Lathrop Elementary School
Lathrop Elementary has the highest population of English Language Learners in Manteca Unified School District. Our project seeks to address the question: How can we create a school culture that helps our ELL students become more accomplished readers and writers? Through the use of grade-span learning communities within our school that are composed of staff, students, and families, we aim to create a school culture that respects ELLs as they develop literacy skills. Our grant team members will attend conferences, observe schools that are successful in working with ELLs, and implement literacy activities in both their own classrooms and those of their school colleagues. We will also collaborate with the Great Valley Writing Project, invite published authors to our school, and provide workshops for school and district staff. By the end of our two years, we hope to have a school culture that validates the literacy development of ELLs and helps our students to reach their full potential.


The multisensory approach is a unique way of "thinking" about teaching mathematics.
ASDEC Introduces Multisensory Math I for Distance Learners- The first distance class was offered in July 2012. Participants from around the globe were able to view videos, interact with the instructor, and participate in video conferences. Check out the latest schedule at the ASDEC website: www.asdec.org
This approach is: research based, advocated by the NCTM, applicable to any curriculum or textbook series, and appropriate for ALL students, but necessary for some. New workshops and classes address: The Common Core State Standards Differentiation within the classroom Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
This program applies Orton-Gillingham multisensory instructional strategies to mathematics. This approach fits easily with recommendations from current research and suggestions from the National Math Panel regarding instruction for struggling learners. Hands-on work with manipulative objects is recommended for all students at all ages. It enhances both concept integration and memory. This approach is especially important for LD students and those with conceptual gaps. It is however, an approach which is appropriate for all students.
The emphasis of our site is on helping all students be successful in math, helping teachers find ways of supporting struggling students, and informing educators about about learning differences which can impact student performance in mathematics.
In essence, a multisensory approach uses concrete manipulatives to teach mathematical concepts. We then transition students through the representational (pictorial) level of instruction until they are able to deal only with numerals/numbers at the abstract level. Manipulatives are used by all students because research has shown that multisensory input is stronger than unisensory input for creating lasting associations and memories. In more simple terms that means that the more of the brain that is involved in the learning, the stronger the memory.
It is also true that when students are given explicit instruction in foundational skills and concepts, less time may be needed for procedural instruction, so there is not a substantial increase in instructional time. Students are able to apply their knowledge across applications and are better at problem solving. Some studies indicate that students who use manipulatives for concept instruction including at the algebraic level, equal and even surpass their peers in summative assessments and retain the material longer.
If you are interested in more information, a workshop or a course; visit the www.asdec.org website for a complete list of current events. You may also contact me directly at firstname.lastname@example.org. or mzecherCALT@gmail.com. For workshops or full multisensory math workshops, contact The Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center in Rockville, Maryland. http://www.asdec.org
Feedback from both teachers and students utilizing this approach is extremely positive. It must also be noted though that not all manipulatives are appropriate for all topics and that teachers and schools do not need to spend enormous sums of money for commercially produced manipulatives. There are many simple and inexpensive items which may be successfully used for instruction. Most of all, multisensory math makes mathematics instruction fun!
Ideas and questions? Contact Marilyn Zecher at: email@example.com


one hand, nor his memory overload it on the other, in accordance with that preposterous doctrine we sometimes hear propounded, which advocates the employment of the youthful memory in laying up stores of unintelligible knowledge, in anticipation of an after-time, when it will become intelligible—as if there could be such a thing as not-understood knowledge, in any other sense than as we speak of undigested food—turning to poison in the system. The child is a philosopher, a moralist, a poet in little, quite as much as he is an observer or a rememberer, and his whole moral and intellectual growth will be warped and stunted so long as you insist upon looking on him as a mere observing or a mere memorizing machine, a mere receptacle for facts or for words either.
If I am right in this view of the true character of elementary education, it follows that the great departments, into which it should from the very first be divided, correspond exactly with the primary divisions of knowledge itself, as they will continue for the pupil forever after. Let me, for the purposes of this discussion, make a triple division of knowledge into physical, ethical, and æsthetical, according as our thought is concerned with the world of matter, the world of mind, and the world of art or beauty. I am concerned here less for strictness of philosophical accuracy than for the practical convenience of this division. Now, as, in accordance with our fundamental conception of liberal education, the question as to a choice between these departments of liberal learning is a futile one, because all are essential elements in our conception of liberal education—so, if I am right, no conception of elementary education can be a correct one that does not provide for them all from the very beginning.
I need hardly point out what a change in all our methods this change in our philosophy implies; for it involves the doctrine that the true place to begin the teaching of all art, all science, all knowledge, is the primary school; and I am not in the least afraid of the seeming paradox. Rather I would earnestly maintain that, unless we treat the child in the primary school as the germ and embryo of all he is destined afterward to become, our education will be doomed to ignominious failure. Whatever, therefore, enters into our conception of liberal education—and we have already seen that nothing less than all extant knowledge should enter into it that should enter into it—from the beginning. Language and literature should be the subjects of elementary teaching; science should be the subject of elementary teaching; art should be the subject of elementary teaching. Whatever is to enter into the higher stages of education is to have its seed planted there, or it never will be planted. The true distinction, therefore, between disciplinary and non-disciplinary, is not a distinction between one set of studies begun early and another set of studies begun late, one set of studies pursued for training, and another set of studies mastered for use: it is a distinction between the earlier and the later


Note: If you really want to take your (or your child’s) spelling to the next level, we highly recommend that you check out the popular Ultimate Spelling Software. Click here for more information
Learning To Spell The Easy Way
If you are looking for an easy way to learn to spell, then look no further than Ultimate Spelling; the new computer program from educational software experts eReflect. Formed in 2006, eReflect has been busy creating various quality programs to help with literacy development for both adults, and children, and are regarded as leaders in their field.
There are many reasons why possessing good spelling skills are important, but it is certainly crucial for young people who may one day want to go to University, or those looking to go straight into employment after high school graduation. It is a fact that an end of year thesis riddled with spelling mistakes will not score well, as indeed job application forms littered with spelling errors will not be looked on favorably by employers. Hence it is critical that learning to spell happens as soon as children can hold a pen, and start to read.
But as they get older, learning to spell becomes trickier as the more complex elements of forming words, and sentences start to be taught. It does take time, and many students will struggle, so it is important for parents to be supportive to their children, and give them all the assistance they need when learning new words. But this isnlt always easy for the parents either for various reasons.
Let’s face it, learning words from lists is deadly dull, and even playing the same word games over, and over starts to lose its appeal.
That’s why a program such as Ultimate Spelling makes learning to spell easy, because the accent is on making the experience fun, as well as being a highly constructive, and effective way to practice spelling.
Why is learning to spell easy with Ultimate Spelling? Because all you have to do is type a word the way you think it should be spelled, click the “answer” box, and wait for the instant reply that tells you whether your effort was right, or wrong. It really is that simple. But be warned – Ultimate Spelling doesn’t let you off lightly if you do spell a word incorrectly. It won’t let you move on to the next word until you have successfully spelled the last one at least once.
But that is not all Ultimate Spelling does. Apart from making the actual learning to spell easy, this program provides a massive 143,000 word dictionary, and thesaurus; allows users to create their own word lists for practicing troublesome words; contains 100 specially selected word lists for Grade1-10 schoolchildren, with 10 progressive lists per Grade; has a personalized tracking system that monitors students’ progress, and development; and has a built-in “human” voice for pronunciation clarification.
Adding to the ease of use is the “just right” on-screen graphics that are free from unnecessary characters, icons, and fiddly tools/commands. The colors are simple too, which is good for the eyes.
Simply stated, if you are looking for an easy way to practice your spelling, the easiest thing to do is go, and download Ultimate Spelling…right now!


