The numeracy action plan is in place to improve the Numeracy of all pupils at Hutton Grammar School. As parents and carers you have the responsibility and opportunity to enhance the Mathematics that your son uses in life and across the curriculum at Hutton Grammar School.
The information provided here is to act as a guide about what we do at school to help and support pupils alongside information on where further help is available if you require it.
If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact Mr Scrivener.
Numeracy in Form
Each week a numeracy activity is shared to all teachers. This resource can be used in form to supplement the Mathematics and Numeracy that happens across all aspects of the curriculum at Hutton.
Example tasks are available on the site and in the past have varied. Examples include problem solving with the cost of pancakes, understanding the shape of the new £1 coin and quizzes about famous Mathematicians.
Numeracy in Mathematics
Numeracy is key to many aspects of Mathematics that use numbers and rules. Within Mathematics lessons we try to promote good practice of Numeracy skills.
Key areas include but are not limited to;
- Proficiency in mental arithmetic,
- Being able to present formal written methods,
- Being able to explain what is happening not just being able to produce an answer.
Additionally support is offered through intervention outside of the class, referral to Maths Club and key skills tests to certain classes. The latter is only in a trial period before we look to roll it out across more classes.
Additionally pupils have access to sites including My Maths with their own unique log on. We try to emphasise tasks for pupils to be aware of.
Numeracy across the Curriculum
Numeracy is important and should, wherever possible, be used within all subjects to enhance and build a pupils knowledge.
We are currently looking in to how we can increase the awareness of Numeracy and what initiatives that we can introduce to help promote Numeracy across all departments.
Help and Advice
We appreciate that many parents and carers like to offer help and support to pupils who may be experiencing difficulty with their work. We also understand that it may have been many years since the last time you did some Mathematics.
We are here to help in that respect and are in the process of creating a toolkit that will help you to help your pupils.
In the meantime there are things you can be doing. Some options include;
- Signpost your son to Maths Club on a Monday/Friday lunchtime.
- Ask your son to search for the topic on the My Maths website. (Link below)
- Ask for help from a teacher by email or by using the Hutton Maths Twitter account. (Link below)
- Use other internet resources for help. A quick internet search will reveal many established Mathematics sites with help from other teachers.
My Maths: https://www.mymaths.co.uk/
Hutton Maths Twitter: https://twitter.com/huttonmaths
BBC Bitesize: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education


Shojo Manga! Girl Power!: Evolution and and Transformation of Japanese Girls’ Comics
Many different kinds of manga have been published for different ages, genders, and fans’ favorite themes since the 1970s. One of the major characteristics of Japanese manga is that manga has split into Boy’s (shonen) and Girl’s (shojo) manga, each developing in its own way. Based on readers’ expectations, each boy’s and girl’s manga has its own theme. Regardless of the subject, the main theme in boy’s manga is competitive fighting, how the heroes become men by protecting women, family, country, or the earth from enemies. The theme of girl’s manga is simply love. In brief, the most important thing for girls is how to find love through a process of overcoming obstacles.
However, the topics in shojo manga have changed in response to girls’ expectations and have developed into diverse subjects over the last 70 years since World War II. The role and the value of shojo manga has become significant in Japan. Regarding the visual images, the grammar of Japanese manga is also highly developed with semiotic and semantic usage of composition, which seldom appears in US comics after the 1960s.
What is the cultural and historical background behind the development of shojo manga? Why has it become a worldwide phenomenon? How does it influence young minds (e.g. aesthetics and preferences) and change their society?
This lecture responds to the topics above, showing a variety of fascinating visual images taken from representative shojo manga works from the 1970s to the present.
About the Speaker
Dr. Masami Toku
Dr. Masami Toku is a professor of art education in California State University, Chico. She is the curator for the touring art exhibition of shojo manga (2013 – 2015) started from CSU-Chico in 2013 and traveling five sites in the US, which was just held at Vassar’s Palmer Gallery and Dutchess Community College’s Washington Gallery from October 30th to November 21st. Her speech will be about shojo manga’s history and development; this will help those who are interested better understand the artwork in the exhibition. Her recent book publications are Visual Culture and Literacy: Art Appreciation from Multicul- tural Perspective (2011, Kendall Hunt) and Art, Teaching and Learning (2014, Kendall Hunt). Her next book will come out in 2015: International Perspectives on Shōjo and Shōjo Manga: The Influence of Girl Culture (Routledge).


Constructionist classrooms allow for students to play an active role in the classroom. “In the constructivist classroom, the focus tends to shift from the teacher to the students. The classroom is no longer a place where the teacher (“expert”) pours knowledge into passive students, who wait like empty vessels to be filled.” This allows the students to create an open environment where students can question ideas, research their own questions and learn in a way that best suits their learning styles. This type of class is focused on big concept ideas and allows the students to fill in the blanks. Technology can be a great asset to a class like this. Students don’t get lost when sifting through pamphlets and books. They can instead use a list of resources that have been pre-approved to research the questions they have created. Once they have exhausted all resources then they can go further to research on their own if needed. Google Docs and Gmail can be utilized to build a resource of answers so that everyone can study and add questions as needed. If a student is trained in how to use different apps, technology or equipment then they can lead their studies while the teacher facilitates and guides.
I generally use this approach when learning art history. I show the students several different photos from the time period we are discussing and a few that are not. The students sit around in a circle and think pair share about the images to get the information rolling. Then as a class we have a discussion about the photos; what do they see, what is missing, what can they infer from the photos. I have the students pick out the once they feel do not belong and explain why. The we create a list of questions we need to answer. After we have a list the student goes on a journey to research the information and fill in the blanks. The whole process banks on the students leading the conversation and research. I must be sure to choose a topic they will be interested in and can find enough information on that everyone can share the responsibility of researching. The students can then publish the information they found whether it is in google docs, on the wiki page or on the class blog.
This whole process is turning the students into investigators and 21st century learners. This process allows the students to work on their digital citizenship and their confidence. The confidence allows them to enhance their skills and become an empowered learner. ISTE standards states that to be empowered learners’ students need to, “understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies” (ISTE, 2017).
Students could use these skills in Genius Hour (GH), to build their interest and technology skills. Once they have the confidence to navigate a new piece of technology then they can work on finding new ways to utilize it to build their skills in an area they are interested in. Constructivist classrooms are a great environment for the GH, the program is based on the same principles. The main concept of both being that the student is the leader, the student is making the choices and playing an active role in their development.
(2017). ISTE Standards for students. Retrieved June 04, 2017, from https://www.iste.org/
FRANCO, M. m., WARD, A. r., & UNRATH, K. u. (2015). Artmaking as Meaning-Making: A
New Model for Preservice Elementary Generalists. Art Education, 68(5), 28-33
What is constructivism? (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2017, from http://www.thirteen.org/
Constructivism: Montessori, Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey and others . (2017, June 28). Retrieved
June 28, 2017, from https://birddroppings.me/2017/06/28/constructivism-montessori-piaget-vygotsky-dewey-and-others-3/


We recognise the need to teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. The policy is based on the aims and objectives set out in the 2014 National Curriculum.
The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
- acquire a wide vocabulary,
- an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading,
- writing and spoken language
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
- use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
- are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate
As part of our reading scheme we use the 'Accelerated Reader' program. Accelerated Reader is a computer program that helps the school to manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice. Children pick a book at their own level and reads it. When finished, the child takes a short quiz on the computer. Accelerated Reader gives feedback based on the quiz results, which the teacher then uses to help set goals and direct ongoing reading practice.
Children using Accelerated Reader choose their own books to read, rather than having one assigned to them. This makes reading a much more enjoyable experience as they can choose books that are interesting to them.
Our curriculum supports children to become confident mathematicians, vital skills in the modern world. Teaching focuses on cross curricular learning where possible in order to make the Maths learning exciting and motivating, with dynamic ICT software and resources. Daily lessons are delivered across the school, with a focus on:
- Number and Place Value;
- Addition and Subtraction;
- Multiplication and Division;
- Fractions (Y4 includes Decimals);
- Geometry (including Properties of Shape and Position and Direction;
and for Year 5&6:
- Decimals and Percentages;
- Ratio and Proportion;
All children have access to Mathletics, an online subscription, which supports and reinforces learning.
Our vision is "Nurturing an enquiring mind to enable children to flourish as Scientists in an ever developing world". Our principles are Enquiring Mind and Curiosity, Learning from experts, Investigation, Teamwork and Enthusiasm (ELITE).
The overarching aim for Science in our school is to ensure that pupils:
- To develop scientific knowledge and understanding
- To develop scientific enquiry skills
- To ask questions about the world they live in and make simple predictions about what might happen if...
- To look carefully at the world around them and use their 5 senses to say what it is like
- To be able to use observations to sort and measure things
- To record their findings in drawings, charts, words and tables
- To explain how to make their test fair and explain why it is fair
- To say what happened and explain trends in their results
- To have an everyday working knowledge of Science so they can apply it to their everyday lives
- To make use of ICT, Literacy and Numeracy skills
- To work safely
In order to achieve these aims we will:
- Provide a stimulating environment to promote effective learning in Science
- Ensure continuity and progression in Science by liaising with colleagues on areas covered
- Give children lots of opportunities to develop and apply investigative skills
- Provide necessary resources for the children to be taught effectively
- Provide a safe environment in which to explore Science
Relationship and Sex Education (RSE)
Relationships and Sex Education will be statutory in September 2020. As a school we have mapped out the RSE strands and identified where they are already covered in our current curriculum. The Sex education strand will be covered through our Science Curriculum - see our RSE policy for further information.


