summer Youth Program offerings for K through 10th graders: http://writingproject.uci.edu/summeryouth.html


Nikola's Own Country
For more than half a century Montenegro was dominated by Nikola, prince from 1860 to 1910 and thenceforth king until his deposition in 1918. These were years that saw not only a vast increase in Montenegro's territory but its international recognition as a state in 1878 and ultimately its incorporation into the first Yugoslavia. In this extract Roberts discusses how life changed in the country in the earlier years of his reign.
Over these years Prince Nikola's youthful experience of a world beyond his country's confines led him to introduce a number of changes, intended to move the country in the direction of the modern world. Many schools offering elementary education were opened in different parts of the principality including, in Cetinje, the first school for girls, established with Russian help in 1869. Communications were improving. In 1869 Montenegro was for the first time connected to the outside world by telegraph, and two years later the first post office was established. In 1874 construction began on a proper road linking Cetinje and Kotor, funded by Austria-Hungary. But the prince's broad education, knowledge of languages, and experience of 'civilised' Europe were not shared by the mass of his subjects, over whom he ruled with autocratic powers, if not in the despotic manner, of his predecessor Prince Danilo. The evident contradiction implicit in such an approach was later at least partly the cause of Nikola's undoing, but at the time widespread acceptance of his style as one of paternalistic benevolence helped to earn him the respect of his people and the admiration of an increasing number of foreign visitors.
Later Roberts writes about the Montenegro of the turn of the century:
Montenegro…entered the twentieth century with the traditional system of government virtually intact. The ruler as an institution was connected with all the decisive events in public life, and Nikola treated the state as if it were his family domain. Foreigners often commented on the Ruritanian aspect of Cetinje - the miniature capital had its own theatre and reading room which, already in 1879, was stocked with newspapers from all parts of Europe, among them the Illustrated London News and, somewhat surprisingly in view of the country's poverty, a pamphlet entitled Die Private Spekulation an der Börse [sic]. There were no regular budgets till 1907. Russian subsidies supplemented by Austrian loans provided the bulk of the country's financial resources, which were insufficient to cover the basic requirements of the population. Grain and textiles had to be imported, although Nikola attempted to improve agriculture by creating an experimental farm at Danilovgrad and ordering every Montenegrin to plant a vine.
[pp: 234, 269]
Realm of the Black Mountain: A History of Montenegro. 2007. [C.Hurst & Co]


The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple. S. Gudder
Understanding mathematics is essential as it is used on a daily basis in our personal and professional lives. Through explanation, real life applications and practice, students acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in mathematics and numeracy which will be required in their everyday lives. Problem solving activities designed to encourage students to think for themselves and to reason are priorities.
Students may participate in a variety of competitions such as the Australian Mathematics Competitions, MAT enrichment programs and external Maths relays. Dominic Maths Week is also celebrated in November as a chance for every student to get involved in mathematical competitions.
Australian Curriculum 10A Maths plus a Calculus unit is available for Year 10 students who wish to pursue higher level mathematical studies at College. A Preparatory course for the 10A course (Mathematics Extension), allows students in Years 9 and 10 to extend, enrich and challenge their mathematical thinking. General Maths Preparatory Course aims to provide students with an opportunity to be exposed to elements of the Senior General Mathematics Level 3 course that is offered in College. Essential Maths is an option for students who need to develop their basic numeracy skills.