Texas A&M Profs to Evaluate Hispanic Pre-school Language Program
Under $2.6 Million Federal Grant
COLLEGE STATION – Effectiveness of a language-building intervention program for preschool children will be evaluated by two Texas A&M University educational psychology professors in four heavily Hispanic South Texas school districts under a $2.6 million U.S. Department of Education grant.
The language-building program, Project WORLD (Words for Oral Reading and Language Development), is intended to accelerate vocabulary and background knowledge with science- and social studies-related content in preschool-age children for later reading with comprehension.
Jorge E. Gonzalez and Sharolyn Pollard-Durodola, assistant professors in Texas A&M’s Department of Educational Psychology, will evaluate the effectiveness of WORLD under a five-year grant that includes a sub-ward to the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) in Edinburg. The two universities, in partnership with four school districts and a Head Start Consortium in South Texas, will test WORLD and its net positive impact in schools with high concentrations of students with low socio-economic status and ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds, primarily Hispanic.
Project WORLD was developed and piloted by Gonzalez, Pollard-Durodola and Deborah C. Simmons, professor of special education at Texas A&M, through a U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Development grant.
“Project WORLD is premised on research which shows that children with limited knowledge of vocabulary make the greatest gains in vocabulary and comprehension when adults use cognitively-demanding reading styles in conjunction with explicit and implicit opportunities to build on that learning,” says Gonzalez.
During the preschool years, children develop language skills that largely influence their long-term ability to read with comprehension, he notes. From age three, trends in children’s familiarity with words, amount of talk, and vocabulary levels are well established and indicative of widening gaps to come, he adds, pointing out that children who lag behind in reading development read less than other children, miss opportunities to develop reading comprehension strategies, often encounter reading material too advanced for their skills, and develop negative attitudes towards reading.
“Project WORLD offers carefully selected and sequenced read-alouds that build from basic word and world knowledge to detailed discussions,” Gonzalez says, “while systematically adding and cumulatively reviewing newly learned vocabulary for children who enter schooling with large differences in vocabulary size — differences that are correlated with socio-economic disadvantages, linguistic and ethnic diversity, and even variances in exposure to vocabulary-rich language at home or in other settings.”
Gonzalez and colleagues in Texas A&M’s College of Education and Human Development have worked extensively with at-risk preschoolers, early childhood poverty, and English language learners. His research interests also include home literacy environments, migrants and immigrants, oral language development, and vocabulary acquisition. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before joining the faculty at Texas A&M in 2004.
The $2.6 grant for the WORLD efficacy study was awarded through the National Center for Education Research (NCER), one of four centers within IES, the U.S. Department of Education’s research arm. NCER supports rigorous research that contributes to the solution of significant education problems in the U.S., officials note. IES strives to provide rigorous and relevant evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and shares this information broadly, they add.
About the Department of Educational Psychology: EPSY is one of four departments in the College of Education & Human Development at Texas A&M University and is currently home to about 2,200 undergraduate majors and minors, 175 graduate students, 90 faculty members, 30 staff members, and 85 graduate assistants. EPSY faculty are engaged in exciting, cutting-edge research in school, home and community settings that examines educational achievement, social support, and mental health issues across the human life span.
About research at Texas A&M University: As one of the world's premier research institutions, Texas A&M is a leader in making significant contributions to the storehouse of knowledge in many fields, including rigorous scientific and technological disciplines. Research conducted at Texas A&M represents an annual investment of more than $689 million. The university ranks 20th in total research expenditures among all U.S. universities and third nationally for universities without a medical school, according to the National Science Foundation. Research at Texas A&M creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied contributions resulting in many cases in economic benefits to the state, nation and world.


Teaching Grmn Foreign Language
3-week course, first summer session
This course analyses and discusses various approaches to, and principles of teaching German language, culture and literary texts. Particular emphasis will be given to the following issues: self-perspective of teachers and learners, learning strategies, ethnographic projects, classroom interaction, literacy development, and the student as an active participant. The discussion will be accompanied by activities and projects that can be implemented directly in the language classroom.
Required text: Koeppel, Deutsch als Fremdsprache – Spracherwerblich reflektierte Unterrichtspraxis (Schneider Verlag, Hohengehren, 2010); other material will be made available.


Two artists who lived more than 100 years apart were brought together this past Wednesday night by a common theme — exploration into, and portrayal of, the human condition.
The College’s Gallery Director, Emily Croll, welcomed art enthusiasts and casual observers to bask in the gloriously terrifying and awe-inspiring work of prominent Spanish artists Federico Castellon and Francisco de Goya during this semester’s first art exhibit opening.
The main exhibit, cleverly titled Fear and Folly, is split into two sections displaying the historically separated, but thematically congruent, works of Goya and Castellon side-by-side.
On one side of the exhibit is Goya’s gruesome display of pieces called “Los Disparates,” or “The Follies,” that play on the terrible events of the Napoleonic invasion of Spain.
The court painter to the Spanish royal family at the time, Goya parallels the invasion’s circumstances in myriad incarnations of gloom.
For example, the intriguing yet shocking “Fearful Folly,” depicts a grim reaper-esque figure towering over a gaggle of fearful soldiers, a strong contrast between dark and light, which meant to showcase the concept of death.
On the other side is Castellon’s work, a literary comment on a short story called “The Masque of Red Death,” written by the notoriously death-obsessed Edgar Allen Poe.
According to the exhibit’s introduction wall, Castellon chose “The Masque of the Red Death” when he was commissioned to depict a story by the famous poet. What is quite illuminating about this collection is that, without even reading a word of Poe’s story, one could get a pretty accurate picture of the horror that takes place.
“It really catches your attention,” said sophomore gallery assistant and art education major Erin Chamberlin in reference to Castellon’s “The Dagger Dropped Gleaming upon the Sable Carpet.” The painting portrays an event toward the end of The Masque in which the Red Death — a deadly disease that parallels the symptoms of tuberculosis — is disguised as an anthropomorphic hooded figure much like Goya’s “Fearful Folly.”
The Prince of the story goes on to stab the Red Death but suddenly drops dead as a result of instant infection. Above and beyond death, Croll made it clear that bringing such a shocking exhibit to the campus is an exercise in edification.
“I want to bring exhibits that relate to different disciplines, exhibits that will relate to art and art education, but also to other departments within the school,” she said.
Fear and Folly’s art is aimed at reeling in a broader audience and will remain open until March 7, according to Croll.


Corporate welfare is a term that analogizes corporate subsidies to welfare payments for the poor. The term is often used to describe a government's bestowal of money grants, tax breaks, or other special favorable treatment on corporations or selected corporations, and implies that corporations are much less needy of such treatment than the poor. The term is used interchangeably with crony capitalism; to the extent that there is a difference, the corporate welfare might be restricted only to direct government subsidies of major corporations, excluding tax loopholes and all manner of regulatory and trade decisions, which in practice could be much larger than any direct subsidies. The term, "Corporate Welfare", was reportedly invented in 1956 by Ralph Nader; conservatives like Grover Norquist prefer "Crony capitalism".
Subsidies considered excessive, unwarranted, wasteful, unfair, inefficient, or bought by lobbying are often called corporate welfare. The label of corporate welfare is often used to decry projects advertised as benefiting the general welfare that spend a disproportionate amount of funds on large corporations, and often in uncompetitive, or anti-competitive ways. For instance, in the United States, agricultural subsidies are usually portrayed as helping honest, hardworking independent farmers stay afloat. However, the majority of income gained from commodity support programs actually goes to large agribusiness corporations such as Archer Daniels Midland, as they own a considerably larger percentage of production.
Alan Peters and Peter Fisher (Associate Professors, Graduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning, University of Iowa) have estimated that state and local governments provide $40–50 billion annually in economic development incentives, which critics characterize as corporate welfare.
In 1990 the federal government spent 4.7 billion dollars on all forms of international aid. Pollution control programs received 4.8 billion dollars of federal assistance while both secondary and elementary education were allotted only 8.4 billion dollars. More to the point, while more than 170 billion dollars is expended on assorted varieties of corporate welfare the federal government spends 11 billion dollars on Aid for Dependent Children. The most expensive means tested welfare program, Medicaid, costs the federal government 30 billion dollars a year or about half of the amount corporations receive each year through assorted tax breaks. S.S.I., the federal program for the disabled, receives 13 billion dollars while American businesses are given 17 billion in direct federal aid.


DIBELS, or Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, is a set of procedures and measures developed at the University of Oregon for assessing literacy development in students from kindergarten through sixth grade. The DIBELS website says that the measures — one-minute fluency exercises — were “specifically designed to assess the five early literacy components: Phonological Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Fluency with Connected Text,” but critics say its validity is very weak. (Here’s an extensive critique.) Nonetheless, DIBELS has become widely used in schools around the country since 2001 — reaching some 2 million children a year. In this post, Rachael Gabriel, an assistant professor of reading education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, write about continuing problems with DIBELS and how struggling readers are affected.Read full article >>
#5455 Associate Director of Technology Services (Administrator II), Technology Services | San Diego State University
#5459 Payroll Technician II, Center for Human Resources - Payroll Services | San Diego State University
The U.S. Education Department just announced an agreement — or, rather, a bailout — with for-profit Corinthian Colleges, Inc., which would keep open the chain of more than 90 schools that has been investigated repeatedly by government entities for issues including false advertising and high dropout rates. It even was found to have paid companies to hire its graduates temporarily to boost its job placement rates.Read full article >>
Grab a book and get a meal.
The Prince George’s Memorial Library System is providing free lunch to children who might otherwise go hungry during the summer because they depend on free and reduced-price lunches during the school year.Read full article >>