Mary Pappert School of Music
Paul F. Doerksen
high school, instrumental music, rural
The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the needs of the rural high school instrumental music educator. Three research questions guided the inquiry: 1) How do the needs of practicing rural high school instrumental music teachers compare to the unique needs of rural music educators identified by other researchers in previous studies? 2) Why are the needs of a rural high school instrumental music educator unique? 3) How are the needs of a rural instrumental music educator distinctive? Autoethnography was the primary research methodology utilized with additional participant interviews to enrich the data. Four themes emerged from the coding of data: 1) Need of balance, 2) Need of support, 4) Need of identity, and 4) Need of understanding. Based on its findings, this study recommends the creation of mental health support, rural music education support networks, unique program culture, and advocacy of rural instrumental music programs.
Schaller, J. (2016). The Hometown Band Director: An Autoethnographic Study on the Needs of Rural High School Instrumental Music Educators (Master's thesis, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/106


Americans have shown a great concern for education since early colonial times. Today, there are some 43 million pupils and students in public schools at the elementary and secondary levels, and another 6 million in private schools throughout the country.
The USA does not have a national system of education. The function of the Federal Department of Education is merely to gather information, to advise and help finance some educational programs. All educational matters are left to individual states. 50 states are free to determine its own system for its own public school. In 1986 50 percent of the funds for elementary and secondary education came from state sources, 43 from local funds, and only 6 % from the federal government.
There are two major types of schools in the USA - public and private, or fee-paying. Four out of five private schools are run by churches, synagogues and other religious groups.
Most schools start at nursery level at the age of 3. Elementary education starts at the age of 6 and continues till 10-11 years. Secondary education is provided from the age of 11-12 years. Intermediate school includes grades 6 through 9 for ages 11(12) up to 14(15) years. Schools of this stage are called intermediate schools or junior high schools.
A senior high school may include grades 9 through 12 or 10 through 12. Senior high schools in the United States can be classified in 3 major categories according to program. A senior high school may be comprehensive, generator vocational. A comprehensive school is open to all youths of a community area and offers a broad program of academic, prevocational and vocational education.
A general school is also open, but it offers a more limited program. Extensive program of prevocational or vocational courses and advanced courses in academic studies are usually excluded.
A vocational school is for students of the community who are interested in its specialized area of training and a program of general education.
A specialized school is for pupils with special capabilities who are qualified to concentrate in a particular area of study. It is for the academically, musically, artistically gifted.
The American secondary school provides the course program of school subjects and a program of extracurricular activities, including organized sports, Most schools publish their own student newspapers, have orchestras, bands, choir, theatre and drama groups, etc.
What makes American education at the secondary level so different from most other countries is that all such programs, whether academic, technical, or practical, are generally taught under one roof.
High school students who wish to attend a college or university go through one of the two standard tests - SAT and ACT. They are given by non-profit, non-governmental organizations.


Looking for words: why it’s a good literacy activity
Everyday activities like going to the local shops are fun ways to help your child’s literacy development. Also, everyday literacy activities don’t cost extra money or take up extra time.
For example, looking for words is a simple literacy activity. You can do it when you go to the supermarket with your child.
Your child’s journey towards literacy involves learning to speak, listen, read, understand, watch, draw and write. It’s never too early to start helping your child to learn these skills.
What you need for looking for words: literacy activity
This activity uses your normal grocery shopping trip, so you don’t need any special equipment. Just look for the words all around you and share them with your child.
How to do looking for words: literacy activity
- Sit with your child while you write a shopping list. If your child is old enough, they can write a list too. Or your child can pretend to write a list by scribbling on paper.
- Talk about what you plan to buy, including any foods your child likes. For example, ‘Let’s put milk on the list. Milk starts with an “m”. M-ilk’.
- When you’re at the shops, point out words on shop signs and product labels. Show your child how you use the list so you don’t forget anything. Your child can help by crossing things off the list as you pick them up.
- Encourage your child to identify words or letters on the things you buy. Ask your child to guess what words mean by looking at the first letter and the picture on a packet. See whether your child can find a product that begins with the first letter of their name.
Adapting this literacy activity for children of different ages
Your younger child might not be able to recognise letters, but your child can still have fun with words and sounds. For example, you might say ‘B-bananas. We need bananas’. Hold things up for your child to see when you name them, and make sure your child watches your face while you’re talking. Encourage your child to try to make the sounds or say the words too.
Your older child will be better at recognising letters and signs. Your child might even be able to read some. See whether your child can tell you what something is by reading a label. You could look more closely at a label and point out where you can read the ingredients or the country where the product came from.


Kids who love Boggle will find these printable boggle printable files really useful and fun to play! We have a collection of Boggle for Kids printable and you’ll see how many words your kid can create by connecting the letters to each other.
This classic word game contains 4×4 or grid of letters designed for kids. Print some of these boggle word game pages to play!
The rules are, the words formed must be at least 3 letters and you can only make words out of the letters that are touching each other. They can be touching diagonally, horizontally, or vertically. Giving a specific time limit such as 1 or 2 minutes will make the game more interesting.
Print out each of the printable boggle game pages and you can also make enough copies for each page. Start timing for 2 minutes and kids will turn over their page and start looking for words. Word games like Boggle for toddler activities aid literacy development, one to one correspondence, fine motor skills. It gives you a chance to make countless memories around a table together with your kids or family.
Boggle makes an outstanding pre-writing game for all ages, from elementary through high school. Boggle is a great word game for kids to play while they are sharpening their vocabulary and quick response!


Is this book about a real woman in STEAM?
Patterns are everywhere! How many can you find?
This gorgeously illustrated book from Joyce Hesselberth, the creator of the acclaimed Mapping Sam, expertly introduces readers to basic patterns in nature, music, sports, art, language, and math. Pitter Pattern is an exceptional mix of fiction and nonfiction perfect for home as well as classroom sharing. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.
Pitter, pitter, pat! Pitter, pitter, pat! Hey, it’s a pitter, pitter, pattern!
Lu and her friends love spotting patterns in their daily activities. Lu learns that patterns can be found at soccer practice, during her piano lessons, in dance class, at snack time, and even at the park! How many patterns can you spot as Lu goes about her week?
Patterns are an important building block of preschool and early elementary education, and Pitter Pattern includes examples of patterns found in music, weather, time, play, shapes, nature, math, and language. The accessible and playful illustrations feature additional patterns for engaged readers to discover. An expert blend of fiction and nonfiction, this beautiful and innovative character-driven picture book is an ideal read-aloud for classrooms, family story times, and for fans of Hervé Tullet, Lois Ehlert, Steve Jenkins, and Joyce Sidman. Includes backmatter about the patterns in the book.
4 - 8 years
Girls Love STEAM Review:
Additional Reader & Professional Reviews:
“The puzzle-like spreads invite readers to consider what type of patterns appear on each page and then to anticipate an element and fill in what comes next.”
“Geometric illustrations are chock full of patterns to spot . . . There's lots to discover.”
-- Kirkus Reviews
“Hesselberth incorporates auditory and visual patterns into her pithy text and mixed-media pictures.”
-- Publishers Weekly
“An exploration of patterns that are easily observable in the natural and manmade world . . . A strong choice for group sharing.”
-- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“In this concept book, Hesselberth follows Lu and her family through a week where each day is full of patterns . . . A picture book that invites discovery, inside and outside the pages.”
-- Horn Book Magazine
*Store prices may vary.
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Click our survey links below and let us know what you think of this book!
For ages 12 and under
Parent Permission Required
For ages 13-17
For ages 18 & Above