The Reflections program is National PTA’s cornerstone art program. It was founded in 1969 by Colorado PTA president Mary Lou Anderson. Since its founding, millions of students have participated in the program. The goal of the program is participation in and appreciation for the arts. It has been shown that art education can help students in many ways, including development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision making, risk taking and inventiveness. According to a report by Americans for the Arts, “young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.” The excitement and enthusiasm that the program generates for children, parents, schools and communities is unmatched and an important part of PTA’s vision to make every students potential a reality. The Reflections program provides students with an opportunity to express themselves creatively and receive positive recognition for original works of art, inspired by a theme. Although organized in a contest format, the goal of Reflections is to encourage participation. Students are celebrated for their participation at every level.
Students may submit an entry in any of the six arts areas listed below. Only original works of art are accepted. Depending on state and local PTA guidelines, students may enter more than one work of art. The six arts areas are as follows.
Participation in the Reflections Program is organized by school grade. Student works are critiqued with others in the same grade division. This allows recognition and judging of artworks by appropriate developmental age and skill levels. The five grade divisions are as follows:
Primary – Preschool – Grade 2 or up to age 7
Intermediate – Grades 3-5 or ages 8-10
Middle School – Grades 6-8 or ages 11-13
High School – Grades 9-12 or ages 14+
Special Artist – Ungraded
The Reflections Program is structured for PTAs to recognize students at the local unit, council, district, state and national PTA levels. Entries are first judged at the local unit level, where selected works are chosen to represent the PTA at each subsequent level depending on each state PTA structure. Once entries reach the state level, the state PTA may select entries to submit to the National PTA. Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit are recognized at the annual National PTA convention and are displayed as part of the program’s traveling exhibit.
Participation in the Michigan Reflections Program is open to all students in attendance at PTA/PTSA schools where the program is sponsored. Each local unit, district or council establishes their own due dates which allow adequate time for judging and celebrating at that level. Local units and districts or councils then submit to the state level at the established due date. Please join the Michigan Reflections Network Facebook page to receive more information about Michigan PTA’s reflections program. You can request to join by sending an e-mail to Joyce Heideman at email@example.com.
This year's theme is: Look Within
Have fun!! If you have any questions please contact Joyce Heideman at firstname.lastname@example.org or text Teresa Marhofer at 517-881-0738 Thanks Michigan PTA Reflections Co-chairs Joyce Heideman and Teresa Marhofer
Want to join the Michigan PTA Reflections Network Facebook Page? Click the link and hit join!


Amanda Morin, Understood Handwriting involves kindergarten writing articles than just making letters on a page — it requires strong fine motor and visual-motor skills. For example, when teaching about living things bring hermit crabs to the classroom for a month.
They might first lay the blocks out so that they are end to end and flat on the carpet. Carole Cox Music stories are compositions of a narrative or descriptive sort. Carole Cox Research has shown the positive effects of improvised story dramatization on language development and student achievement in oral and written story recall, writing, and reading.
Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks. Do you need my help? Understood Assistive technology AT can help kids with different types of writing challenges.
Top 10 Resources on Writing By: In Summary Learning to read nonfiction books warrants as much attention as other curriculum areas. This article provides basic comparative information about a range of commercially available literacy programs.
Ted might need to be redirected to a time out table. When students are going to leave their structures standing overnight, encourage them to create signs that have their name on them or say "Do not knock down. Let the students share the differences between fiction and nonfiction with the class.
This is deeply misleading at best and arguably false. I would keep reiterating concepts we had already covered until it seemed most had got them. The children love to read and reread their own work and the work of their friends.
Readers learn what a daybook is, how the daybook in one fourth and fifth grade classroom is structured, and how students in this classroom use that daybook during reading instruction to engage, record important information, and discuss a text.
This post will focus on the block center. But the overwhelming weight of such correlational studies builds a compelling case in favor of early reading instruction. As they are transformed into reporters and editors, they will become effective users of ICT in order to publish their own classroom newspaper.
We share a few before lunch, a few after lunch, a few right before going home. We started with just two words; to, play.
In an opinion piece, your child tells the reader his opinion or preference about a topic, such as a book, animal, activity, etc.Writing needs to be taught like any other basic skill, with explicit instruction and ample opportunity for practice.
Almost every day, every student needs between fifty and sixty minutes for writing instruction. The phrase 'preschool writing activities' does not refer to activities that produce the outcome of preschoolers printing letters and words. It means providing activities that help develop foundational skills that will help them do that when they are develomentally ready.
Writer's Workshop in Kindergarten: A Study of Writing Mechanics, Attitudes, and Behaviors by Emily Stover July 1, A thesis submitted to the Department of Education and Human Development of the.
“Kindergarten is now first grade, and first grade is now second grade,” says Anne Stoudt, a kindergarten teacher in suburban New Jersey for 19 years. “It used to be. Students write authentic newspaper stories, including learning about various aspects of newspapers, such as writing an article, online articles, newspaper reading habits, and layout and design techniques.
ESL Intermediate Writing Exercises. ESL Learn About My Community Story. ESL Lesson Plans on Relationships and Friendships. ESL Lesson Plans on Superstition and Belief.
ESL Listening Activities for Children. ESL Methodologies.
Kindergarten Articles. Education | For Teachers.Download