On March 17, try this traditional planting activity with your family
In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is the customary day to plant peas and potatoes. The timing works for most temperatures in the United States, so why not celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a really “green” activity: planting a garden!
Contingent on your geographic locale an St. Patrick’s Day, you may discover your desired spring garden bed is still a bit covered with snow or the spring earth is still frozen, too much so to toil. Could be your home or apartment may not have a backyard or plot of ground to use for a spring garden.
You’re in luck…. peas and potatoes can be planted in vessels and containers, and you can enjoy the spring garden St. Patrick’s Day-planted crop on a patio, deck, balcony, or sunny windowsill. Then you can decorate it with a shamrock plant marker.
Be sure and watch the video on planting potatoes.
What You’ll Need:
- decent quality potting soil
- big flower or plant pot with saucer (Note: Be sure the pot has drainage holes in the bottom and is at least 12-15 inches in diameter at the top.)
- peas seeds (or sprouted peas) and seed potatoes (Note: Avoid planting potatoes from the store or supermarket. Those produce items may be treated with chemicals and will not grow well. You can likely buy your peas and potatoes from a neighborhood gardening store.)
- skinny branches or wood dowels to use as support for vines
What You’ll Do:
- Fill your container two-thirds full with potting soil.
- Press your peas or pea seeds or seed potatoes into the dirt. Cover with an inch or two of soil.
- Stick long, thin branches or wood dowels upright in the soil. As the vines grow, they wrap themselves around the dowels.
- Place plant containers in a sunny indoor spot 9if it is still too cold outside) or outdoors in full or partial sunlight. If the weather forecast calls for frost, bring containers inside.
- Water by hand every two to three days, keeping soil moist. Watch not to over-water.
- For potato plants:
- As your potatoes grow, add additional planting soil around the base of the plants, creating a slight hill. This is called hilling. Hilling ought to be done each time your plant raises about four inches.
- Carry on with watering the plants on a regular basis as leaves and then flowers grow. When the leaves of the potatoes’ plants begin to turn yellow and die, stop watering.
- After two or three weeks, baby potatoes will be ready to harvest, or you can wait another four to six weeks to harvest larger potatoes from your St. Patrick’s Day spring garden crop.
7. For pea plants: Peas are ready to harvest when the pods are full and heavy. Use scissors to carefully cut the pods from the plant. Quickly pulling them off by hand can end in pulling the whole plant up and injuring the roots.
- In U.S. areas of are too warm in March to plant cool-weather peas and potatoes, you can plant sweet potatoes, beans, and leafy greens like spinach or swiss chard.
- A few gardeners sprout seed potatoes before planting cutting them into small pieces with sprouting eyes, so they begin growing more quickly—an exercise known as chitting. Place your seed potatoes on a shallow dish or tray, or in a plastic or cardboard open egg carton. Retain them in a warm spot with a great deal of sunlight or under a fluorescent grow light. When the potatoes develop one-inch sprouts, they are set to be planed.
- Remember, when watering the pea plants, be cautious not to get water on the leaves of the plant. Caused by the water mildew can grow on the leaves.
Source, Article in National Wildlife Federation, Elizabeth Scholl, a New Jersey-based writer of children's books and magazine articles, with a background in elementary education. She specializes in nature and environmental topics.


Literacy Development in Early Childhood offers a truly comprehensive look at literacy development, beginning in infancy and continuing through grade 8. Organized developmentally, chapters on the “signs” of early literacy behaviors are followed by chapters on “enhancing” those behaviors. Assessment topics, including observation forms for classroom use, and developmentally appropriate strategies are integrated throughout. The role of oral language as a foundation for literacy, home-school connections, and cultural influences on literacy development are also emphasized. This text will help teachers serve as thoughtful mediators in children's transactions with literacy. Provides Teachers with Tools for Reflective Literacy Instruction. The book’s organization and narrative encourages teachers to become reflective decision-makers who select and implement instructional strategies based upon their knowledge of individual children’s emergent literacy behaviors and needs. Explores Literacy Strategies through Classroom- and Home-Based Examples and Vignettes. Numerous vignettes and teacher-child interactions throughout the book demonstrate literacy scaffolding in an applied and authentic manner. Supports Teachers in Multicultural and Urban Settings. An emphasis on linguistic and cultural diversity is woven throughout—including an array of strategies for English Language Learners—to provide today’s teachers with the knowledge to help all children succeed.


According to the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), 92 million adults in the United States - almost 48 percent of the population - have very low or low literacy skills. Reading and writing at these levels makes it difficult to earn a living wage and turns everyday tasks into extraordinary challenges.
For the 40 million adults in the United States with very low literacy skills - those designated by NALS as Level One - it is a struggle to read to their children or help with them with schoolwork. The reading level of these adults is severely limiting. They cannot understand the instructions on an appliance warranty, find an intersection on a street map, or locate two pieces of information in a sports article. Equally disturbing are the facts that 43 percent of those with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty and nearly one-third of prison inmates have very low literacy skills. Another 52 million adults have only low literacy skills (NALS Level Two). While these individuals have a basic ability to read, many everyday tasks are beyond their skill levels. They cannot, for example, write a short letter explaining a mistake on a credit card bill or use a calculator to figure out the difference between regular and sale prices described in an ad.
Low literacy skills significantly impact adultsí ability to be productive as citizens, parents or workers.
Forty-three percent of people with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty.
Over 75 percent of current welfare recipients have very low or low reading skills.
Only 30 percent of adults with very low literacy skills have full-time jobs. Some have part-time jobs, but over half of these adults no longer look for work.
Nearly one-third of prison inmates have very low literacy skills. Close to 40 percent more read only at a low level.
Several studies show that education programs reduce the likelihood that prison inmates return to jail after their release. A Federal Bureau of Prisons report found that completing an education course every six months reduced inmates' recidivism by almost 10%.
Even more widespread, the problem of people not reading--aliteracy--lowers the expectations and potential of the entire society. The life of the mind that practiced literacy engenders makes this recovery effort critical.
Prepare for a Literacy Program -- These first six sites are from an awesome on-line book and CD-Rom resource by the International Summer Institute for Linguistics
Basic Elements of Grant Writing -- Successful grant writing involves the coordination of several activities, including planning, searching for data and resources, writing and packaging a proposal, submitting a proposal to a funder, and follow-up.
Interactive On-line Adult Literacy Tutoring/Coaching Workshop -- A "Web Quest Workshop" that combines solo and team tasks using web sites and an Electronic Discussion Board. It covers Literacy, Adult Learning, Reading, Writing, Dyslexia, Study Skills, Numeracy (Basic Math), Teaching Speakers of Other Languages, and GED Preparation--all in the context of nonformal (voluntary) adult education.
Literacy Volunteers of America -- A fully integrated national network of local, state, and regional literacy providers that give adults and their families the opportunity to acquire skills to be effective in their roles as members of their families, communities, and workplaces
Adult Learning: An Overview -- Exploring four major research areas (self-directed learning, critical reflection, experiential learning and learning to learn) each of which have been proposed as representing unique and exclusive adult learning processes
Adult Learning -- Adult learning has been viewed as a process of being freed from the oppression of being illiterate, a means of gaining knowledge and skills, a way to satisfy learner needs, and a process of critical self-reflection that can lead to transformation.
Family Literacy: Respecting Family Ways -- This Digest discusses the family as a preferred place of literacy development and highlights family literacy initiatives that reflect respect for the family as a site of learning.
PBS Literacy Link -- The site that helps adults build essential skills for lifelong learning
Western/Pacific LINCS -- Western/Pacific LINCS provides free email, listservs, web hosting and development, and technical training to literacy programs throughout the western United States and the Pacific Islands.
Reading Matters! -- Reading matters reflected in these sites reflect the issues and ideas that matter most
Transformative Learning -- The kind of learning we do as we make meaning of our lives. . . a very popular topic in adult education because it doesn't just involve classroom learning--it involves learning about our lives. This is important because as adults, the meaning making process can change everything about how we look at work, family, and the world.


Kindergarten and preschool board games
6 Great Board Games for Kids
Playing kindergarten and preschool board games with children is an excellent way for them to learn to share and take turns, cooperate with each other, to increase logical thinking skills, and to learn basic math concepts, as well as letters, colors and shapes.
Check out some of the great games below and have fun playing with the children. Don't feel that you have to let children win every time they play kindergarten and preschool board games. Learning to lose gracefully is a skill that will help them as they progress in life. Choosing cooperative games ensures all players win.
What makes a great board game for young children?
- The instructions are simple
- The game does not depend on reading
- The game is easy to set up
- No batteries needed
- The game builds skills in some way
- The game is constructed of safe, non-toxic materials
- For very young children, the pieces need to be sturdy and easy to grasp
Kindergarten & preschool board games
Hi Ho Cherry-O is a counting game in which players race to be the first to have 10 cherries in their basket. A spin of the arrow instructs children to pick one, two, three, or four cherries from their tree and put them in their basket. Watch out for the dog, the bird, and the spilled bucket! Colors and parts may vary. No reading required. Includes game board, four cherry buckets and 40 plastic cherries. For 2 to 4 players.
Each player tends a small garden composed of four different types of vegetables. The object is for all players to harvest all the vegetables before winter arrives. The game ends when all players harvest all vegetables, or when all six Winter pieces are filled in. The job is to harvest the gardens before Winter comes. A Cooperative kindergarten and preschool board game.
Chutes and Ladders There are many versions of this kindergarten and preschool board game available.
Children will definitely need help to understand the numbers and the direction of play but it is a good introduction to two digit numbers. As the game can go on for a long time, we used a timer in class to give more children an opportunity to play.
Cooperative Game of Memory and Mystery, Secret Door
Players work against the clock to discover which three treasures are hidden behind a secret door. Builds memory, cooperative, and logical thinking skills.
I recommend reading the customer reviews at the bottom of each of the page links above to see if the game will work for the children in your care.
For a print ready list of suggestions for parents to encourage summer learning, click here. (Some browsers require right click and "save as..")
ALL TEACHING RESOURCES
Earth Science materials and equipment
Physical Science materials and equipment
Life Science materials and equipment
Science magazines for kids
Social studies play items
Circle time divider rugs
Road and street type rugs
Interlocking foam mats
Geography map carpets
Great magazines for kids
Early childhood picture books
More excellent picture books
Picture book videos (DVDs)
Preschool and kindergarten software
Great board games for kids
Kindergarten online activities and games
Best art supplies for kids
Art Education books
Art Education magazines
Books for teaching art history
Teach basic forms and play products
Modeling Clay Products