Literacy learning in the early yearsResearch 4 Mar 2014 3 minute read
Monitoring the development of children’s literacy learning in the early years of school poses challenges for teachers and for educational researchers, not least in developing appropriate strategies to identify the literacy knowledge and skills of young learners, and finding valid ways to compare individual achievement with general patterns of literacy development.
Formal and informal literacy assessments early in children’s first year at school in India indicate that there is a wide distribution of achievement, and that children’s literacy experiences prior to entering school vary considerably.
Sixty-one workshop participants from 37 schools and other educational bodies discussed the activities and practices they currently find helpful in improving literacy learning and the methods they use to monitor students’ progress in literacy learning.
‘Circle time’ emerged as a common method for monitoring students’ progress in literacy learning across schools. Other methods include inviting children to narrate or in some cases illustrate what they have read in a particular picture book.
The workshop also revealed that teachers who use Hindi as the language of instruction follow many of the same strategies as teachers who use English as the language of instruction in early years classrooms, suggesting that language learning strategies may be essentially the same and not dependent on particular languages.
Workshop participants explored literacy activities, material and writing samples and rubrics from the ACER Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Study (LLANS), drawing on the ACER research monograph, Growth in Literacy and Numeracy in the First Three Years of School. LLANS literacy activities have been informed by research focusing on critical aspects in the development of effective literacy skills, while the high-quality and hands-on activities and authentic materials and writing samples have been designed to interest and engage students.
Workshop participants in groups scored writing samples and conducted a review of annotated writing samples to recognise growth and the diversity of individual achievement and to understand how to establish where learners are in their learning at the time of assessment.
The focus on strategies for identifying the literacy knowledge and skills of young learners supports the view, explained by Geoff Masters in Reforming Educational Assessment: Imperatives, principles and challenges, that,
‘The fundamental purpose of assessment is to establish where learners are in their learning at the time of assessment.... When assessments are used to establish where students are in their learning, the same assessments can be used to identify starting points for further teaching and learning and/or to review the progress that individuals have made since some previous assessment (an assessment of learning that has occurred).’
By looking at findings from ACER research with different cohorts of children in the early years and the scales used to assess children, workshop participants were able to see the kinds of evidence of the knowledge of texts that children acquire prior to schooling. Workshop participants also discussed the implications of these findings for planning literacy teaching programs in the initial years of school.


ERIC Number: ED465212
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2001-Aug
Principals and After-School Programs: A Survey of PreK-8 Principals.
Changing dynamics of the American family is putting pressure on public schools to provide after-school programs (ASPs). These programs can help children learn positive social skills and receive help with academic subjects in safe, caring, and enjoyable environments. This report provides analysis of a survey of 800 public school principals that was developed to document the prevalence and characteristics of ASPs in elementary and middle schools, to identify what principals consider the successes and challenges facing their ASPs, and to help the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) identify ways it can help its members and non-members strengthen, maintain, or establish ASPs. The research found that ASPs are now prevalent around the country. Principals see their programs as very successful and an important aspect of their school. However, many of these programs are potentially fragile because of funding and staffing challenges to keeping them functioning. Principals express a desire to expand their ASPs to serve more students and to provide more activities. An appendix contains the survey questionnaire and response totals. (RT)
Descriptors: Administrator Attitudes, After School Education, After School Programs, Child Safety, Elementary Education, Principals
For full text: http://www.naesp.org/afterschool/report.pdf.
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Sponsor: National Association of Elementary School Principals, Alexandria, VA.
Authoring Institution: N/A
Note: Survey designed and conducted by Belden Russonello & Stewart Research and Communications in association with KSA-Plus Communications, Inc. and NAESP.


Special Education Reading CurriculumA unit introduction page is provided to introduce the two pieces of literature that are targeted in each unit. A fiction and a related non-fiction book are paired to promote a deeper understanding of the connection between both books for students who have a learning disability.
Throughout the Interactive Read-Aloud Segment, scripted reading instruction provides teachers with instructional strategies to increase engagement and participation during shared reading activities. Prior to reading, target vocabulary and sight words are taught. Students learn and acquire print literacy skills as teachers guide them through an interactive read-aloud of the text. Throughout this reading curriculum, students are given opportunities to engage with the text by signaling when it is time to turn the page, finger tracing the text as it is read aloud, engaging in choral reading opportunities, and reading skills.
In the Reading Comprehension Segment, students take a ‘picture walk’ of the story to review key elements and details. The teacher systematically leads students through a guided practice activity of sequencing the events or sorting the details from the story. Last, students are given differentiated comprehension questions to test their understanding of the story or information presented.
The Foundational Skills Segment targets letter identification, letter sound correspondences, phonological and phonemic awareness, decoding, and more. Special education teachers are provided with explicit scripts using systematic instruction to lead students through the various activities.
The Language Segment promotes deeper understanding of the vocabulary, concepts and categories that are addressed within the unit. Teachers are provided with an explicit script to build concept knowledge with example and non-example training.
In each Writing Segment, students are asked to recall information and write about literature or experiences. Teachers are provided with differentiated writing tasks to meet the needs of all students. Writing activities include necessary support for those students who require it.
Click on a subject area to learn more


Music: a motor for social, cultural and economical development
Capital of a multicultural nation, Bogota grew from 800.000 to 8.000.000 inhabitants in the last 70 years. The City’s residents include people from 68 indigenous groups, afro colombian and ‘raizal’ as well as gypsy population.
Bogota is a global, diverse, inclusive and creative city that acknowledges citizens as the center of its transformation processes. In past decades the city went through an urban, economic, social and cultural recovery supported by public policies that include culture as a main pillar. Music was part of this process through the “Festivales Al Parque” city program started in 1995, which contributed in recovering the citizens’ appropriation of public spaces, reinforced identity and diversity, gathering more than 600.000 participants every year.
With more than 60 music festivals and 400 venues presenting live music throughout the year, Bogota is an important musical center in the region, with a diverse music scene -salsa, fusion, rock, opera, classical, chamber, electronic, pop, tropical, ranchera, hip hop, experimental, bolero, gospel and Colombia’s own rich musical tradition- that breeds a new Colombian music sound.
Cultural industries in the city improved with the participation of the private sector through the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, which has developed markets and fairs for creative sectors: Books, Arts, Performing Arts, Audiovisual, and in particular the BoMM – Bogota Music Market, a business platform for local and regional agents created in 2012 along with Bogota’s inclusion in the UNESCO Network. The Chamber also developed the City of Music Cluster in 2015 for strengthening the city’s dynamic music sector.
City governments have consistently worked to guarantee citizen’s rights and wellbeing, and since 2013 Bogota runs Project CLAN to include music and the arts as part of the city’s public education programs, providing musical education to 30.000 children and young people in public schools.
Bogota is a renowed destination for business, culture, education and tourism. The City Marketing Strategy incorporated the City of Music program since 2010, and thus integrates public and private agents in its development, support and international projection.
As a Creative City of Music, Bogotá envisages:
- Sharing of experiences on the positive impact of music in facing social, ethnic and economic inequalities, particularly in the field of music education, public policies, economy of music and community participaction.
- Design and execution of joint research projects on the economic and social impact of music, and its contribution to the city’s human development.
- Contribution to strengthening circulation possibilities for artists, students and researchers in the Latin American and Caribbean region, due to the city’s position as a geographical and cultural hub in the Americas, promoting contact between agents of the cities’ music sectors through exchange and residencies programs and virtual platforms.
Secretaría de Cultura, Recreación y Deporte
Contact: Paola Vives
Phone: +57 1 3274850 Ext. 597
Bogota, City of Music Program
Instituto Distrital de las Artes – IDARTES
Coordination: Juan Luis Restrepo
Phone: +57 1 3795750 Ext. 3102
Facts and Figures
Capital of Colombia
The region was was home to the Muisca nation, whose mythic relationship with gold gave birth to El Dorado legend, before Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada founded the City in 1538.
Located at an altitude of 2600 mts., Bogota is the 4th largest City in Latin America.
City District covers 1776 km² of which 307 km² are urban area. The City’s rural area is part of the Páramo de Sumapaz, world’s largest continuous paramo (moorland) ecosystem.
Population (City Region)