Margaret Thatcher was the first woman ever to become British Prime Minister as well as the first woman to head a European government. She was born on October 13, 1925. Her birth name was Margaret Hilda Roberts. Her father Alfred Roberts was a grocer and local alderman who later became the mayor of Grantham.
Margaret Thatcher graduated from Oxford University in 1947 with a chemistry degree. She worked as a food scientist developing soft-serve ice cream before getting active into politics.
Quick Facts: –
- Margaret Thatcher still remains a controversial figure, even after death.
- Being known for her personal and political toughness, she got the nickname ‘Iron Lady’.
- She ran for Parliament in 1950 for the very first time but was unsuccessful.
- She was the youngest candidate to stand for a seat in the House of Commons being only 24 years old.
- In 1959, Thatcher won a seat in the House of Commons with a seat in Finchley, in north London.
- She was the longest-serving prime minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century.
- In the Falkland Islands, Margaret Thatcher Day is celebrated every year on Jan 10th. It is not a public holiday.
- From 1961 to 1964, she served as a parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance.
- In 1991, Thatcher received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George H.W. Bush.
- In 2008, her daughter confirms that Thatcher is suffering from dementia, first noticed in 2000.
- On April 8, 2013 she suffered a stroke which caused her death.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " All Facts for Kids about Margaret Thatcher ." Easy Science for Kids, Feb 2020. Web. 16 Feb 2020. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/margaret-thatcher/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2020). All Facts for Kids about Margaret Thatcher. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/margaret-thatcher/
Sponsored Links :


Welcome to Week 3 in 2RG & 2FA
During these past few weeks, the students have been exploring the many routines of our double classroom, such as Physical Education every Tuesday and Library, Spanish and Music lessons weekly. We have also established a morning routine. The teachers have been impressed with the way all the students have shown responsibility when independently unpacking their bags each morning.
All of the children have transitioned positively into their learning as Year 2 students and we believe it is thanks to our families who have supported the children in doing so. It has been lovely to meet many of you and we look forward to a great year working together for your child.
This week our shared text for Literacy was ‘The Day The Crayons Quit’, written by Drew Daywalt. Whilst reading this book, Mrs. Giannakakis introduced the students to CVC words. A CVC word is a word that is made up of a consonant, vowel and consonant sound. Cat, hot, tip, man and hut are all CVC words. Each time the children heard or saw a CVC word, they gave the teachers a thumbs up. As a class, we brainstormed the CVC words that featured in our text. To consolidate our ActiveInspire learning from week 2, students used a flipchart to explore CVC activities. Students were asked to choose the page that they were most proud of. Here is a sample of their work….
On Wednesday and Thursday, students made sentences describing the emotions that each crayon was feeling. As a class we focused on what makes a sentence great; c capital letter at the beginning, describing words and full stops. Some students recorded the feeling of each crayon whilst other used conjunctions (because/and) to extend their sentence.
This week in Play Investigations we explored the learning around Love and the story of Saint Valentine. Students then engaged in provocations to explore their learning. Some students made letters to the people they love, some followed a procedure to make paper flowers and/or gifts. Some students wrote cards and we saw many students using their laptops to write a story about love and St Valentine.
In Numeracy, Mrs Finos has been introducing Mini Maths lessons and games that focus on number. Using dice and playing cards, students have engaged in mini lessons and working on numeracy skills such as subitising, counting on and adding two numbers together. Some students were extended by adding 3 or more cards together. Mrs. Adams introduced bonds of 10 and students have been investigating all the ways we can make the value of 10.
This week, students were also introduced to a Math Program called Prodigy. https://play.prodigygame.com
We love using Prodigy because students practice math and learn new skills as they navigate a fantasy world packed with action and adventure.
Using in-game assignments and test preparation templates, teachers can align Prodigy with specific in-class lessons or differentiate for each student. Therefore, the learning is differentiated for the students.
If you are looking for an education based activity at home….this is a great one! All children should have their log on details for their account by now. Using the log on details that their teacher made them, the students’ learning will be tracked and progressive reports will be sent to the teacher for future direction.
This week in Science, Mrs Adams showed the student how to c carry out a science experiment to see where we can find germs. We spoke about the many variables to the experiment such as cleaning our hands, wiping the bread on the object we have chosen to test and how each scientist(student) needed to have a job. After the experiment, all children drew and recorded their predictions of what they believe will happen to their piece of bread. Watch this space……