As the owner of a small business providing Web technology services to nonprofit organizations, and a UCLA graduate, I know the benefits of the public’s investments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
I’ve also experienced firsthand what happens when we fall behind in resources and talent.
Despite the economy, it’s difficult to hire the qualified candidates I need for Web technology positions. The knowledge of our job candidates can’t keep pace with constant innovation.
I’ve met the next generation of our workforce in talks at universities. It seems as if our service economy has shaped a generation of consumers, not creators. While young people are the largest end-users of technology, they seem to be the least interested in the professional studies necessary to build sustainable careers within our critical STEM industries.
Our economy can’t thrive solely on consumerism. We need to build things, whether they’re physical widgets or virtual code. And we need to build them here in the United States and export them overseas.
If we’re going to regain our leadership as a supplier of goods to the world, we need to do so responsibly and by supporting young businesses with a well-trained workforce. Specifically, we need more socially responsible entrepreneurs who excel in launching a new generation of high-tech industries.
Every department, in every university, can stimulate our future economy by incorporating entrepreneurship and technological innovation into their curricula. Public policy school students, not just those in the business track, can be a part of the next generation of socially responsible business leaders.
Everyone can make STEM education a cornerstone of every graduate’s foundational skills. The American economy can’t be world-class without an educational system that encourages technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
We also need to solve the college affordability problem. Bright, motivated American high school students should not be deprived of a solid education, particularly in the STEM fields, because of their families’ economic circumstances.
I’ve seen what’s happened to UCLA and the entire American higher education system. Prospective students are being told: If you want an education that will move America forward, you either need to be from an upper-income family or be willing to assume massive debt.
If we treat college as a consumer good, something that only the well-off can afford, then America loses the ability to compete effectively on the world stage, particularly against countries like China, which graduates well-trained, job-ready engineers and programmers.
I was lucky. Growing up in a Silicon Valley family, I spent my summer afternoons in technology start-ups with my father. My family could afford my university education, and I was able to start a “not-for-much-profit” technology company that focused on serving our country’s charities.
But a young person shouldn’t need to come from an upper-income family to help lead our country to its next economic boom. A smart investment by our government in STEM education, and giving every young person the chance to build the next great sustainable business, is prudent and necessary for our country to achieve the levels of success we’ve shown the world we’re capable of achieving.
Ryan Ozimek is the founder and CEO of PICnet, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that develops software and enhances online communication for nonprofits.


What people are saying"It's an amazing technique that creates fun right into the learning process... all of our kids enjoyed it!"
Syndicated parenting/health expert
Parent to Parent
The Piano for Preschoolers beginner piano music teaches children to read real music notes and to play them on real keys from the very start. While the color coding guides them, the kids are actually seeing and playing real music. These beginning piano lesson plans simply allow children to learn music at a younger age. The benefits of music education for children are numerous and can last a lifetime.
Preschool Music Activities: Kids Piano Music and Beginning Piano Lessons for Children
Music activities for preschool aged children prepare them for the sucess in school that will open many doors in the future. Before you know it your preschooler will be in school all day and his afternoons will be filled with sports and other activities. Now is your chance to encourage early childhood brain development by teaching your child how to play the piano.
By simply ordering Piano for Preschoolers today, your children can realize the benefits of playing piano. Your preschooler will gain an advantage in school, understand the relationship between music and math, and most importantly, acquire a lifelong love of music. Who knows where a beginner piano music class may lead?
Teach Your Child Piano with Piano for Preschoolers
The Piano for Preschoolers preschool music lessons include everything your preschooler needs to master beginning piano. For only $17.00 (less than the cost of one private lesson), you can teach your child piano.
When You Purchase Piano for Preschoolers Music Lessons, You'll Receive:
- Beginning piano book containing 17 familiar beginner piano songs written in color-coded notes on a traditional musical staff
- 17 Track CD with voice-over "count aloud" for each song in the music book
- Coordinating color strip that sits behind the keys of your piano or keyboard to guide your preschooler to the correct key
- A second color strip to fit securely on most quality electronic keyboards with mini-keys
- Parent/Teacher Guide that includes step-by-step instructions for teaching each of the 19 music lessons


20 Studies for the Guitar (Guitar Technique). Composed by Fernando Sor (1778-1839). Edited by Mario Dell'Ara. For Guitar. Guitar Method. 44 pages. Ricordi #ER2824. Published by Ricordi (HL.50103420).
For beginning guitarists, this book represents the sum of teaching works of Fernando Sor, the illustrious Spanish guitarist.
About Hal Leonard Guitar Method
The world-famous Hal Leonard Guitar Method is preferred by teachers because it makes them more effective while making their job easier. Students enjoy its easy-to-follow format that gives them a solid music education while letting them play songs right away. The Hal Leonard Guitar Method provides a complete system to playing success which includes three levels of instruction and a myriad of play-along supplemental songbooks that let students play great songs while they're still learning to play.


A college professor’s notes on singing
Could your singing make the “X Factor” audition fail reel? When it’s time to sing “Happy Birthday,” do you stand in the back of the group and mouth the words? The problem probably isn’t that you can’t sing, it’s that you’ve never learned how to sing.
That’s what Joanne Rutkowski, a professor of music education at Pennsylvania State University, thinks, anyway. “A few people can’t sing in tune — that’s because they don’t listen,” she says. “For most people, though, the issue is how they’re using their voice.”
Humans actually have two different modes for voice use. “It’s like a manual transmission,” Rutkowski says. “You could get up to 30 [mph] in first gear, but it’s not good for the engine. Learning to sing is about finding your voice’s different gears and learning how to shift smoothly from one to another.”
She teaches a half-credit class for future music teachers. Each student picks a non-singing friend or relative and, over the course of the semester, teaches him or her to sing. “They record them singing ‘Happy Birthday’ at the beginning of the semester, and then again at the end,” she says. “The difference is always amazing.” And the guinea pigs, of course, are all delighted with their new skills.
“Successful music education would be if every high school graduate could sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to his or her children,” Rutkowski says, “But it’s never too late to learn.”
Places to practice
Would you like to learn to sing? Rutkowski suggests these resources:
Community music school
A university department of music education
Your child’s elementary or middle-school music teacher
“And just sing in the shower!” she says. “Explore your voice, relax and have fun with it.”


Register your child in one of our excellent Kindergarten programs and spark your child's appetite for lifelong learning!
Further information about our Kindergarten programs can be found under the links to the left or in our 2014/2015 Kindergarten Guide.
Changes to Kindergarten Entrance Age
Beginning in the 2014/15 school year, children must be five years old on or before December 31 of the given school year to be eligible to start Kindergarten in Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS).
Currently, a child is eligible for enrolment into Kindergarten if he or she will turn five on or before March 1 of the given enrolment year. However, EIPS’ practice has been to encourage families to delay Kindergarten enrolment if their child is born between September and the end of February. The change to December 31 more closely aligns with EIPS’ philosophy, while still offering many families the option to choose.
The December 31 cut-off acts on local and provincial evidence that children who begin school at an older age perform better at the start of school, have a significantly higher rate of literacy development, and show greater improvement over the course of their years of schooling. The new entrance age reflects this kind of educational research, specifically in the area of literacy outcomes, and aligns with EIPS’ beliefs and advice to parents.
“This change to our Kindergarten entrance age cut-off will help us provide the best start possible for children just beginning their education,” says Eileen Zimmerman, Associate Superintendent of Instructional Services.
Currently, 26 school boards across the province use December 31 as the cut-off for Kindergarten enrolment.
More information about this change
FAQs about Kindergarten
How old does my child need to be in order to register?
To be eligible to attend Kindergarten in the 2014/2015 school year, your child must be five years of age on or before December 31, 2014.
When is the Kindergarten program available?
Programs generally operate on the regular school calendar, commencing in early September and finishing in late June. Students receive 475 hours of instruction in either half- or full-day settings. Contact your local school for more information.
What will my child learn?
Kindergarten programming promotes child development in early literacy; early numeracy; citizenship and identify; personal and social responsibility; physical skills; creative expression; and community and environmental awareness. Complete details on Kindergarten programming are available on Alberta Education's website - Curriculum Express for Parents.
Is it advantageous for my child to attend a Kindergarten Program?
Because a child's experience and learning in Kindergarten enhances their social and intellectual skills, children are better able to make the transition to the Grade 1 learning environment.
What will it cost to send my child to a Kindergarten program?
Schools charge a registration fee to cover incidentals, such as field trips. This varies from school to school; please inquire with your local school.
What is a parent's role in the classroom?
Parents are encouraged to volunteer their time in the classroom and to assist in supervising, such as field trips. In order to volunteer you must first provide a criminal record check. Please contact your child's school for further details.
How do I register?
To register your child for Kindergarten:
- Complete the Student Registration Form. Your choice of morning or afternoon classes, if available, is not guaranteed.
- Take the completed form to your designated school, even if you intend to pursue a boundary exemption for your Kindergarten child. Registration forms will be accepted starting January 6, 2014.
- Bring your child’s birth certificate so school personnel can make a copy, as required by Alberta Education.
- Contact Student Transportation at 780-417-8151 or using our online contact form to make all busing arrangements, if required.
- If you wish for your child to attend a non-designated school for Kindergarten, please follow the boundary exemption process.