What's Inside the 'Boxes' of Inclusive Education
There’s a really cool graphic that’s popular in education circles. It’s particularly popular in inclusive education circles. It’s meant to demonstrate that different kids require different types and amounts of support in order to succeed in school (and in life… but let’s keep the focus on school, for the moment). There are different versions of it, but here’s the one I’m most familiar with:
I’ve seen this graphic many, many times, but I always have the same reaction. I see three kids who have the same goal. Let’s watch a baseball game together! The only problem is that in the picture on the left, the two big guys are busy enjoying the game… while the only thing the little kid can see is fence. In the graphic on the right, the kids have figured out how to solve the problem. We have enough boxes. All we need to do is transfer a box from the big guy to the little guy. Now we can all see. Look at that… the Red Sox just scored a home run!
However, I’ve learned through painful experience that not everyone sees this graphic the same way I do. Some people look at the graphic and experience a sense of loss. Why does the big guy have to give up his box? True, the big guy can already see over the fence without the box… but aren’t we holding him back by taking the box away? Couldn’t we push his development by giving him some more boxes?
I think our society perpetuates a scarcity mentality. What’s in those boxes? How do I get one for my kid? I also think our society elevates individualism over community. Who cares about that little guy, as long as my kid can see the game? We can see this play out in so many aspects of our day-to-day lives.
Let me tell you a bit about what’s inside my kid’s boxes. Our first boxes were delivered when G was just 9 months old. He wasn’t meeting his physical benchmarks, so he started working with a physical therapist. We added speech therapy and occupational therapy when he was two. Later, we added behavioral therapy and a play skills group. Did I mention we received all these boxes before he was even 3 years old?
I worried about my son’s future and feared he would miss out on opportunities other kids his age had. But after three years with a behavioral therapist, we finally made the decision that G had made enough progress to “graduate.” While he still needs many other supports, he had acquired the specific set of skills she had to offer. He no longer needed one of those boxes.
Back to the graphic… I think it’s a natural reaction to want the best for your kid. And maybe when you see that someone else’s kid got two boxes, while your kid has none, it might raise some questions about the boxes. What I’m asking is to please, please…. think for a moment about what might be inside those boxes.
Those boxes represent ramps that make buildings disability accessible. Those boxes represent assisted listening devices for kids who can’t hear. Those boxes represent hours of phonics instruction for kids who can’t hear the difference in the sound of a “p” versus the sound of a “d.” Those boxes represent aides who can support students in overcoming the obstacles they face due to autism, ADHD, anxiety, or many other medical conditions or disabilities. Those boxes represent whatever a kid needs so they can see the ballgame instead of the fence.
So again, I ask you… let’s keep our focus on our goals as a school community. Heck, let’s keep our focus on our goals as a society. At the end of the day, it’s not about how many boxes you have. It’s about working together to make sure everybody can see the game.
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A degree in early childhood education can prepare you to teach preschool and primary school, or can serve as a launching pad into a graduate degree in education. Every school establishes its own curriculum for the major, so your classes will vary depending upon the school you choose, but you can expect a strong focus on education and child development.
As with other majors, you'll have to take core classes designed to give you a well-rounded general educational background. These classes will include courses in English, math, science, history and the social sciences. You may be allowed to select from a list of electives to fulfill some requirements, so choosing courses related to your major can help further your education. For example, you might choose a course in developmental psychology for a social science elective.
You'll take a wide variety of courses in child development as part of your major. At Taft College, for example, students take courses in child health and safety, elementary nutrition, discipline techniques for preschool children and child assessment and study. These courses help you understand how children grow and develop, and which educational strategies are appropriate for each age group.
Managing a classroom full of children is a learned skill, and many of your courses are designed to help you manage your students and communicate with their families. At Florida State University, for example, students take courses such as techniques of child study, management and discipline, early childhood curriculum and methods, parents as teachers, observation and participation and educational assessment for children with disabilities.
At some schools, you can specialize in a specific sub-field within early childhood education, such as math, science or art. Even if you don't select a specialty, you'll be able to choose from a wide variety of courses that offer teaching methods for various fields. At the College of Charleston, students can take courses such as teaching science, teaching social studies, reading/learning strategies and language and literacy development.
Van Thompson is an attorney and writer. A former martial arts instructor, he holds bachelor's degrees in music and computer science from Westchester University, and a juris doctor from Georgia State University. He is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including a 2009 CALI Legal Writing Award.


All children beginning Kindergarten MUST be 5 years old by September 1
In Kindergarten, we lay the foundation children need in order to be successful in their future school careers. We meet each child where he or she is academically, physically, socially, spiritually and emotionally using differentiated instruction. The teachers will work regularly in small groups to help meet each student’s needs. It is our goal to use a hands-on approach to learning in which the children are actively involved and having fun. We are thrilled to be able to keep our class size small. The ratio in our Kindergarten classes will be 1:15, or less. Kindergarten at MKP is Monday-Thursday from 8:30-2:30 each day.
CURRICULUM: All of the Kindergarten curriculum at Messiah’s Kids Preschool is 100% TEKS based. After completing Kindergarten with us, your child will be more than prepared to continue their academic career at any of the area elementary schools.
READING, LANGUAGE ARTS: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s, “Into Reading” is a fully integrated phonics, reading, writing and spelling program. This program uses a differentiated approach to individualize instruction in reading and writing. It uses quality literature to captivate the students’ attention and encourage their love of learning. This program gives students the strong foundation they need to excel in reading and language.
HIGH FREQUENCY WORDS: High frequency words are important to young readers. The more words they know by sight, the more students’ fluency builds. The better a child’s fluency, the better they can comprehend. MATH: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s, “Go Math” is a comprehensive math program that engages children through hands-on activities, and teaches them to become independent learners, supported by their teacher. They will learn all of the foundational skills to become life–long problem solvers. The students will experience and practice math concepts in multiple ways; whole group, small group, and individually.
SCIENCE: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s, “Science Fusion” uses a hands-on approach to learning science concepts. Children will learn through direct teacher instruction, guided practice, and independent learning. This comprehensive program covers the areas of life science, earth science, and physical science.
SOCIAL STUDIES: We integrate the Social Studies TEKS into our reading and writing programs. We also use “Time Magazine for Kids” to reinforce the Social Studies concepts outlined in the TEKS.
*Extended care options are available at an additional charge.


The Shichida Method
While there are several types of alternative education, the most successful methods have one thing in common- they emphasise on holistic development of the child rather than rote learning. For example, Shichida is a pioneering early education model. Also known as Whole Brain Education, centres that adopt this method enrol children from the age of 6 months. They incorporate tools like music, dance, memory techniques, and flashcards to teach children. This way, children use their kinetic, spatial, and creative senses to learn.
Origins of the Shichida Method
The Shichida method was the brainchild of a Japanese teacher named Makoto Shichida, who taught English in Gotsu, a small city in Japan. While interacting with learners of various ages, he observed a stark difference between the learning capabilities of young children and adolescents. Irked by this difference, Shichida devoted the next two and a half decades of his life to researching brain development in children and its effects on learning. As a result, he discovered that children were more suited to absorbing knowledge than adults and were capable of learning faster than their grown peers.
Philosophy of Learning
The method is popular in the alternative education system because it focuses on the holistic development of students. “Soul Education” is a motto of the mode, and true to its belief, it concentrates on developing the creative abilities of children. Right-hemisphere brain training is also a significant part of the curriculum, where the child learns through creative means. The philosophy of the method is that all children are born with individualistic capabilities, and the teacher has to hone these abilities. When one is encouraged to pursue their interests and sharpen their distinct talents, they become interested in learning. Unlike the traditional education system, the Shichida system does not evaluate everybody based on standardised tests. Children are free to develop their skills in their way.
Some of the teaching techniques used by Shichida teachers are the usage of flashcards for retaining memory, dot cards, storytelling, music, games, and dancing. Through repeated training in these methods, researchers have proven that children have a better memory than before, have a positive outlook towards learning and exhibit heightened mindfulness.
Modern Shichida Education
Education centres that employ this outlook towards education involve various modern tools in implementing the method. Schools schedule 50-minute sessions for children between six months and nine years of age. They are divided into small groups of six or five per session so that the instructor can provide undivided, quality attention to each child. The teacher also has a deep understanding of every student’s interest, talents and capabilities. They also arrange the class such that all students get engaged amply. In some Shichida schools, such as an early childhood learning center, parents also involve themselves in the learning sessions and assist their children.
Conclusion Since education becomes a playful chore, Shichida education is light-hearted yet an effective mode of education. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to instil practical education in children. This way, they are prepared to tackle world problems with enduring strength.


