- Discovery Education -- Contact Ms. Bianco for access code
Discovery Education streaming is a digital video-based learning resource from Discovery Education. With streaming video, educators gain on-demand access to 50,000 content-specific segments from 5,000 full-length educational videos.
- Kappa Delta Pi: International Honor Society in Education: Teacher Resources
KDP-recommended web sites, books, journals, and articles on hot topics in education
- Smithsonian Education -- Resources for Educators! Lesson plans, online activities, field trip planning and more.
- Discovery Education: Explore the Blue -- Explore the Blue has a variety of K-5 resources designed to inspire students to get outside and become a future conservationist, from standards-aligned cross-curricular lesson plans and streaming video to a U.S. Habitat Map.
- International Reading Association: ReadWriteThink -- standards-based lesson plans and reviewed Web resources for K-8 educators and students.
- National Geographic Education: Teacher Homepage
- Science NetLinks - Resources for Teaching Science
- Council of Economic Education: EconEdLink - Economics & Personal Finance Resources for K-12
- Literacy Network - Thinkfinity Literacy Network delivers free, top-quality online educational resources for literacy instruction and lifelong learning for adults and family literacy programs. The content on TLN strengthens literacy development, creativity and critical thinking skills for success in the 21st Century.
- The Kennedy Center: Arts Edge: Connect, Create: Educators
- Smithsonian's History Explorer - Your gateway to innovative, standards-based online resources for teaching and learning American history, designed and developed by the National Museum of American History.
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Illuminations - Resources for Teaching Math
- National Endowment for the Humanities: EDSITEment! - Explore lesson plans by subject: Art & Culture, Foreign Language, History & Social Studies, and Literature & Language Arts
- Thinkfinity Teacher Resources -- contains more than 55,000 authoritative educational and literacy resources for teachers, students and community programs including standards-based K-12 lesson plans, student materials, interactive tools and web sites.
- Wonderopolis: Camp What-A-Wonder: Wonder of the Day - Create. Laugh. Imagine. Explore. Learn. Smile. Grow. Wonderopolis is a place where wonder and learning are nurtured through the power of discovery, creativity and imagination.
- The Learning Network: Grades 3-12 (The New York Times) -- This URL connects to the archive of daily lesson plans posted over the past two years at the New York Times Learning Network.
- Starfall.com -- a free public service to motivate children to read with phonics. Our systematic phonics approach, in conjunction with phonemic awareness practice is perfect for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, special education, homeschool, and English language development (ELD, ELL, ESL).
- GlobalSchoolNet.org -- Provides online opportunities for teachers to collaborate, communicate, and celebrate shared learning experiences.
- Discovery School -- Free teachers resources from Discovery Education
- Scholastic (children's publishing, education and media company) -- lesson plans, online activities, teaching strategies
- TeachersFirst -- A collection of lessons and web resources for K-12 classroom teachers, their students, and families. Materials are arranged by subject area and grade level.
Other links to explore:
- Musicals101.com -- Grades 7 - 12 Widely recognized as an expect on musical theater, Musicals 101.com creator John Kenrick was a producer and manager on Braodway in the 1980s and 1990s.
- AASL (American Association of School Librarians) 2011 Conference: Get Reading @ Your Library: Promote Reading without Competition, Extrinsic Rewards or Prizes
Teachers and interns contact Ms. Herward to share your favorite lesson plan sites.
Created by Linda Herward October 12, 2011
Contact Benoni Outerbridge at email


Sing, Spell, Read & Write is a phonics-based program that uses a 36-step program of carefully sequenced steps to teach reading, writing, and spelling. Delivering explicit phonics instruction via a multisensory approach, Sing, Spell, Read & Write reaches every avenue to the brain and addresses every student's learning style.
The K/Level 1 Combo Kit includes all the materials you need for two full years of instructions: Kindergarten student books, All Aboard and On Track, 6 Kindergarten storybooks, Kindergarten Instructor's Directions, Level 1 student books, Off We Go and Raceway, the Assessment Book, Level 1 Instructor's Manual, 17 Level 1 storybooks, Level 1 CD, as well as 6 Level 1 audiocassettes, the Raceway placemat, the A-Z Phonics Song placemat, A-Z Pick-A-Sound Card Game, A-Z Sound-O Game, Letter Cluster Pick-A-Sound Card Game, Letter Cluster Sound-O Game, Word-O Game, clear bingo chips, dry erase marker, eraser, and a Treasure Chest filled with prizes!
The Kindergarten Student Books are also available separately.
Looking for other grade levels?