WHAT IS THE HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY?Founded in 1815, the Handel and Haydn Society (H+H) is considered America’s oldest continuously performing arts organization. Its Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus are internationally recognized in the field of Historically Informed Performance and known for excellence and innovation in music education.Read more about the Handel and Haydn Society »Read more about our Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus »Read more about Historically Informed Performance »Read more about Handel and Haydn’s education program »
WHAT IS HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCE?Historically Informed Performance (HIP) is the practice of performing works as composers intended, using period instruments (from the composer’s time or built like those that existed then) and ensembles comparable in size to those that would have performed during the composer’s lifetime.Learn more about Historically Informed Performance »
WHO ARE HANDEL AND HAYDN?George Frideric Handel (Halle 1685–London 1750) was one of the great composers of the Baroque era. Born Georg Friedrich Händel in Germany in 1685, he anglicized his name when he became a naturalized British subject in 1727. He studied in Germany and Italy before settling in London, and was heavily influenced by both the Italian Baroque and German choral traditions. He is most famous for his oratorios, including Messiah, but also made important contributions to opera and chamber music.Joseph Haydn (Rohrau 1732–Vienna 1809), or Franz Joseph Haydn, was one of the great composers of the Classical era. Like Handel, he made important contributions to the oratorio genre, most notably with The Creation. He was known for being a musical jokester, and wrote many false endings, surprising loud chords, and even pauses for violins to re-tune. He is often considered the father of both the symphony and the string quartet.
DO YOU ONLY PLAY MUSIC BY HANDEL AND HAYDN?Despite its name, H+H does not exclusively play the music of Handel and Haydn. At the time of its founding in 1815, H+H’s name was chosen to honor Handel, then considered the greatest of the “old” composers of the Baroque period (1600–1750), and Haydn, considered the greatest of the “new” composers of the Classical period (1750–1830). A model of innovation and excellence, H+H has presented countless American and Boston premieres of works by composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Verdi, as well as Handel and Haydn.
WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU PERFORMING THIS SEASON?View the complete 2013–2014 Season »
WHO IS YOUR ARTISTIC LEADER? WHO CONDUCTS PERFORMANCES?Artistic Director Harry Christophers conceptualizes and plans the entire season. He leads five of the nine concert programs this season. The remaining concerts of the 2013–2014 Season are led by H+H Associate Conductor John Finney, Richard Egarr, Scott Metcalfe, Grant Llewellyn, and H+H Concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky.Read more about Harry Christophers »Learn about this season\’s concerts »


Mason Art Educators Encourage Families to ‘Step Into’ Works of Art
For the fifth year, Mason’s future art educators are offering opportunities for parents and their children to “step into” works of art with a creative, hands-on approach through a partnership with museums in the Washington, D.C., area.
Each year, students in Teaching Critical Response to Art, Pre-K to 12, work closely with a museum that allows them to step outside the classroom for a different kind of teaching experience. Taught by Renee Sandell, professor in the School of Art and director of graduate art education programs, the class is part of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.
This year, Mason partnered with the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery for a project titled “Talking About Art: From Past to Present, Here to There.” Students in the art education class worked with museum educators to develop a family tour called “Artful Adventures for Families.”
At the beginning of the semester, students visited the museum and chose one of their favorite works of art as a subject of study. Divided into groups of four, the students worked together to create a cohesive tour of four portraits in the gallery that could be connected through a theme.
MAT graduate student Kathleen Donohue and her group created a tour theme called “Mini-Art Detectives: Uncovering Famous People in America.”
For the tour, members of Donohue’s group selected portraits featuring various clues that could be used to not only determine the sitter in each portrait, but also the reason why the person in the portrait is important to American history.
“Teaching to the general public in a museum is a very different experience than teaching your own students each day,” says Donohue.
“In a museum, you are forced to connect with your audience through the piece of artwork since there are no prior opportunities to create relationships with your own students.”
Donohue chose a portrait of John James Audubon, a French-American ornithologist whose large-scale dramatic bird drawings helped classify many of America’s birds for the first time.
Donohue began her section of the tour by briefly describing the details of the portrait to the families. She then asked a series of open-ended questions to get the participants involved and encouraged them to look for clues in the portrait that might reveal who Audubon was.
There were three important characteristics about Audubon that she wanted the families to learn: he was an artist, he had an interest in animals and he often explored new American territories.
Donohue ended her tour with an activity related to Audubon’s bird drawings.
“Overall, the Artful Adventures program is extremely valuable for both the participants and students,” says Donohue.
“As preservice art teachers, we are prepared for teaching students mostly in the classroom setting, but at the same time, it is important that we are exposed to other aspects of teaching, such as museum education.”
After the museum tour project concluded, students returned to the classroom and created “Art About Art,” a studio application for the museum based on the in-depth study of the artwork they chose.
MAT graduate students Kannan Cangro, Justin Gaudenzi, Danielle Sutter, Lisa Christensen and Crisy Meschieri attended the 2010 National Art Education Association convention held in Baltimore in April. In a roundtable discussion, they shared their experiences on this year’s collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery and with the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2009.


Specialization in Teaching Mathematics
Dr. Zhonghe Wu
Designed to improve the quality of teaching mathematics in grades K-9, courses focus on the pedagogy of mathematics and the development of balanced instructional programs that meet the needs of today s diverse students. Content prepares teacher credential holders and/or candidates for the CSET 1 and 2 Foundational Level Mathematics Exam. In order to be successful in this program, potential candidates should have basic mathematics knowledge and skills (equivalent to CSET multiple subject and Praxis II elementary education) or above.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Analyze current principles, state and national standards, trends and issues in teaching Mathematics in grades K-9.
- Demonstrate the ability to develop a balanced program of mathematics instruction that includes conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and problem solving in Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Probability and Number Theory.
- Apply evidence-based best practices research in the delivery and evaluation of a balanced mathematics education program.
Required Courses (4 courses; 18 quarter units)


ANDREW Ikupu speaks 11 languages; an elegant and measured English among them. It’s hardly surprising when you consider that he is a native of Papua New Guinea, the country with the most diverse linguistic heritage in the world.
Papua New Guinea is home to more than seven million people and 875 local languages, the result of the country’s rugged and often impenetrable geography of deep valleys and high mountains which have kept small pockets of people isolated from each other.
The greatest number of speakers of a local language is 300,000; the smallest less than 200. Judged against the UNESCO atlas, it is a success story with only 88 of its tongues in danger.
The country has also absorbed many waves of colonisation. In the 1880s the British, Dutch and Germans carved up the land with the British claiming the south-eastern section, the Germans the northeast and the Dutch the west which is now Indonesian.
Each colony left a language heritage: the British favoured the pidgin Motu, the Germans another English-based pidgin Tok Pisin which continued as the lingua franca when the Australians took over in 1906. By the time the Independent State of Papua New Guinea was declared in 1975, English was firmly in place as the language of the elite and those aspiring to be.
Mr Ikupu, who serves as an advisor to the Department of Education on elementary education and travels the country championing early education in the mother tongue, takes up the story.
“During the 1950s missionaries had provided most of the education and it was firmly linked to the religion,” he explained. “When the Germans, French and English left, the legacy of education from each power left us wondering if languages were worth preserving. The elite who had benefited most financially from colonisation encouraged their children to speak only English.
“But after 30 years of independence we said; ‘Hang on we are becoming a society with neither a good command of English nor of our own languages’. Parents could see their children being alienated from their own culture as a result of the loss of their languages and disorientated by a culture based only on money.”
There were other difficulties in a society that remains overwhelmingly rural in its makeup.
“To avoid intermarrying within tribes, people go to the next tribe to court a partner and acquire land but for that you need to speak the language of the larger, outside tribe. So languages become extinguished by those that surround them,” Mr Ikupu said.
In the 1970s the government stepped in with a radical program to systemise language learning and offer the first three years of basic education in the vernacular. It established 3,500 schools across the country from the most remote to urban areas offering three years of basic education in the mother tongue, a locally created curriculum and teachers drawn from the community.
In 1991 the education system was reformed again and a ‘cultural bonding’ curriculum was introduced with even greater emphasis on locally produced educational materials. There were other hurdles to overcome. Only 420 of the local languages had an alphabet so the 26-letter alphabet was adopted and translation of oral sounds into written language began. Now the basic education curriculum is delivered in 250 languages with state backing and community involvement.
“Languages act not only as a cushion but a bridge between cultures,” said Mr Ikupu. “People want English for money and employment but they also want to feel that they have a cultural heritage. We teach children in their mother tongue using a cultural calendar which talks about the seasons and their lives.”
Mr Ikupu, who embodies the modern Papua New Guinean living in the city of Mt Hagen but keeping a grass hut only reached at the end of an 11-hour drive, said the majority of parents were eager for their children to keep hold of their languages but the lure of working outside the country for more money was strong for young people. How did he try to convince them?
“I tell them they will be nothing without their mother tongue. Culture and identity are wrapped up in your language. You are nothing without your identity. I say you will be like the African Americans or Australian aborigines cut off from your own identity. You must keep your languages so that you can stand tall in the world and go to forums like the one at UNESCO and say I am from Papua New Guinea and I speak this language.
“People ask if the investment in so many languages is worth it or realistic but we know that the child learns best when the language of explanation is understood. I am a product of this system. I learned in my own language and then went on to learn English. It is like asking the question is it worth it to keep your identity and cultural heritage?”