Did you know that many children enter kindergarten having never held a pencil correctly or used pair of scissors? A great deal of time in the first year of school is spent developing fine motor skills. If you have a 5 year old piano student, your demands on their fine motor skills are even greater than in a school setting. And while some students have more advanced finger dexterity, others struggle. Regardless of their abilities, young piano students benefit greatly from exercises designed to zero in on fine motor skill development.
Building strength and dexterity in young piano students can be a really enjoyable part of their lesson! Finger warm-ups are a good way to begin the lesson as they can be done while you chat about their day at school and ease them into the piano lesson frame of mind.
Check out our Top 5 Piano Finger Warm Ups below and have some fun developing your piano students’ fine motor control.
1. Icky Sticky Thumb
Spread imaginary glue on your piano student’s thumb. Your student’s job is to then rub off the “glue” using the pad of each of their other fingers in turn starting with the 2 finger. Have your student use a circular motion when rubbing the thumb. I say “icky sticky thumb” while they rub 3 circles in time with the rhythm of the words. Do hands separately until they are good at it and then hands together.
2. Stretchy Spider
Have your student place their hand on a table top with their wrist resting on the surface and their fingers nicely curved. This is the “spider”. He needs to stretch each of his legs. Have your student reach one finger at a time starting with their thumb and reaching in an upward motion while keeping their other fingertips touching the table top and without allowing their knuckles to collapse. You can hold something for the spider legs to reach up to touch, giving them something to aim for.
Once your student has mastered this, this you can give the spider specific exercises for his legs. Write out finger numbers in random order and have the spider’s legs lift accordingly (ie. 1-3-5-2-4).
3. Silly Poems
Use silly poems like the one below to give your students cues as to what to do with their fingers. These also strengthen memory skills if you have your student recite the poem along with you and they help to connect your young piano students with a sense of pulse as they listen to rhythm of the words. Need Finger Poems? Find a free set on wunderkeys.com (click on printables!)
4. Don’t Wake Mr. Pointer!
With their hand in C position, have your piano student press down all 5 keys at once. One at a time each finger lifts to tap their key 3 times while the rest of the fingers remain depressed. Mr. Pointer (their 2 finger) is sleeping so he doesn’t tap! The other fingers need to tap softly so as to not wake him up.
5. Gimme A Pop!
Have your student lay their hand palm up on a flat surface. Their fingers have become sunbathers… and they’re hot! The thumb has nice cool soda pop for each finger. One by one they lift up to meet the thumb who is delivering their refreshments. The fingers meet over their open palm and touch briefly finger pad to finger pad before returning to a flat hand position. The other “sunbathers” are allowed to lift up slightly if necessary. My piano kids love it when I make sound effects each time the fingers touch the thumb like “Glug glug glug… ahhh!” (as though one was enjoying a nice cold drink).
Piano Finger Warm-Ups Are Important
By helping your piano students to focus in on individual finger movements you are not only strengthening their finger muscles and coordination, but also the brain-to-finger connection. They’ll not only be much more adept pianists… but they’ll be the ones in their class at school who hold their pencil correctly and have beautiful printing too! (Score one more for piano teachers! :))
We specialize in little fingers! So much so that we’ve written an entire preschool piano method for preschool-aged children. WunderKeys Piano for Preschoolers is a one-on-one piano program designed to make the first piano lesson experience both enjoyable and valuable. Piano teachers around the world are using this one of a kind program to build their studio. Are you?? Check out www.wunderkeys.com for more information.


CBSE Class 9 & class 10 Syllabus contains the list of topics and subtopics to be covered in the course of study during an academic year. Central Board of Secondary Education issues syllabus for class 9 and class 10 every year. Right from the basic information to detailed one, it contains all the information needed by a student and the teacher.
Board: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Class: Class 10, Class 9
Subject: Art Education
CBSE Class 9 & Class 10 Syllabus – Art Education
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 9 and Class 10 Syllabus for Art Education is given below.
CBSE Syllabus for Art Education for AY 2017-18
CBSE Syllabus given here is effective for the academic session 2017-18 for classes IX / X.
CBSE Syllabus for Art Education for AY 2016-17
CBSE Syllabus given here is effective for the academic session 2016-17 for classes IX / X.
To get fastest exam alerts and government job alerts in India, join our Telegram channel.