More New and Used
from Private Sellers
Many people believe that art education is important, but few can say exactly why. Here, at last, are the results of the first in-depth research on the "habits of mind" that are instilled by studying art habits the authors argue have positive impacts on student learning across the curriculum. Studio Thinking provides art teachers with a research-based language for describing what they intend to teach and what students learn. This language will help advocates explain arts education to policymakers, help art teachers develop and refine their teaching practices, and help educators in other disciplines learn from existing practices in arts education.


consistent with eligibility for participation in federally funded adult literacy education programs. We considered research on learning and literacy that would be most relevant to those eligible or likely to attend formal literacy instruction in programs of four general types: adult basic education, adult secondary education, English as a second language programs offered in a wide range of settings (e.g., community-based programs, local education agencies, community colleges, workplace, prisons, etc.), and developmental education courses for academically underprepared students in college.
Ideally, conclusions and recommendations for adult literacy instruction would be grounded in clear research findings demonstrating the efficacy of the recommended approaches. When rigorous demonstrations of efficacy do not exist, the next best approach would be to recommend both instructional practices consistent with available evidence on adult literacy and rigorous efficacy studies to confirm these recommendations. Findings from research on cognition and learning with the target population would also be most useful.
The present situation is more complex. There is a surprising lack of research on the effectiveness of the various instructional practices for adults seeking to improve their literacy skills. The lack of relevant research is especially striking given the long history of both federal funding for adult education programs, albeit stretched thin, and reliance on developmental education courses to remediate college students’ skills. Few studies of adult literacy focus on the development of reading and writing skills. There is also inadequate knowledge about assessment and ongoing monitoring of adult students’ proficiencies, weaknesses, instructional environments, and progress, which might guide instructional planning.
Similarly, basic research on adult cognition and learning is constrained for our purposes. It relies on study samples of convenience (college students in introductory psychology courses) or elderly populations, and it does not usually include adults with relatively low education or literacy skills. In addition, it is well known that literacy research has focused mainly on young children first learning to read and decode text. Major research efforts launched by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and others on the development of literacy in adolescence and adulthood are too new to have produced numerous peer-reviewed publications. As discussed in Chapter 2, research is emerging with adolescents on topics that we think are important to pursue with the target population given their literacy development needs (e.g., academic or disciplinary literacy and discussion-based approaches). More research is needed with adolescent and adult populations to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional practices and specify learning trajectories and the interaction of factors—cognitive, social, linguistic, economic, neurobiological—that may affect literacy development in subpopulations


An elementary teaching philosophy statement captures a teacher’s reasons for teaching, what methods he or she plans to use and examples of any teaching experience. The statement needs to be specific to the teacher’s situation. A philosophy statement is usually limited to one or two pages, but it requires some brainstorming before getting started.
Here are the topics that are generally expected to be covered in a teaching philosophy statement.
Teaching philosophy statement topics
- What are your reasons for being a teacher? What motivates you? What do you feel you can accomplish?
- What subjects do you teach? This includes specific courses and your objectives for your teaching. Do you teach core subjects or electives? Is there a difference in the methods you use for one type of course versus another?
- What teaching strategies do you prefer? What type of assignments do you give? How do you assess student learning? How do you accommodate for different learning levels and different learning styles?
- How do you determine if you are meeting your teaching objectives? What feedback have you received from those who have observed your teaching styles? Have you videotaped yourself teaching? If so, what did you learn from it?
Even knowing that these are the topics that need to be covered, it is difficult to put together an elementary teaching philosophy statement that is not the same as every other teacher’s philosophy statement. To help you answer these questions, spend some time brainstorming and reviewing your teaching experience.
Writing a teaching philosophy
Begin your brainstorming by thinking about the end of the term
James M. Lang, an associate professor of English at Assumption College, advises teachers to begin brainstorming by imagining the term is over and students are leaving the classroom. What is it you hope they will take away from the time they spent with you?
Your teaching statement should express what you hope the students will have learned from you and the strategies you used to accomplish your goals.
Tell a story
Lang suggests giving an example of how your objectives and teaching strategies have been successful. He says that you should consider your elementary teaching philosophy statement as a creative, non-fiction writing assignment. Grab readers with a story they will remember. Give an example of how you accomplished your goals instead of just reciting them.
David Haney, English Department Chairman at Appalachian State University, commented that almost all the philosophy statements he reads begin with something like, “I run a student-centered classroom.” His response: “Duh.” He says do not make that statement unless you follow it up with specific teaching techniques you use.
Cite your sources
In your statement, explain how you decided on the strategies you use. Did you learn from a mentor? Is it something you read or tried and it worked? Did you take suggestions from others and turn it into your own unique approach?
Do not repeat information contained in your resume or curriculum vitae
Your CV focuses on what you have done. Your philosophy statement focuses on how you do it. Andrew Green, Ph.D., a counselor at the University of California, Berkeley, says you should “focus not so much on what courses you’ve taught, but on how it is you go about teaching,”
Pay attention to requirements and mechanics
If the requirements are to submit a one-page elementary education philosophy statement, do not turn in a five-page statement. Use the first person and present tense. Review and proofread meticulously. Hiring committees will frown on typographical errors and run-on sentences. You may want to have a friend review the statement to help you find any errors.Learn More: Click to view related resources.
- Gabriela Montell, "Making Your Career: How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy," Chronicle of Higher Education