What is an "Atelier"?
Pronounced “ah-TEL-ee-yay”, the word atelier is a French term meaning "workshop" or "artist’s studio".
The word "atelier" has come to be synonymous with the current resurgence of 19th century academic art training.
For 500 years, from the Renaissance through the 19th century, aspiring artists apprenticed in the atelier of an established artist before they could apply to a guild to become a professional artist.
Today's ateliers are small, independent art schools, usually started in the personal studio of a single artist, with a focus on historic art education models, and based on the observation of nature.
Atelier students do not work from photographs, which is one of the main ways atelier training is distinct from other kinds of representational art training.
Bouguereau's Atelier at Académie Julian, Paris, 1891
by Jefferson David Chalfant
de Young Museum of San Francisco


Problem-Based Learning in the College Music Classroom explores the core tenets of Problem-Based Learning (PBL). PBL is an effective, student-centered approach in which students learn higher-order thinking skills and integrative strategies by solving real-world challenges - not often employed in music classrooms. Yet such courses are uniquely situated to advance this innovative pedagogical approach. This volume sheds light on PBL best practices in survey- and topic-based music courses while integrating general education content, discussing implementation, materials, methods, and challenges, and encouraging readers to think creatively to develop flexible solutions for large-scale issues.
Bookended by introductory and concluding chapters that delve into the history, theory, application, and assessment of PBL, the text collects classroom-tested case studies from eleven contributing authors in:
- Music History and Appreciation
- Music and Movement
- Music Theory and Education
Problem-Based Learning in the College Music Classroom paves the way for pedagogical discovery in this unexplored area, encouraging teachers and graduate students to move curricula goals forward - and ultimately to move students toward innovation and engagement.
Table of Contents
Foreword (Merryl Goldberg) / Preface / Introduction / 1. The Essence of Problem-Based Learning and Music (Natalie Sarrazin) / 2. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Music Classes: It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing (Merryl Goldberg) / Part I: Music History and Appreciation / 3. Open Classrooms, Problem-Based Learning and Adjunct Instructors (John Thomerson) / 4. Problem-Based Learning in the Music Appreciation Course (Margaret Leenhouts) / 5. Heightening Music Appreciation via Problem-Based Learning (Rodney Garrison) / Part II: Ethnomusicology / 6. Towards Integrating Problem-Based Learning in an Ethnomusicology Curriculum: Case Study with the Music Traditions of Africa Course (Gavin Webb) / 7. Diversity and Collaboration in Modern Africa and in the (Mostly) Online Classroom (Tiffany Nicely) / 8. Designing and Implementing Collaborative Student-Driven Research Projects: A New Framework for Learning in the Ethnomusicology Classroom (Julie E. Hunter) / Part III: Music and Movement / 9. Kinesics and Music Performance in the Introductory Music Class (Scott Horsington) / 10. Using Movement as a Vehicle for Problem-Based Learning in Introductory Music Courses (Tamara Wilcox) / Part IV: Music Theory and Education / 11. Problem-Based "Projects" in the Music Education Class (Natalie Sarrazin) / 12. Using Problem-Based Learning to Address Behavior and Curricular Issues in the Self-Contained Music Classroom (Tracy S. Wanamaker) / 13. Problem-Based Learning and the Musician’s Role of ‘Educator’ in First Semester Aural Skills (Rodney Garrison) / Conclusion / 14. Best Practices for Problem-Based Learning in the College Music Classroom (Natalie Sarrazin)
Natalie Sarrazin is Associate Professor of Music at The College at Brockport, SUNY, with a dual position in the Department of Theatre and Music Studies and the Arts for Children Interdisciplinary Program.


Preparing today's kids to be adults tomorrow.
From kindergarten to 3rd grade, we learn to read. From 3rd grade on, we read to learn.
WHAT WE DO
Sixty-one percent of low-income families do not own a single book suitable for children. That is why we are providing age-appropriate books and resources to children who don’t have access to books outside of school hours. We want to help outside the classroom so students have books at home to practice early reading skills.
University of Alabama honors students will also be helping in the classroom. College students will serve at a local elementary school to help students learn their sight words and establish a strong foundation in reading. Our desire is to continue to expand our volunteer base so that eventually every third grader in Tuscaloosa is reading at the third-grade level.
For children, employment begins with succeeding in school. Our mission is to be a proactive resource to schools and parents by providing the books, tutors, and resources needed for children to be at proficient reading levels by third grade.
For adults, illiteracy shuts doors, but literacy opens doors. Therefore, our future plans include partnering with organizations to open doors by providing literacy development and job skills. It’s difficult to catch up and compete for the best jobs, but it is a huge win to redefine your life from uneducated and unemployed to educated and employed.
Nothing creates more obstacles instead of opportunities than illiteracy. The problem is much bigger than an inability to read; for most, it becomes an inability to have a healthy identity. Unfortunately, illiteracy causes one to see him or herself from the perspective of what he or she can’t do, instead of what he or she can do.
Nobody succeeds in isolation; therefore, it’s the goal of Literacy2Work to form a community of friends and partners who believe in the underdog and do whatever is necessary to help people become overcomers. By starting our volunteer force with University of Alabama students, we also hope to foster a heart for service in our next generation of leaders.


Everybody I've ever taught (I think) has started with Frère Jacques. In less than 30 minutes, you can learn to play tablature and once you can read tabs, you can play all fretted instruments.
- Baritone Ukulele
- And dozens more
In fancy-pants music education, some look down upon tablature due to its limitations -- as if there is a musical notation system without weakness. The strength of tablature is it allows you to play multiple instruments with the least amount of uptime in learning to read. It's main weakness is its inability to tell you how long to hold a note. Systems to address that weakness have resulted in more confusion. I think it's easiest in this program to give you both standard notation and tablature. It would be a great idea to learn to read both systems.
What's expected prior to tackling this song:
- You can tune your ukulele.
- You know how to hold it properly.
- You know where your left thumb goes.
Let's get started. Grab your sheet music.
Look at the Ukulele Melody line. The four lines represent your strings. The line on the top is the string closest to the ground when you're holding your ukulele. It's upside down ... I know ... kinda dumb. The lute players of the 16th century started the other way around, but by the 17th century it was all done the way we still do it today. Your brain will fight it for a week or two and then you'll never think about it again.
The numbers on the line tell you what fret to hold down. In the the lyrics I tell you what finger to use to hold down the string. Pluck with your right thumb.
Go slow. Play measures 5 and 6 at half speed until you get the hang of it, and then play the whole piece at speed. Usually you play the first part slower so you can play the fast part reasonably well.
After you've been successful playing the melody line, learn to make an A chord and strum and sing the song. Then find a friend and each of you can play a different part. You don't have to sing unless you want when somebody is playing the melody. In this program, you'll play each song in many different ways and I'll always encourage you to play with other people. You'll likely end up quitting music if you don't play with others on a regular basis.
Here's a video focused on this first tune in the program. It's long, but it'll help you.
After playing Frère Jacques in two different ways, you're ready to move onto playing the C major scale.
If you need clarification about this post, please email me.


Look to Learn is a software package with 40 activities designed for adults and children starting out with eye gaze technology. These activities have been specially created to provide a fun way to improve access and choice making skills.
Each activity develops a different skill, ranging from early cause and effect through to accurate eye gaze control. Most of all, Look to Learn is designed to be motivating and fun!
Five Areas of Learning
The 40 Look to Learn activities have been split into five key areas of learning and development:
• Sensory - Teaches cause and effect
• Explore - Encourages engagement with the whole screen
• Target - Helps improve accuracy of eye gaze access
• Choose - Develops choice making skills
• Control - Improve eye control
Look to Learn provides a progression from early cause and effect activities right through to choice making and game playing. This process develops the eye gaze skills required for alternative communication, literacy development and computer access.
We recommend that AAC software such as The Grid 3 is used in conjunction with Look to Learn.
Look to Learn
- Customized for You!
Many of the activities can be customised to include favourite images or videos. Get creative and have some fun!
Look to Learn has been created in conjunction with teachers and therapists from across the world to provide the tools needed for assessment:
• Eye tracking – where on the screen are you looking? Are you engaged with the content?
• Targeting – learning to find targets and fix your gaze on it.
• Choice making – introducing early choice making in preparation for AAC.
The built-in analysis tool creates a heat map to show where you have looked on the screen during an activity. Heat maps can be saved, printed and used to measure progress and record successes.
Our Look to Learn workbooks are coming soon! The workbook will provide record-keeping tools for anyone that is facilitating Look to Learn eye gaze sessions. These will be available as a free download.