Shortreed Staff Inquiry Questions 2014-15
Langley School District has initiated a new way for school staff to meet and collaborate. Collaboration mornings are the days our students arrive for a 10am start. Each staff member has designed an inquiry question – something they want to find out about…something that will impact learning positively. Once individual questions had been formed, like minded inquiries were combined allowing for a collaborative approach to learning.
Here are our questions (January 2015):
- How to learn more about speech, articulation and implementing R&R so as to benefit all students we work with?
- How can small group/Guided Math instruction improve student achievement in Math?
How can the use of technology support struggling math learners in a small group instruction?
Can having math games once a week improve student achievement?
- What after-school programs would benefit our students?
- How can we better engage our students in deeper conversations and create deeper connections to what being Aboriginal means in today’s world for today’s Aboriginal students?
- Will doing ‘Do the Math’ Number Core with Grade 2 students help develop solid numeracy skills?
- Can ‘Do the Math’ Number Core along with a focus on number sense make a long term difference in our students math achievement?
- How can we use guided math to support our Kindergarten learners?
- Given the resources we have, how can we decrease the number of students requiring pull-out support? (Effectively inverting the pyramid of support back onto its solid foundation).
- How can we best lead the creation of a collaborative learning environment so that the essence/culture of Shortreed becomes a place where staff and students are seen as learners (‘At Shortreed we are all learners’)?
- How can I be more effective as a counsellor with the limited time I have: As a group of school counsellors, we’ve been working on priorities and how to work with students more effectively given the huge pressures placed on them. There is a lot of interest in focusing on non-verbal therapy (for example sand tray therapy) as well as trauma informed practice. The conversations and sharing of skills and resources has been extremely valuable for the team.


Contents of KS2 English SATs Test
The KS2 Sats English test was issued in a new format for the first time in 2016. This new format of testing is based on the revised primary school curriculum issued in 2014.
Children will sit two papers and the contents of the KS2 English SATs test is as follows:
Papers 1 and 2 combined are what are commonly referred to as the SPAG test, paper 3 is the comprehension exercise (called a reading test).
Paper 1 – Grammar, Punctuation and language strategies- Total marks – 50
Grammar will account for about 30 marks, Punctuation will account for about 15 marks and Language Strategies (Vocabulary) will account for about 5 marks.
This paper has an allocated time of 45 minutes
Paper 2 – Spelling- Total marks – 20
Questions will be sentence based. Pupils will see a sentence with a word missing. They will be read the whole sentence and then the missing word will be repeated. Their task is to fill in the missing word correctly.
This paper normally takes as long as a teacher needs to read the sentences out and emphasise the words to spell. Mostly it will be completed inside 20 minutes.
Paper 3 Reading and Comprehension – Total marks 50
In this paper children will have a reading booklet consisting of a series of passages totalling about 2000 words. These passages will include a piece of fiction, a piece of poetry and a piece of non-fiction.
There will be a mix of questions including comprehension questions and questions regarding author literary technique and style.
Free KS2 English SATs Papers
You can download the latest KS2 English SATs Papers from us – these are free to download and available without registration, just click through and scroll down and you’ll find the full set of papers.
Try our free Preparation Guides
Find the books and papers we recommend for preparation!