Guatemala - Education
In the year 2000, the adult illiteracy rate was estimated at 31.3% (males, 23.8%; females, 38.9%). Elementary education is free and compulsory for six years although enforcement is lax in rural areas. In 1997, there were 1,544,709 students in primary schools. In that same year, secondary schools had 384,729 students and approximately 23,000 teachers. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 39 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, 81% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school, while 18% of those eligible attended secondary school. Among Guatemala's six universities, the Universidad de San Carlos, in Guatemala City, is the most important center of higher learning. The others include Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Universidad Francisco Marroquin, Universidad Mariano Galvez, Universidad Rafael Landivar, and Universidad Rural. In 1995, all post-secondary institutions had a combined enrollment of 80,228 students.
The education budget accounted for 15.8% of the central government budget in the latter half of the 1990s. As of 1995, public expenditure on education was estimated at 1.7% of GDP.


- Music Talks supporting the development of speech & language through music
- Music Counts supporting numeracy through music
- Music Moves supporting social skills through music & movement
Musical Bumps teachers visit pre-school settings to lead regular music session or to deliver a range of unique six-week programmes, each supporting a different area of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Click the links for full and detailed information; funding for these specialized programmes may be available from local authorities or charitable trusts.
Musical Bumps regular and on-going visits for pre-school & daycare settings
- Real Music… key musical skills and concepts are learnt and practised
- Real Education… activities support all areas of the EYFS
- Real Fun… exciting puppets and percussion at every session
- Curriculum based on the Kodaly principles of early childhood music education
- Separate age-specific session available allowing progression
- CPD – an excellent opportunity for setting staff to gain new ideas
Musical Bumps teachers are trained by an expert team; they are experienced musicians and Early Years practitioners and receive extensive, ongoing training. All teachers have an enhanced disclosure certificate.
“The children get so excited… they ask all week if today is Musical Bumps… their attention is held for the whole session… Thank you so much for all that you do”
To arrange a free trial session with a view to regular Musical Bumps visits, please contact Head Office.


(Written by Madeline Binder) Toy train tables are more than just a platform for play activities. They can also be used as an amazing learning platform. The following activities will enhance a variety of basic skills from fine motor skills to math skills.
- Fine Motor Skill Development
Fine motor skills can be a challenge for kids to develop, especially if they have physical or mental impairments. Toy train tables provide a platform that mask fine motor skill training activities with fun. Simple activities such as picking up beads or small parts off the table’ top can greatly help to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
- Math Skills
A number of math skills can be developed on the surface of the toy train table. Counting activities, for example, can utilize toy trains, Lego blocks, Lincoln logs and dolls that are placed on the table to help develop basic counting skills. Shape recognition activities can also be done using a toy train table. Here you will place a variety of items on the table and ask your child to point out the circle, square or triangle.
- Following Directions
One of the most important skills that a child learns when they are a toddler is how to follow directions. You can easily develop following directions activities using what your child normally plays with. For example, you can start out by giving your child single step instructions to follow, such as place the red train on the track. You can then work your way up to multiple step instructions such as place the red train on the track, then push it to the station and finally fill it with passengers. Gradually progress to more complicated instructions and keep things fun.
- Creative Play
While focusing on the development of concrete skills is important, it is also important to develop your child’s imagination. This development will allow your child to more easily acquire more abstract thought processes in the future. Creative play includes making up stories that can be acted out on the toy train table top and even designing inserts that will enhance the look of the toy train table. A fun activity is to have your child come up with a play that they can write out if they are able to, or you can write down for them. They will then act out the play on the toy train table for the family, their classmates or their friends.
About the author: Focusing on family life is a passion of Madeline Binder. Her writing engages her readers to find ways to learn as a family. She designed train table plans for her grandson over 11 years ago and it is now being used by a day care for toddlers and preschool kids.