By An Education Expert
When it comes to children’s education in Rwanda, the government is oriented towards action: it has set out a clear national vision for the development of the sector, coordinates well with civil society, and maintains high levels of accountability with little evidence of rent-seeking behaviour. But, given this constellation of ideal political commitment, an education specialist sought to investigate why primary education quality in the country continues to be surprisingly low.
Educational development is a particularly salient issue in the context of Rwanda. The tiny East African country is just two over decades removed from a civil war and genocide that decimated the country. Approximately 75 percent of all public sector employees, including teachers, were either killed, fled the country as refugees, or went missing. The post-genocide government has since charted an audacious social and economic development project, one which seeks to distance itself from the past by transforming from a subsistence-based agricultural economy to a knowledge-based, market-oriented society. Formal education features prominently in its broader aims.
Thanks in part to a fee-free basic education policy, primary and secondary school enrolment in Rwanda has surged. More children, particularly those from poor families, now have access to more years within the public education system. But learning outcomes are low. Recent evidence has suggested that the majority of children in primary school have not acquired age-appropriate literacy or numeracy skills. In recent years, primary school dropout and repetition have risen, while completion and transition rates have stagnated or declined.
One way to analyse this tension is by looking at Rwanda’s political settlement, a shorthand reference to the fact that when it comes to the effective delivery of services to the poor, politics are central to the success or failure of development efforts.
We found a stated commitment to improving educational quality on the part of the government across all levels. But, at the same time, performance-based incentives at the local level focus on aspects of quality that are measurable—i.e., through the construction of classrooms and provision of materials—rather than on improving the capacity of the teaching workforce or tracking learning outcomes.
Our analysis of the country’s political settlement suggests that, in the post-genocide context, the country’s elite has staked its viability on its attempt to deliver development as quickly as possible. Accountability to the elite has been high and tolerance of corruption and under-performance low. Individuals failing to perform at a high level have been replaced. It wasn’t necessarily that these individuals were failing to work hard, per se. Rather, from the perspective of the elite, there was little patience for or tolerance of under-performance.
That the bar was set so high held leaders to account for their performance. But it also led to discontinuities that did not enable the education system to mature and improve over time. The introduction of an expansive basic education policy and reforms to the language of instruction, for example, happened in the absence of a strategic architecture that could have enabled key stakeholders to plan for and respond to the myriad challenges these policies would bring about.
These policies tended to happen at a pace that left stakeholders in the education sector operating on their heels. That is, if the education sector is oriented towards action, stakeholders in the education sector—e.g., students, teachers, education officers and senior-level education planners—have often had to operate in a perpetual state of reaction.
New classrooms and schools presented some of the most visible and popular commitments of the elite to deliver development to all. The introduction of the English language in classrooms aligned well with the government’s forward-looking developmental aims. But what became apparent in this study was the gap between the government’s developmental aims and the realities facing most Rwandans. If Rwanda was committed to delivering education to the poor, it was also, unfortunately, delivering poor education. It was evident that an effective, sustained strategy to improve education quality has yet to be developed. Given this set of conditions, it is debatable to what extent Rwanda’s approach can be considered as inclusive development when quality for children from the poorest remains so low.
This study builds on recent scholarship that suggests that the low quality education is likely to produce a large cohort of primary and secondary school leavers unable to possess a basic set of skills, including the ability to speak English. Thus, many children may find themselves in an unenviable position: included in the country’s development project vis-à-vis the education system, while simultaneously excluded from meaningful participation, given the poor quality of that system.


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A Handbook for the Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J. Marzano; John L. BrownImplementing the action steps from The Art and Science of Teaching is much easier when you use this in-depth resource for workshops, teacher training, and self-help. Hundreds of samples, guidelines, checklists, and activities help teachers in all grades and subjects become instant experts on Dr. Marzano's breakthrough framework for effective instruction.
Publication Date: 2009
The Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J. MarzanoThough classroom instructional strategies should clearly be based on sound science and research, knowing when to use them and with whom is more of an art. In The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction, author Robert J. Marzano presents a model for ensuring quality teaching that balances the necessity of research-based data with the equally vital need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of individual students. He articulates his framework in the form of 10 questions that represent a logical planning sequence for successful instructional design: 1. What will I do to establish and communicate learning goals, track student progress, and celebrate success? 2. What will I do to help students effectively interact with new knowledge? 3. What will I do to help students practice and deepen their understanding of new knowledge? 4. What will I do to help students generate and test hypotheses about new knowledge? 5. What will I do to engage students? 6. What will I do to establish or maintain classroom rules and procedures? 7. What will I do to recognize and acknowledge adherence and lack of adherence to classroom rules and procedures? 8. What will I do to establish and maintain effective relationships with students? 9. What will I do to communicate high expectations for all students? 10. What will I do to develop effective lessons organized into a cohesive unit? For classroom lessons to be truly effective, educators must examine every component of the teaching process with equal resolve. Filled with charts, rubrics, and organizers, this methodical, user-friendly guide will help teachers examine and develop their knowledge and skills, so they can achieve that dynamic fusion of art and science that results in exceptional teaching and outstanding student achievement.
Subjects: elementary education, physical education, secondary education, special education, bilingual-ESL, curriculum and instruction, Ed.D., educational leadership, educational technology, mathematics education, reading instruction
Content:: journals, magazines, newspapers, books, conference papers and proceedings, dissertations and theses, government publications, reports, working papers
Publication dates: 1988 - present
Education Database supports the study and application of education across all levels of education, including early childhood education, primary and secondary education, and higher education. The database supports global study and research, including thousands of full-text journals, dissertations and other relevant sources.
Subjects: anthropology, criminology, education, linguistics, library science, nursing, politics, public policy, social work, sociology
Content: full-text and index of journals, dissertations, ebooks, working and conference papers, etc.
Publication date: 1914 – present
This collection provides access to databases covering international literature in social sciences, including politics, public policy, sociology, social work, anthropology, criminology, linguistics, library science, and education. Featured databases include IBSS, Sociological Abstracts and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. Together, they provide abstracts, indexing and full-text coverage of journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations, working papers, and more.
Identify keywords for your topic and brainstorm narrower, broader, and related terms.
Example: Factors that affect academic performance in first-generation college students.
Children of Immigrants
Typing the Boolean Operators AND, OR, and NOT into the library catalog or databases allow you to broaden or narrow your results.
Found too many results?
Add more keywords.
Adding additional keywords to your search can help to further narrow your topic.
Example: college AND first-generation students AND academic performance
Found too few results?
Broaden your search by using OR to link your terms.
Example: (college OR higher education OR university) AND first-generation students AND (academic performance OR student success)


Since 2012, and in response to recommendations in the National Plan for Music Education, the government has been changing the way that music education is delivered outside (but in support of) the schools curriculum. The idea is that no single organisation can deliver everything a young person might want/need from music, but by working together they can make it easier for young people to find the music pathway that’s right for them.
This means the partners from many different areas of work to do with children and young people, including schools, are now working together in each county/borough as music education hubs.
In Swindon, as part of the Make Music Swindon Music Education Hub, and as we’ve said in our business plan:
“We want all children and young people in Swindon to take part in music making activities that excite and challenge them, raise their aspirations and give them the opportunity to develop their talents as well as to develop as people. We will do this by providing, coordinating and signposting musical opportunities across the borough, by developing and sharing good practice, and by advocating the value of music to pupils, parents, schools and other stakeholders. Together, we will make sure that all children and young people in Swindon have the opportunity – within and outside schools – to play a musical instrument and sing, create and perform their own original music, experience music in a wide variety of styles and genres, and find progression routes that are right for them.”
There are already lots of activities out there, but we all need to signpost them better. Working together will help us to do this, as well as make better use of our resources. In some cases we may need to change what we do and how we do it. We need to make sure we are relevant and affordable to young people and those who work with them, now and in the future.
To help us, we will be finding out just what is available to young people, what’s needed, and how to encourage more young people to get involved through an audit and needs analysis. We’ve already been asking lots of questions – of teachers, parents and organisations working with young people, and we’re developing our plans around what they’ve told us, and will continue to do so.


This program is specifically designed to enhance the skills of fully certified elementary and secondary teachers who wish to support students with high quality literacy interventions and to support teachers as a literacy coach. Graduates will also be qualified to work in after-school programs, clinical settings and in private tutoring practice. A practicum is required.
A multi-dimensional and multimedia approach to children’s and adolescent’s literature with extensive reading, critical examination, selection, and evaluation. Emphasis will be on: children’s and adolescents’ books and story presentation strategies as related to the children’s needs and interests at various age levels; historic trends; research; and the influence and utilization of literature upon the academic, social, and emotional growth of the child and adolescent.
The place of language in culture; linguistics and psycholinguistics as academic disciplines; examination of concepts significant for the reading program; analysis of American English; implications of cultural, linguistic, and psycholinguistic data for instructional practice and for selection of instructional materials.
A study of the purposes, specialized reading skills, reading materials, and modes of inquiry specific to the content areas; application of these specialized skills to the specific reading task.
This course explores the implications of research in reading on instructional materials, classroom procedures and best practices. It is an advanced study of effective literacy instructional techniques, assessments, curricular materials and literate classroom environments. Relationships between reading and the use of collaborative, authentic reading learning experiences within an inquiry oriented curriculum are examined in depth.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an in depth examination of current research and methods used in reading, writing and language arts instruction. It explores theories of how to teach the writing process and examines the connection between reading and writing performance in literacy development. This course also explores and examines skills that support writing processes and identifies effective strategies for cross curricular integration of creative and informational writing.
SPED 624 or SPED 501
SPED 624: An intensive overview of the field of learning disabilities: definition, characteristics, assessment, subtypes of, and major educational approaches for teaching. Current research in both cognition and brain physiology will be explored.
SPED 501: An introduction to the field of special education, focusing on the characteristics and educational needs of students with disabilities. The course covers etiology and behavioral manifestations of a wide variety of disabling conditions and introduces current approaches to the education of students with these disabilities. Included is up-to-date information on federal and state laws which affect programs for children with disabilities and key issues in special education today.
1 Elective Course
All candidates can take an elective course focusing on English Language Learners, Students with Dyslexia, Digital Literacies, Adolescent Literacy, Early Childhood Literacy or another topic with advisor approval
A course which examines basic research design, library and computer search strategies, and certain statistical concepts. Emphasis is on understanding and interpreting research studies.
Investigation of formal and informal diagnostic methods and materials for testing reading achievement; critical appraisal of these methods and materials based on psychological and linguistic principles; use of the results of both formal and informal assessment to identify reading difficulties; corrective techniques appropriate for meeting these difficulties determined. Case studies required.
An advanced course where knowledge of diagnosis and instruction is refined, applied and extended as students work in a practicum setting. The student will employ various assessment procedures to develop and implement corrective instruction with direct supervision in the field placement. Case studies required.
This course is designed for the reading specialist in the classroom or remedial program and for the future administrator responsible for the implementation of developmental and remedial reading programs. It prepares participants to act within the school-based reading program in the areas of curriculum, methodology, development, organization and supervision of literacy programs K-12.
Every candidate for a graduate degree must take a comprehensive examination which requires the candidate to synthesize and apply knowledge acquired throughout the program.
Expectations for Students
In addition to the TCNJ expectations for graduate students, candidates in the reading specialist program are expected to:
Maintain the appropriate level of grades in courses:
- Maintain a minimum average grade of a B in all course work
- Earn a B+ or better in each practicum. Students who are unable to complete all required practicums will not be recommended by The College of New Jersey for State Certification as a Reading Specialist
Complete coursework in a timely manner:
Follow principles of ethical and professional conduct which include:
Eligibility for Graduation
- Satisfactory completion of courses
- A minimum of 27 graduate semester hours earned at TCNJ
- A minimum total of 33 graduate semester hours
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Successful completion of the Reading Specialist Praxis II
- Completion of all departmental requirements/prerequisites which includes the successful completion of a Comprehensive Exam