About This Chapter
MTTC Reading: The Reading Process - Chapter Summary
As part of a study guide course for the MTTC Reading exam, this chapter has been assembled to help you review the process of learning how to read and the role of the reading teacher. Start by watching this chapter's series of short, engaging and mobile-device-friendly lesson videos, taught by our expert instructors, for a versatile and effective way of reviewing the:
- Steps children go through when learning how to read
- Planning and execution of reading lessons
- Use of context clues, prior knowledge and word structure to construct meaning
- Research design and applied research used to improve reading instruction
If at any time you find yourself confused about a topic of this chapter, be sure to send any questions you may have to our instructors for clarification via the Teacher tab. As you complete these lessons, test your understanding of the material by taking the lesson quizzes. After you feel that you have a firm understanding of the material in this chapter, be sure to test your mastery with the practice chapter exam before you take the MTTC Reading exam.
1. Steps in Learning to Read
Learning to read is a multifaceted process. This lesson will explore the steps necessary to learn how to read and will end with a short quiz to test what you have learned.
2. How to Teach Reading: Planning and Execution
Feeling overwhelmed with the immensity of teaching reading comprehension? Watch this video lesson to learn four easy steps to plan and execute reading lessons.
3. Constructing Meaning with Context Clues, Prior Knowledge & Word Structure
In this lesson, you will learn how readers use prior knowledge, context clues and word structure to aid their understanding of what they read. Explore these strategies through examples from literature and everyday life.
4. Types of Research Design
There are questions to be answered in all areas of psychology. How are these questions answered by professionals in the field? This lesson covers several different options researchers can use to approach such questions.
5. An Overview of Qualitative Research
Sometimes, a research study does not have results made up of numbers. In this lesson, we'll look at qualitative research, compare it to quantitative research and examine some of its strengths and limitations.
6. Applying Research to Improve Reading Instruction
Reading is the most critical skill a student can master, and the importance of effective reading instruction in the classroom cannot be overstated. Let's look at what the research says and how we can implement best practices with our own students.
Earning College Credit
Did you know… We have over 200 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level.
To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page
Transferring credit to the school of your choice
Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Study.com has thousands of articles about every imaginable degree, area of study and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you.
Other chapters within the MTTC Reading (05): Practice & Study Guide course
- MTTC Reading: Teaching Language Arts
- MTTC Reading: Learning Theories
- MTTC Reading: Factors Affecting Student Learning
- MTTC Reading: Language Development
- MTTC Reading: Emergent Literacy
- MTTC Reading: Phonology, Phonemes & Phonics
- MTTC Reading: Uses of Language
- MTTC Reading: Understanding Literature
- MTTC Reading: Using Literary Texts
- MTTC Reading: Developing & Promoting Literacy
- MTTC Reading: Reading Comprehension Strategies
- MTTC Reading: Promoting Study Strategies
- MTTC Reading: Teaching Comprehension
- MTTC Reading: Speaking & Listening Skills
- MTTC Reading: Oral Communication in the Classroom
- MTTC Reading: Promoting Written Communication
- MTTC Reading: Grammar
- MTTC Reading: Spelling & Punctuation
- MTTC Reading: Writing Skills
- MTTC Reading: Teaching Vocabulary Skills
- MTTC Reading: Planning Reading Curriculum
- MTTC Reading: Assessment Uses & Data
- MTTC Reading: Reading Assessments
- MTTC Reading: Using Reading Assessment Data
- MTTC Reading: Readers with Special Needs
- MTTC Reading: Teaching Readers with Special Needs
- MTTC Reading: Role & Function of Reading Professionals
- MTTC Reading Flashcards