Wartime at Thwaite Mills Watermill
Site: Thwaite Mills
This workshop is led by museums staff.
Bomb blasts and no bananas! What was life like during the Second World War at Thwaite Mills?
During this two-hour workshop, pupils will:
- gain knowledge and understanding of food and materials shortages during the Second World War, and the emotions connected to these shortages
- develop speaking, listening (group work) and language skills associated to the Second World War, in particular the Blitz and the Home Front
- develop an understanding of the fear surrounding bombing raids, and the precautions taken during a raid
- gain an insight into the Leeds war effort and ground their knowledge in the locality
- have fun!
During the workshop activities, the class will be split into three groups to rotate around the activities.
Pupils will have the opportunity to discover three aspects of life during the Second World War at Thwaite: the Home Front (including rationing), the Blitz and the role of the Mill in putty production.
Pupils will test their numeracy skills by weighing out real food rations in the kitchen and discussing how much, or how little, people had to eat. They will explore the idea of supplementing diet through Dig for Victory, and discuss a Make Do and Mend wedding.
Pupils will develop their enquiry and questioning skills by identifying and handling real and replica 1930s objects. They will experience the noise of the air raid siren and evacuate the house into the Anderson shelter where they will discuss what it would have been like to spend long dark nights in such a small space.
The groups will have a tour of the Watermill and explore the increase in demand for putty due to repairing bomb damaged houses during the war. Pupils will explore the processes behind putty production, smelling the linseed oil and feeling the chalk, then have a go at repairing a 'bomb damaged' window. They will also discuss bombing raids and identify possible targets for raids in Leeds and the precautions taken against these.
For more details or to make a booking, please contact Thwaite Mills Museum on 0113 2762887.
History: 1. Chronological understanding; 2. Understanding of events, people and changes in the past; 4. Historical enquiry skills; 5. Organise and communicate historical information; 7. Local history study; 11. Britain since 1930.
Literacy: En1: Speaking and Listening
Maximum numbers: Class of 30


KEA-SP Holds Arts for Smarts Event to Teach Children Through the Fine Arts
With the state of the economy today, many programs across the country are facing more and more cuts, and education is not immune to this trend. Often, it is in the area of fine arts education where these cuts begin.
However, the University of Kentucky chapter of the Kentucky Education Association Student Program (KEA-SP) believes the loss of arts and music programs leaves a huge void in the humanities. As a result, the UK KEA-SP recently held an Arts for Smarts day at Cardinal Valley Elementary School in Lexington.
Sponsored by a National Education Association (NEA) Community Learning through America's Schools (CLASS) grant, Arts for Smarts was designed to provide third, fourth and fifth grade students with activities that will teach math, science, language arts and social studies through visual art, music and dance.
"The focus of this project is to demonstrate the possible uses of arts as creative means for teaching core content material," said Kevin Fox, co-president of UK's KEA-SP and a student Ambassador in the UK College of Education. "Not only does this provide extraordinary opportunities for students to enjoy learning, but it also sparks creative thinking that has been proven to help students later on in their academic careers."
Activities used to stimulate the students' minds included:
- Recyclable Art -- Students used various recyclable materials to create anything they wished while learning about environmental sciences and pollution prevention.
- Music Madness -- Students made a maraca to learn about the basic components of sound and vibrations.
- Young Authors -- Students wrote and illustrated their own books emphasizing the language arts.
- Fossil Fun -- Students made their own cast fossils to learn more about the natural sciences.
KEA-SP also worked with KEA-Retired, the Fayette County Board of Education and the UK Art Education Program to put on this event. In addition, community donors donated supplies and funds to help make the program possible.
"As representatives of the KEA Student Program, we are focused on providing professional development opportunities and experience for future teachers and are committed to providing community outreach focused on bettering public education," Fox said. "This outreach project epitomizes the goals and platform of what KEA and NEA stand for as organizations as we work to help better education for our future students."
The NEA Student Program, the national affiliate of KEA-SP, is a grassroots organization that serves students nationwide and helps prepare them for jobs in education. The NEA-SP provides opportunities for professional development and leadership training and promotes student concerns.


Children using tech devices is a hot topic. How much is too much? How young is too young? Today, guest blogger, Rob James gives a perspective on the use of tech in the early years. We would love to hear your opinions on the topic! ~EMP
Interactive technology can play a significant role in helping children learn in early years. Given the range of easy to use devices available, which include iPads and interactive whiteboards, and the increasingly early digital literacy that children achieve, making technology part of the classroom can mean that children can learn in different ways. While there have been some arguments against the over use of technology in the classroom, its benefits and the need to match up home and school based learning mean that all teachers and schools should consider testing it for pre-school classes.
Early Years Benefits
Children that count as being in Early Years education are generally those up to the age of five. These children are not in full time education, and attend school as part of nursery and reception classes, as well as play-schools that contain some degree of basic literacy and numeracy instruction. The early years is often a difficult area for schoolteachers and parents to agree on. On the one hand, many believe that early years education should be about play and developing social skills outside of the home, while developing literacy and numeracy skills. Others, however, support structured forms of learning that create a clear progression between infant care and primary school activities.
Interactive technologies are being positioned as a crucial way to engage children through a combination of play and structured programs. Technologies can be defined through touchscreen iPads, interactive whiteboards, and online portfolios where children can play, and reports can be filed. Educational games that teach children about letters, numbers, and music, can be used to focus children’s attention during the day. These programs can also be extended to home use, with parents and teachers able to chart early development, and any problems that might require special support.
Recent Early Years projects in East Sussex have targeted the extensive use of interactive technology to build up early skills, and to engage young children with programs that can encourage them to be creative. These programs can, then, be developed into e-portfolios that children can access with their parents. As they move from Early Years into more structured primary school classes, these skills and online platforms can be expanded and used for record keeping.
This use of technology can allow for specialist forms of support, and provide ways for children with special needs to experience alternative forms of learning. Some schools have pushed for 3G pay-as-you-go Netbooks that can be provided for parents with low incomes. Having these tablets can mean that children are able to receive, in theory, a consistent education in the home and at school. Maintaining this access provides a way by which children already familiar with digital technologies can make it part of their everyday learning as they move through different school years.
Awareness and Caution
There have been some criticisms of the use of technology in Early Years learning. Most of this criticism has been focused on the dangers that children dependent on technology will become antisocial, and less likely to build confidence through group work. There is also a fear that the over use of technology will make it harder for children to focus on the hard work of learning to read and write. However, given the ubiquity of digital and interactive devices in the home, not making them at least a part of Early Years education would be a short sighted approach.
Rob James is a secondary school teacher. He found his current post using GSL English teaching job vacancies, and enjoys inspiring young minds, and the challenges his job presents. In his spare time Rob can be found blogging about his experiences and what they have taught him.