The Barton Reading & Spelling System was developed by Susan Barton to teach people with dyslexia to read and spell. It was designed for children, teenagers, or adults. The Barton Reading & Spelling System is influenced by the Orton-Gillingham method and is approved by the California Department of Education. It is supported by independent scientific research and is recommended as “best practices” for students with dyslexia by the National Institutes of Health. It assures that phonemic awareness skills necessary for reading success (according to the NIH) are in place. It provides phonics instruction, applying sounds to symbols, along with the teaching of logical spelling rules so the student knows which spelling to apply for the sound that is heard.
By using using techniques proven to be effective with dyslexia, the student learns to read and spell through multi-sensory methods. Concepts are taught in a logical sequence with logical reasoning that makes sense to the learner. Spelling improves along with reading accuracy and fluency. Susan Barton designed the Barton Reading & Spelling System with an in-depth understanding of the weaknesses and strengths of dyslexia as reflected in the direct and explicit instruction, the careful sequencing, and the cumulative scope of the lessons. The Barton Reading & Spelling System (click to watch a demo) will greatly improve the spelling, reading, and writing skills of students who struggle due to dyslexia or a learning disability; however, it is effective for any struggling reader.


Significant Parenting Approaches for kids behavior in Preschool
Numerous parents will find the acts of their kids is the most challenging during the preschool years. The majority of children in early development institutions are inquisitive. They appear to have unlimited energy and a love for understanding the world around them because they keep asserting their rights and liberties.
As these are all portion of the rapid behavior transformations that kids go any way at this age, people are trying to figure having these methods on hand quite helpful when dealing with some of the more difficult preschool behaviors. These might be especially useful if your kids have already displayed worrisome behaviors (like lying or anger.)
If early childhood learning centers are showing problematic behaviors at home, check out the following tips:
Set Clear Ground Rules For Early Childhood Center Activities:
Throughout your kid’s childhood, discipline is utilized to reinforce appropriate behaviors. In order to properly implant in your kid what is required and expected, it is vital that you handle punishment with compassion. This guarantees one of the very first things that parents must do is establish a supportive and compassionate bond with their kids.
A strong parent-child relationship is an excellent beginning to begin establishing healthy behaviors in children. Setting behavioral rules would be easy since your connection with your child is loving and sympathetic. Allowing and welcoming children to voice their opinions is also critical, rather than simply telling them how they should act. Inquire about their understanding of what is expected of them and what is suitable. Inquire of your child how he or she will show these excellent characteristics in the natural world.
Make a Timetable:
One of the benefits of putting little kids in a reputable childcare program is that it gives them a normal schedule and discipline. Because toddlers and preschoolers thrive on routine, it’s critical that your child knows exactly what is expected of him or her or what to anticipate throughout the day. To enhance this valuable lesson, establish routines for children at home. If at all feasible, children benefit from predicting how their day can be like that from the moment they wake up until they go to bed at night. Young kids, for instance, find it comforting to know how they can eat, dress, and explore when they wake up.
Recognize and Reward Good Behavior:
Parent involvement is recognizing and rewarding kid’s progressors. Make a habit of verbally appreciating your youngster whenever he or she accomplishes anything “good,” no matter how insignificant. Make a point of noticing and praising occasions in which your child has shown kindness to others, followed directions, or simply finished their veggies at dinner. Acknowledging and praising the child’s positive habits on a daily basis is a great approach to encourage them to continue.
Kids Require Constant Reminders:
Despite the fact that small kids thrive on praise and recognition, it’s often necessary to teach them regarding our behavioral expectations. Keep your “no’s” firm if you’re on the verge of giving in to your child’s requests. When children don’t get whatever they want, they might get tantrums or pout, so it’s essential that you keep your cool and respond calmly.
Allow Kids To Experience Unusual Consequences Of Their Actions:
Parents should also not be the first ones to praise and condemn their kids for their misbehavior. Kids can also learn through seeing the natural consequences of their actions. Allow youngsters to see the ramifications of their own choices. You may have even cautioned your youngster against running too far in case he or she stumbles. If your child has fallen as a result of his or her failure to listen, this is an excellent opportunity to talk about what they’ve learned from their choice and situation.
It’s Important To Model Positive Attitudes:
When it comes to developing healthy and morally acceptable behaviors in preschool-aged kids, nothing beats learning by instance. Remember that children are inherently interested. They’re more interested in what you do than what you say. If you’re going to scold your child for too much screen time, please ensure they don’t witness you doing it. If you tell them they have to complete their veggies, make sure they see you doing it.
It’s not always simple to keep track of the behaviors of preschoolers. With the aid of these useful suggestions, your parenting experience will be a lot easier and quicker!
Please visit Yarralinda School & Early Learning Centre in Mooroolbark if you need more parenting tips or if you’re looking for excellent child care centers in Mooroolbark VIC for your kids.


Let’s face it: real-world problems don’t come in neat rows…
However, the mind-growing challenges of math enrichment (or non-routine problem solving) are often only rationed out to students identified as “gifted.” Is that really good teaching practice?
Research has shown that an important condition for learning is the expectation that students will do so. Allowing students to press through challenges, and believing that they can and will succeed, leads to excitement and ownership of learning…
When it comes to teaching numbers, where to start? There’s number names, digit recognition, count sequence, one-to-one matching, and number formation, oh my!
Have no fear, Happy Numbers is here! In this post, we’ll walk you through the forest of early numeracy skills, focusing on how to teach the sequence of numbers 1-5. We’ll show you how to apply these suggestions in the classroom or use them online. Plus, we’re including some FREE printables!
Trust your intuition. Did you know that even 4- and 5-year-olds can develop math intuition? Even students who don’t yet have a strong foundation of numeration can grasp the concepts of “the same” and “more.” Happy Numbers teaches students to rely on intuitive understanding by using a visual approach.
This post will show you how we at Happy Numbers teach young learners to compare without counting. Plus, we’re including FREE printables you can use in your classroom!
For the youngest learners, explicit instruction of number permanence is vital to working with larger numbers, operations, and place value later on. Happy Numbers is here to help you teach this important concept.
In this post, we share ideas and strategies for teaching number permanence. Plus, at the end you’ll find FREE printables incorporating these ideas for numbers 1-3 and 4-5. Use them for independent practice, homework, or reteaching!
Make learning number permanence as easy as 1, 2, 3…
With enough rote practice, most students can learn to “carry the one” or “exchange/trade ten” to solve multi-digit addition and subtraction problems. But to truly understand the process and become fluent with it, students need to take a look under the hood and see the place value principles at work behind the operations. That’s why at Happy Numbers we focus on why the standard algorithm works, rather than how it works. We believe that by building understanding first, fluency will follow (and not vice versa). As a result, students are better able to find and correct errors and they are better-equipped to work with larger numbers and even decimals.
This post will share some of the activities we suggest for building deep conceptual understanding of column addition and subtraction. We’ll also explain how we scaffold instruction to help students create meaning, rather than just memorize steps. All of the activities shown are available at Happy Numbers, but you can re-create them in your classroom offline as well…
Two great reasons to use shopping-based exercises throughout your math instruction: students investigate concepts thoroughly by applying skills to a new situation, and the math itself is what piques student interest (rather than a separate, unrelated reward). We’ll show you how we scaffold this approach across a range of skill levels and how your students can benefit from shopping activities online or off!
Students learning to add and subtract 2-digit numbers must rely on a solid foundation of place value understanding. Few resources emphasize place value as well as the hundred chart. It allows for more advanced 2-digit operations, which can become cumbersome with manipulatives such as base-10 blocks. Adding this tool to your shed will give you one more way to reach learners in your class — we’ll show you how…