A Look Inside Music Class in Primary School
An interview with Lisa Bicksel, Infant - 3rd Grade Music Teacher
Visit a primary school music class and you might feel a twinge of nostalgia as you watch the students dancing and singing to music that will transport you back to another time and place.
Folk music is on the agenda this year, and the children are having a great time dancing to these old-time songs, moving and bouncing to the music in a coordinated and rhythmic fashion.
At first look, the students may appear to be simply enjoying the music, dancing, and expending some bottled-up energy. Take a closer look, and you’ll see a much deeper learning experience.
Through dance, the students are learning about rhythm, beat, and pattern. They’re practicing collaboration, leadership, and team building skills, taking cues from the music, and anticipating what is coming next. Oh and yes, they are having fun!
"Dance is an important foundation in music education. Children learn music by ear first and have to feel it. They internalize the music’s beat by moving to it, and gradually as they progress, they can begin to see music through notation.”
- Lisa Bicksel, Music Teacher, Infants - Grade 3
A Research-Based Pedagogy in Early Music Education
During a summer fellowship at George Mason University this year, Mrs. Bicksel was inspired by the work of Dr. John Feierabend, a national leader in early childhood music education and Professor of Music Education at The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, CT.
Integrating some of his research-based techniques into her music lessons, she is incorporating folk music into her curriculum, the significance of which reaches beyond the basics of music instruction.
“Communities today are different to those of our grandparents who lived in close-knit communities, surrounded by family. Families are much more spread out than before, and the tradition of passing music and songs down through the generations is slowly going away. It is wonderful to be able to introduce students to songs that have been around for generations, and to keep those traditions alive,” she says.
Building Leadership and Confidence
Many folk songs originate from different parts of the world, providing a global perspective to the lesson. That global perspective is also introduced to students through studying composers and dancing expressively to classical pieces by composers such as Bach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Mozart. Students sing in different languages including Russian, Spanish, French and Italian.
“I like to focus on independent singing at a very young age so that children gain a sense of pride in something as personal as their own voice,” says Mrs. Bicksel. “Students start by learning simple songs that are easy to remember, and when they sing them, their friends pick them up quickly and join in.”
At first, some students are a bit reluctant to sing independently, but with practice, they build confidence and eventually sing without inhibition. Her goal she says is to “encourage children to become independent musicians, and to take an active leadership role in singing, movement, and dance.”
With that goal in mind, Mrs. Bicksel is planning increased performance opportunities for the students throughout the year.
“I like to focus on independent singing to encourage children to become leaders in song. My goal is to encourage children to become independent musicians, and to take an active leadership role in singing, movement, and dance."
- Mrs. Bicksel
At Congressional School, we understand the important role music plays in the education and development of young learners and believe music instruction should begin as early as possible. Our students participate in music classes taught by a specialty teacher beginning in our infant classes, and our students continue to study music all the way through 8th grade.
Stay tuned for more stories about our innovative and creative music program at Congressional School!


Brook Taylor’s complaints about his readers and predecessor writers on perspective reflected a general philosophy of education that he explained in his preface to the second edition of Linear Perspective. His objection was to students who learned by rote, and to teachers who taught students how to follow simple recipes without attaining deeper understanding of the underlying principles. He saw his role as laying out the general theory and sketching in the directions a student should follow to gain mastery of particular cases, without burdening the beginner with too much explication. He emphasized that his work was not for the complete beginner, that is, it assumed a familiarity with Euclidean geometry:
The Reader, who understands nothing of the Elements of Geometry, can hardly hope to be much the better for this Book, if he reads it without the Assistance of a Master; but I have endeavour’d to make everything so plain, that a very little Skill in Geometry may be sufficient to enable one to read the Book by himself. And upon this occasion I would advise all my Readers, who desire to make themselves Masters of this Subject, not to be contented with the Schemes they find here; but upon every Occasion to draw new ones of their own, in all the Variety of Circumstances they can think of. This will take up a little more Time at first; but in a little while they will find the vast Benefit of it, by the extensive Notions it will give them of the Nature of these Principles.
At this point in his Preface, Taylor is responding, in tones that appear somewhat hurt and largely uncomprehending, so critics of the earlier, purer, first edition of his book:
I find that many People object to the first Edition that I gave of these Principles, in the little Book entituled, Linear Perspective, &c because they see no Examples in it, no curious Descriptions of Figures, which other Books of Perspective are commonly so full of; and seeing nothing in it but simple Geometrical Schemes, they apprehend it to be dry and unentertaining, and so are loth to give themselves the trouble to read it. To satisfy these nice Persons in some measure, II have made the Schemes in this Book something more ornamental, that they may have some visible Proofs of the vast Advantages these Principles have over the common Rules of Perspective, by seeing what simple Constructions, and how few Lines are necessary to describe several Subjects, which in the common Method would require an infinite Labour, and a vast Confusion of Lines. It would have been easy to have multiplied Examples, and to have enlarged upon several things that I have only given Hints of, which may easily be pursued by those who have made themselves Masters of these Principles.
Taylor can be as prolix as any eighteenth-century author when he puts his mind to it. But now we come to the nub of the matter.
Perhaps some People would have been better pleased with my Book, if I had done this: but I must take the freedom to tell them, that tho’ it might have amused their Fancy something more by this means, it would not have been more instructive to them: for the true and best way of learning any Art, is not to see a great many Examples done by another Person; nut to possess ones self first of the Principles of it, and then to make them familiar, by exercising ones self in the Practice. For it is Practice alone, that makes a Man perfect in any thing.
Theory first, then practice. Taylor expands upon this advice at length, with special reference to art education for which he suggest wholesale reform along his preferred lines.