Luigi Pirandello (Italian pronunciation: ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, and short story writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934, for his "bold and brilliant renovation of the drama and the stage." Pirandello's works include novels, hundreds of short stories, and about 40 plays, some of which are written in Sicilian. Pirandello's tragic farces are often seen as forerunners for Theatre of the Absurd.
Pirandello was born into an upper-class family in a village with the curious name of Kaos (Chaos), a poor suburb of Girgenti (Agrigento, a town in southern Sicily). His father, Stefano, belonged to a wealthy family involved in the sulphur industry and his mother, Caterina Ricci Gramitto, was also of a well-to-do background, descending from a family of the bourgeois professional class of Agrigento. Both families, the Pirandellos and the Ricci Gramittos, were ferociously anti-Bourbonic and actively participated in the struggle for unification and democracy ("Il Risorgimento"). Stefano participated in the famous Expedition of the Thousand, later following Garibaldi all the way to the battle of Aspromonte and Caterina, who had hardly reached the age of thirteen, was forced to accompany her father to Malta, where he had been sent into exile by the Bourbon monarchy. But the open participation in the Garibaldian cause and the strong sense of idealism of those early years were quickly transformed, above all in Caterina, into an angry and bitter disappointment with the new reality created by the unification. Pirandello would eventually assimilate this sense of betrayal and resentment and express it in several of his poems and in his novel The Old and the Young. It is also probable that this climate of disillusion inculcated in the young Luigi the sense of disproportion between ideals and reality which is recognizable in his essay on humorism (L'Umorismo).
Pirandello received his elementary education at home but was much more fascinated by the fables and legends, somewhere between popular and magic, that his elderly servant Maria Stella used to recount to him than by anything scholastic or academic. By the age of twelve he had already written his first tragedy. At the insistence of his father, he was registered at a technical school but eventually switched to the study of the humanities at the ginnasio, something which had always attracted him.


Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 30, 2014
"StoryBoom”, an art application for reinforcing concepts in school was featured on NewsWatch as part of its monthly Tech Report, which takes a look at the latest and coolest products in the technology world. Mallory Sofastaii, a host of NewsWatch and technology expert, conducted the app review and shared with viewers how it helps uses art to help children understand concepts.
Schools across the country have cut art programs out of their curriculum in favor of the common core subjects. Unfortunately, a recent study by PBS shows that engaging children with art is beneficial to their development and is correlated to stronger concept comprehension.
ToonBoom recognized the need for art education and created StoryBoom, a platform that encourages creativity and critical thinking in children. Storyboom allows a child to construct a digital storybook by creating images and adding text to show their understanding on a subject.
With the app, children can create or import a picture for their background, they can draw over that background, and then they even add animation to the entire piece using a separate packaged called FlipBoom.
For example, if children are learning the water cycle in class, the teacher can have each child use StoryBoom to draw clear skies, then clouds, then rain, then evaporation back into the sky. Then the entire storybook can be animated into one piece and shared with the class as a presentation.
StoryBoom is available for Windows and Mac computers and they offer special educational pricing for educators. To learn more, head to http://www.toonboom.com/storyboom.
NewsWatch is a weekly 30-minute consumer oriented television show that also airs monthly on the History Channel, Bio Channel, and ION Network. NewsWatch regularly features top technology products, unique and beautiful travel destinations, health tips, medical breakthroughs, and entertainment news on the show.
Tech Report is a weekly segment that provides viewers tech reviews of the latest and hottest consumer oriented technology products on the market.
NewsWatch airs in 180 markets nationwide as well as all of the top 20 broadcast markets in the country, and is the preferred choice for Satellite Media Tour and Video News Release Distribution. For more information or to watch the June 2014 show, visit http://newswatchtv.com.
NewsWatch airs on the History Channel at 6:00 – 6:30 AM ET/PT and on the Bio Channel from 7:00 – 7:30 AM ET.


How is watering geraniums with soapy water, lake water or coffee going to affect the way the plants grow?
That’s the study question seventh-grade life science students at Anoka Middle School for the Arts will be asking themselves over the next two months.
Malmborg’s Garden Center & Greenhouses donated hundreds of geraniums for more than 600 seventh-graders, as the business has for the past two years.
Students each care for a geranium, watering it with either soapy water, lake water or coffee and tracking its evolution.
The project – dubbed GeraniuMania – will help students learn about the scientific method and hone their observational skills.
March 19 and 20, Mary Spivey and Ami Thompson, educators with the University of Minnesota’s Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, presented students with their study question.
Silly scenarios found students trapped in a car wash, ice house or coffee shop until May, tasked with keeping their geraniums alive. The only resources available are soapy water, lake water or coffee.
Students immediately began to speculate what the various liquids might do to their geraniums.
Adam Mishler, with one-third of his peers, will water his geranium with coffee.
“I think it’s going to die,” he said. “Coffee dehydrates you, and I’m guessing if it dehydrates humans, it’s going to dehydrate the plants.”
Other students speculated that soapy water, with a very basic pH level, might bring geraniums closer to their ideal growing environment and allow them to thrive.
As Spivey and Thompson were discussing the scientific process, science teacher John Jacobson and AMSA Curriculum Integration Coordinator Jolanda Dranchak stepped into other classrooms to encourage artistry in observation.
With advances in technology, many scientists have abandoned the once standard practice of sketching as a way to document studies, Jacobson said. Now, many scientists flash their cameras and call it a day. Anoka Middle School students will take photographs of their geraniums throughout the experiment, but perhaps more importantly, they will sketch, which allows details to pop on the page, Jacobson said.
He didn’t want students to try and sketch the entire plant in one go; that would be overwhelming. Start with one leaf, he said.
Art education can go a long way to supplement lessons in science because “real scientists are artists and critical thinkers,” Thompson said.
“Science is a creative process,” she said, emphasizing lessons of process over content. While facts about geraniums will find their way into the unit, the scientific process is the real takeaway. “That’s … going to serve [students] throughout their lives.”
Olivia Koester is at email@example.com


BABY BUILDERS STIMULATES MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT
“Developmental psychologist have long recognized that perceptual-motor development in infancy [is] the foundation of all mental life.”1
BABY BUILDERS BUILDS STRENGTH,BALANCE AND COORDINATION
“. . .The processes by which infants learned to control and coordinate their bodies. . . set the stage for all further development.”2
BABY BUILDERS STIMULATES COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
BABY BUILDERSWORKS TO PREVENT DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
“Early care and nurture have a decisive and long-lasting impact on how people develop, their ability to learn, and their capacity to regulate their emotions.”4
BABY BUILDERS POSITIVELY IMPACTS CHILDREN PSYCHOSOCIALLY
“Parents who have a broader understanding of their infant’s development and his capacities, improve their ability to cope and interact with their infant.”5
Campbell FA, Pungello EP, Miller-Johnson S, Burchinal M,, Ramey CT. “The development of cognitive and academic abilities: growth curves from an early childhood educational experiment.”, Dev Psychol 2001 Mar;37(2): 231-42.
Elkind, D. “Authority of the brain.” J Dev Behav Pediatr, 1999, 6, 432-3.
Palmer, et al. “The Effects of Physical Therapy on Cerebral Palsy.” New England Journal of Medicine, 1988, 318, 803-8.
Copyright 2003 – 2014 Leadership Vision, LLC. All rights reserved


Collaborative leadership is key to the success of Ready Schools Initiatives. The Community-District Team brings together school, district, early childhood, business, and community leaders as well as families to guide the development and communication of a clear vision, mission, and goals of a community action plan. The action plan must address the needs of the schools/district to support the transition from home and the early childhood community to the schools/district, recruitment of diverse stakeholders in collaborative efforts to serve PreK-3 children and their families, and education of the community about issues related to early childhood education and what it means to teach all children effectively.
Download Pathway One: Leaders & Leadership from the Ready Schools Toolkit, Part 2.
Selected Leaders and Leadership Resources:
Annie E. Casey Foundation: http://www.aecf.org/Home/MajorInitiatives/LeadershipDevelopment/LdrshpResources.aspx
This page features an annotated list of publications from the Annie E. Casey Foundation Leadership Development Portfolio.
BUILD Strong Foundations for our Youngest Children: http://www.buildinitiative.org/
BUILD works to develop comprehensive early childhood development systems by working with states, agencies, and organizations to develop a system of programs, policies, and services that respond to the needs of young children and their famililes.
Early Childhood Learning and Policy Network: http://www.eclpn.org/
This network represents a collaboration between the faculty at UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T, UNC Charlotte, and Wake Technical Community College. They provide resources and policy papers to support the development of a network of university and community leaders that work together to facilitate leadership and affect policy development that promotes high quality early childhood education for all children.
National Institute for Early Education Research: http://nieer.org/
NIEER engages in and disseminates research about the physical, cognitive, and social development impacts of early childhood education.
Vision, Mission, and Goals from Catawba County Ready Schools
Action Plan from Davidson County Community-District Ready Schools Team


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Most popular at the top
- Taylor and Francis 2006; US$ 54.95
This widely researched comparative study addresses the critical issue of literacy crises around the world and questions their wider sociological and educational impact. The recurring literacy crises in England and English speaking countries such as the US and New Zealand are linked to wider issues of educational standards, concepts of teacher professionalism,... more...
- SAGE Publications 2008; US$ 56.00
This book foregrounds pedagogy in a way that challenges readers to reflect on themselves as teachers and learners, and to be reflexive about their own practices and contexts. Learning involves a transformation of identity which occurs through negotiation and repositioning, through new ways of relating, and through different ways of participating in... more...
- Taylor and Francis 2014; US$ 61.95
This book provides a range of interdisciplinary and international perspectives on difficulties in literacy development. The high-profile team of contributors provide ethical and policy discussions, as well as contextualising individual and collective strategies to addressing difficulties in literacy development. The chapters break new ground by encompassing... more...
- Taylor and Francis 2003; US$ 66.95
Addressing the sensitive issue of difficulties in literacy development this practical book outlines what is meant by 'literacy' and the barriers to literacy development such as social class, ethnicity, culture and gender. It emphasises practical strategies and programmes to help reduce these barriers at school, family and community levels. Throughout,... more...
- Taylor and Francis 2013; US$ 60.95
This book outlines and critiques international strategies and programmes designed to address difficulties in literacy development. The high-profile team of contributors consider teaching programmes which operate at family, school, pupil and teacher levels. They argue that school is not the only legitimate location for literacy education, and show... more...
- Taylor and Francis 2010; US$ 50.95
This book brings together different disciplinary perspectives and studies on learning to read with a view to extending and enriching debate, practice, research and policy on the development of reading. more...
- Institute of Education Press 2012; US$ 38.95
This wide-ranging volume of ten essays focuses on demonstrating how an understanding of the historical past may help us to set in context current educational issues. The essays examine such diverse themes as motherhood, gender, race, the teaching of reading, university politics and national security. more...


Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve
Considering what you know about the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Education (CCSS for ELA), identify one or two key components of effective language arts instruction that you would include in the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (ELA/ELD Framework).
A major purpose of the ELA/ELD Framework is to provide direction for incorporating the CCSS for ELA into instructional practices and materials. There are a number of shifts in instruction that need to be addressed, including an increased focus on informational text, reading and writing grounded in evidence from the text, the use of complex text and its academic vocabulary, and the shared responsibility for students’ literacy development. What guidance should the ELA/ELD Framework provide to address these new areas of emphasis?
The ELA/ELD Framework will include the new English language development (ELD) standards scheduled for adoption later in 2012. What guidance would you include on understanding the relationship between ELD standards and the CCSS for ELA?
In addition to the guidance discussed in question 3 on addressing the needs of English learners, how can the ELA/ELD Framework support access to standards-based curriculum for all students, including students with disabilities, gifted students, and other student groups?
The CCSS for ELA are forward looking in their approach to the skillful use of multimedia and technology to deepen encounters with texts beyond the printed page. How should the increased use of technology and multimedia be addressed in the ELA/ELD Framework (for students and for teachers)?
What information would you include in the ELA/ELD Framework to promote and integrate instruction that develops students’ communication and collaboration skills, critical thinking, and creativity and that also enables students to be college- and career-ready when they graduate from high school?
What information would you include in the ELA/ELD Framework to provide support for effective student assessment within the classroom?
Finally, what other guidance, that does not fit in any of the questions above, would you suggest to improve the ELA/ELD Framework to support transitional kindergarten through grade twelve standards-based instruction and curriculum aligned to the CCSS for ELA?
May 9, 2012


UNESCO supports the training of trainers in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for quality pre-primary education provision and care in Nepal
Every child is special and needs to be treated in a special way. The way they learn and the amount of knowledge they gain through learning is different and depends on the individual child.
Therefore, to understand a child every educational professional must enter the mind of a youngster and actively participate in their learning processes. Even in the act of playing, children learn many new experiences and challenges that they remember for the rest of their lives.
The experiences in the years between birth and pre-school education lay the foundation of early childhood development, pre-primary education provision and care for the physical, cognitive and emotional development of children.
The path towards Education for All begins long before primary school. Adequate nutrition, good health and an emotionally secure, language-rich home environment during the earliest years are vital for later success in both education and life.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) and pre-primary education provision is essential for supporting literacy development and it is the foundation for all future learning.
It contributes to the all-round development of children during the early childhood years. It also has a significant impact on children’s enrollment, retention and universal primary education completion.
With the aim to prepare trained resource persons to provide training on ECD, a 10-day capacity development programme: “Master Training of Trainers on Early Childhood Development (ECD)” was organized from 5-16 December 2011 in Kathmandu.
The training was jointly organized by Save the Children Nepal, UNICEF-Nepal, the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu, MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation), the Department of Education (Nepal) in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel and the Mount Carmel Training Centre.
The training aimed to provide knowledge to trainees in ECD; to think in the capacity of a child’s brain; and to interpret seen things and to learn in the same way as a child learns and remembers for a life time.
A total of 28 education officials and ECD facilitators from the Ministry of Education, District Education Offices and ECD centres from different regions of Nepal were involved in the training programme.
The trainers will serve as resource persons in providing training to ECD facilitators for high-quality early childhood development and pre-primary education provision, care and entertainment.
With 33,404 ECD centres and pre-primary classes, serving over one million children aged three to four, (73 per cent of the total population of this age group), improving quality is vital for equity as well as holistic development of the children in Nepal.
UNESCO Representative to Nepal Axel Plathe said in his opening address to participants: “This calls for actions with regard to establishing clear professional development policies and opportunities; reviewing curricula for ECD practitioners; and providing them with a better professional status.”
<- Back to: UNESCO Office in Kathmandu


Drawing On Science For Kids
In 1831 the "HMS Beagle" departed from Plymouth, England on a voyage to South America, around Cape Horn north to the Galapagos Islands, west to Australia, around the Cape of Good Hope and back to England. The vessel stopped at many locations throughout the voyage for the purposes of mapping and collecting plant and animal specimens.
Aboard the "Beagle" was a 21-year-old naturalist, Charles Darwin. Darwin's job was to collect, record, and study the animal and plant specimens found throughout the voyage. Over the years his studies of the specimens, particularly those from the Galapagos Islands off South America, convinced Darwin that species are not static. He concluded that they gradually change or evolve over a period of time and that survival of the species depends on adaptation to a changing environment, complexity of the individual, and diversity within the population of the species.
He called this phenomenon natural selection and he was not alone in drawing this conclusion. Another naturalist, Alfred Wallace, came to the same conclusions in his studies of variations in species. Wallace and Darwin agreed to write a joint paper with the long title "On the Tendency of Species to Form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection." The paper was read to the Linnaean Society on July 1, 1858 and was published in its Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnaean Society. A year later Darwin published his findings in his "On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection." Wallace fell into the shadow of Darwin over the following years, but his contribution to the Theory of Evolution is still recognized today. In some cases the theory is referred to as the Darwin-Wallace Theory of Evolution.
Evolution, as Darwin explained, is supported by overproduction of offspring within species, fossils of long-extinct plants and animals, comparative anatomy, and comparative embryology.


Getting a Head Start to success
RESEARCH | The first Head Start preschoolers to experience the Delaware Early Reading First (DERF) project have “graduated,” and researchers say their astonishing success in kindergarten clearly demonstrates the value of early language arts intervention in improving the academic outlook of children from impoverished circumstances.
“The results of the follow-up study indicate that the DERF project graduates performed as well as or better than the general population of children their age,” says Myae Han, assistant professor of human development and family studies. “The children’s performance is particularly impressive on these measures when one remembers that the majority of the children were not only from low-income families but also came from homes where English was not the primary language spoken.”
The project began in 2005 with a competitive $3.3 million grant awarded to faculty members in the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy, in cooperation with New Castle County (Del.) Head Start, by the U.S. Department of Education.
Children in Head Start preschool programs are considered at risk for academic challenges and failure due to economic circumstances, home language or disability. Without intervention, these youngsters often start formal schooling lagging behind their peers.
“Head Start provides each family with a case manager who helps ensure that basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are being met,” says Martha Buell, professor of human development and family studies. “Our project provides additional enrichment and resources to support their language and literacy development—something that their home environment often lacks.”
For the last four years, DERF has assisted three Head Start preschools in New Castle County with services and materials based on recent research that has clarified exactly how children learn to read. The project provides ample literacy materials, ongoing professional development and onsite coaching to support teachers’ use of research-based reading strategies and developmentally appropriate literacy instruction.
The children are exposed to quality storybook reading, instruction and play-based literacy activities each day in the classroom. Master’s degree-level teachers specially trained in reading and literacy provide the coaching, while UD graduatestudents participate in one-on-one tutoring and help the researchers with data collection.
Last spring, the researchers followed 97 of the 2007 Head Start graduates of their project into kindergarten in Delaware’s Colonial School District to test their language and early reading proficiency and ask their teachers about their progress.
In general, the children who had participated in DERF produced higher scores on various parts of standardized literacy assessments than would be expected of the average population of children beginning first grade, including letter-word identification, story recall, understanding directions, decoding words and receptive vocabulary. Their teachers judged all but 14 of the 97 children to be in the intermediate to proficient stage of development on each rated skill.
“We were delighted with the children’s performance on these measures,” says Carol Vukelich, director of UD’s Delaware Center for Teacher Education and Hammonds Professor in Teacher Education. “Our Early Reading First project, including New Castle County Head Start and Colonial School District kindergarten teachers, can take great pride in how well prepared these children are for success today and in the future.”
Article by Beth Chajes