The health benefits of eating as a family
Author: Nicole Saliba, Accredited Practising Dietitian Date Posted:20 June 2020
As life has become busier and busier, more and more families are spending less time eating together. With parents or carers often working longer hours or commuting and kids participating in so many out of school activities and sports, family meals have become a thing of the past. While our increasingly busy lifestyles might make it harder to find time, research shows that eating together has numerous benefits, even if it's only three times a week. Here are some reasons to commit to eating together as a family or household more frequently.
1/ Kids who eat with their parents have better quality diets
Research shows that children who eat with their parents tend to eat more nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, and less processed snack foods like soft-drink and deep fried foods, and that this is often carried into adolescence and adulthood. Don’t stress if every meal cannot be consumed as a family unit. Even coming together for a meal three times a week can help.
2/ Eating together fosters connection
People have never been more connected via technology whether its facebook, instagram or phone. However, less often are we getting face-to-face, emotional and meaningful connections which is likely having a detrimental impact on people’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Human’s thrive when we have a sense of community, something which is seen in the Blue Zones which have the highest proportion of centenarians in the world. Food is more than just nutrition, it brings people together. Research shows that social eating may improve self-esteem and strengthen relationships with others.
3/ Eating together is important for emotional and mental health
The family dinner table is a place where kids can converse and interact with parents and share what is happening in their lives. Family meals have been shown to strengthen relationships between family members, improve mental health outcomes in children including lower rates of depression, boost vocabulary and positively impact academic performance. Studies show that time spent with families at meals is more related to the psychological and academic success of adolescents than time spent in school, studying, church, playing sports, or doing art activities. One study showed that teens who have regular meals with a parent were better adjusted emotionally and socially, had better grades and went further in school. They also had lower rates of alcohol use, drug use, early sexual behavior and suicide risk.
4/ Family meals help reduce fussy eating behaviours
Family meals help adults and children learn to accept and like a variety of different foods, teach children to be intuitive eaters and understand when they are hungry and when they are full and help teach children that food is something to be shared and enjoyed. Making mealtimes happy, stress-free and relaxed occasions free from technology also helps with fussy eating. Eating with the rest of the family and having parents role model healthy eating can encourage picky eaters to try new foods.
If you’re time poor and wanting to make a bigger commitment to eating as a family check out Activate Foods new range of family meals.
Shop 2 / 222 The Entrance Rd, Erina NSW 2250
Snow CE, Beals DE. Mealtime talk that supports literacy development. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. 2006: 2006: 11
Sen B. The relationship between frequency of family dinner and adolescent problem behaviors after adjusting for other family characteristics. Journal of Adolescence. 2010; 33: 187-196
Eisenberg ME, Olson RE, Neumark-Sztainer D et al. Correlations Between Family Meals and Psychosocial Well-being Among Adolescents. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2004;158(8):792-796
Videon TM, Manning CK. Influences on adolescent eating patterns: the importance of family meals. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2003;32:365-73.
Gillman MW, Rifas-Shiman SL, Frazier AL, et al. Family dinner and diet quality among older children and adolescents. Archives of Family Medicine. 2000;9:235-240.
Eisenberg ME, Olson RE, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Bearinger LH. Correlations Between Family Meals and Psychosocial Well-being Among Adolescents. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2004;158:792-6.
Hofferth SL. How American children spend their time. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 2001;63(295-308). 5. Council of Economic Advisers to the President (CEAC) . Teens and Their Parents in the 21st Century: an Examination of Trends in Teen Behavior and the Role of Parental Involvement. 2000.


Over the last few decades there’s been a trend of cutting funding for arts education in public schools. Driving this trend is the common perception that arts education is somehow less essential than other branches of education, such as science, mathematics, and language skills. But this idea couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Duncan McClellan Gallery created the DMG School Project because we’ve seen the expansive benefits of art education. Everyone involved with the project has a story about how art education has positively contributed to their life, but working with children has given us the chance to broadened our understanding of the collective impact beyond our personal experience. Art and art education are important for the developing brains of schoolchildren for many reasons, but they are also important for teenagers, adults, and society as a whole. Here are some reasons why:
Art Makes Us Healthier
A 2017 study conducted at the University of Michigan and funded by the National Endowment of the Arts, found that creating art and attending art events correlates with better health outcomes. “Apart from participating in the arts, being favorably disposed toward arts experiences was also associated with better health outcomes. In our retrospective analysis, we found that individuals who participated in both Creating Art and Attending Art had generally slower declines in cognition between 2002 and 2014; they also reported slower rates of growth for both hypertension and limitations to daily physical functioning.”
The study looked at adults 55 and older, showing that continued interest and participation in the arts is valuable at all stages of life.
Art Makes Us Happier
This may seem like an obvious conclusion to anyone with an appreciation for the arts, but it’s also supported by science. A 2016 study conducted at the University of Western Australia indicated that regular exposure to the arts – 100 hours per year, or 2 hours per week – can significantly improve mental health and overall happiness. Dr Christina Davies, a co-author of the study noted: ” Depending on a person’s interests, the arts can provide a range of health enhancing opportunities, activities and events. Arts engagement increases happiness, confidence, self-esteem and reduces stress and social isolation. People need to give themselves permission to be creative and to make time for the arts activities and events that they enjoy.”
Art is Beneficial to All Students
Having art as part of a school curriculum isn’t only beneficial to students with artistic aspirations. Arts education has been shown to improve academic performance among all students, and across different disciplines such as reading and math. A research report from the University of Mississippi, focused on the state’s Whole Schools Initiative, found that when teachers integrate the arts into their teaching, standardized test scores rise, and the educational achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students is greatly reduced or disappears altogether.
Art Fuels the Economy
Far from being a drain on public resources, the arts are actually a powerful engine for economic growth. A 2015 study conducted by Americans for the Arts of the nonprofit arts and culture industry’s impact on the economy found that the arts generate a huge amount of economic activity every year. It found that arts and culture organizations annually spend around $63 billion, and art audiences spend another $102 billion on art event related activities – like going out to dinner and paying for transportation. All of this supports 4.6 million jobs and generates more than $27 billion in revenue for local, state, and federal governments. Collectively federal, state, and local governments allocate around $5 billion to the arts – meaning that for every one dollar they spend on art, they get more than five dollars back.


DISCIPLINED-BASED ART EDUCATION
OF A DISCIPLINED-BASED ART EDUCATION PROGRAM**
- The goal of discipline-based art education is to develop
students abilities to understand and appreciate art. This
involves a knowledge of the theories and contexts of art and
abilities to respond to as well as to create art.
- art is taught as an essential component of general education
and as a foundation for specialized art study.
- Content for instruction is derived primarily from the
disciplines of aesthetics, art criticism, art history, and art
production. These disciplines deal with: (1) conceptions of the
nature of art, (2) bases for valuing and judging art, (3)
contexts in which art has been created, and (4) processes and
techniques for creating art.
- Content for study is derived from a broad range of the
visual arts, including folk, applied, and fine arts from Western
and non-Western cultures and from ancient to contemporary times.
- Curricula are written with sequentially organized and
articulated content at all grade levels.
- Works of art are central to the organization of curricula
and to integration of content from the disciplines.
- Curricula are structured to reflect comparable concern and
respect for each of the four art disciplines.
- Curricula are organized to increase student learning and
understanding. This involves a recognition of appropriate
- Full implementation is marked by systematic, regular art
instruction on a district-wide basis, art education expertise,
administrative support, and adequate resources.
- Student achievement and program effectiveness are confirmed
by appropriate evaluation criteria and procedures.
**From: "Discipline-Based Art Education: Becoming Students
of Art", P-135, Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 21,
No. 2, Summer 1987.
Return to Art Education


This is the Teacher’s Edition for the Reading Books only used in BJUP's kindergarten phonics and reading program. Theresource deal specifically with the phonics instruction, listening skills, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills presented in the read-aloud readers.
It contains: comprehension objectives, new phonics elements, new service (sight) words, materials list, preparation tips, connection to reading, vocabulary, thinking skills, motivation tips, activities for partner/silent/oral reading, and looking ahead tips to build anticipation.
Beginnings - Reading Books for K5 - Teacher's Edition
Publisher: BJU Press
Format: Binder Style Book
Topic:Reading - Phonics