- Products & Services
- Digital & Mobile
- What We Do
Actively engage students inside and outside the classroom with innovative technology, media, activities, and unprecedented support for art learners.
Integrated learning and assessment allows art students to develop a deeper understanding of the content and assists teachers in continually assessing progress.
Give students opportunities to demonstrate what they’ve learned using state-of-art online resources, media, activities, and more..
Pearson Art education programs help today’s teachers provide K-8 grade students with quality content and age-appropriate experiences through innovative print, audio, and digital resources.
Pearson's High School, Honors, Electives, & AP* Art programs provide students with the skills they need to succeed. From Art History, Art Appreciation, and Art Principles, to Art Resources, Drawing, and 2-D 3-D Design
Here you can learn about the innovative teaching tools that are part of Scott Foresman Art.
Scott Foresman was created by a nationally recognized team of experts in the field of art education. Each bring their personal area of expertise to the program.
Your opinion is important! Do you want more or less ability to customize your Pearson instructional materials; and, should they be more or less digital?


Making the Grades
What is a popular after school activity Harlem children want to participate in? Basketball? Video games? Watching movies? While they may all be possibilities, 'Music of the Heart' proclaims that violin lessons are a desirable choice, thanks to a program started by Roberta Guaspari.
This true story shows how Guaspari (played by Meryl Streep), a single mother turned music teacher, manages to convince inner-city children and their parents that playing a violin is an educational priority. Within ten years the program is in such demand a lottery system has to be used to reduce the number of applicants to fill the fifty available places. Despite this incredible success, the school board decides to cut funding for her class, leaving Roberta with two choices - give up or find financial support privately.
But Guaspari is a fighter. We have already watched her cope with a move to the big city after her husband left her for someone else. Managing to create a job for herself, even though her only skill was teaching violin, she's withstood other teachers and administrators rebuffing her course. Guaspari turns to some powerful people, including prestigious violinists, who want to see her program survive. With their help and some media attention, she organizes a grand concert called Fiddlefest.
With so much exciting 'teacher against the system' material, this ought to be a heartwarming movie about the importance of music education in our public schools, and working hard to reach our goals. However the writers choose to dwell on Guaspari's personal life, so we get to visit her bedroom and witness a mildly sensuous scene when she pursues a sexual relationship with an old friend while she is still married.
Although there is no doubt that Guaspari loves music, she is portrayed as anything but a "fun" teacher in the classroom. Her almost heartless temperament ("If you play like that, you'll make your parents sick!"), leaves me amazed that these children would rather be fiddling after school than shooting hoops. The real truth is her popular program is still changing lives today.
Discussion Ideas After The Movie
Teaching ideas and topics to discuss about Music Of The Heart.
How does Guaspari’s attitude toward what she’s teaching help her to gain the appreciation and respect of her students? Can our attitudes help us to excel in difficult tasks?


It was something of a sensation when around 300 drawings by Andy Warhol (1928-1987) from his earliest years were found quite by chance. The drawings had been registered in Warhols posthumous estate and archived in 1990, but since then they had lain untouched. When the Germany gallery owner Daniel Blau happened to be granted access to the drawings and noted that this was an exceptional collection of fine works by one of the greatest artists of the 20th century the basis was laid for the present exhibition, Andy Warhol. Early Drawings. This is the first time the drawings have been shown at a museum. The exhibition is being shown for seven weeks in the period 8 January - 21 February 2013.
Many of the drawings, which are from the 1950s, are sketch-like in character with subjects that the artist, with his keen eye, selected and traced from newspapers and magazines, and transformed with his simple lines into pictures. It is obvious that Warhol drew inspiration from the world of which he was himself a part in his early youth, when he worked as a draughtsman and illustrator in the advertising and fashion industry and frequented various milieux in the city of New York. Films, photographs, fashion magazines and the pictorial universe of the newspapers were the models for the subjects he turned into images that even then were unmistakably Warholean in their expression and sowed the seeds of Pop Art in the next decade.
Warhol was born in Pittsburgh and studied art at the Carnegie Institute in the 1940s before he moved to New York in 1949. At the time art education was influenced by teachers who came from Europe, and this is one of the reasons why many of Warhols early drawings were particularly reminiscent of the known works of German and Austrian artists such as Grosz, Dix, Schiele and Klimt. Even older sources of inspiration such as woodcuts from the 17th and 18th centuries also seem to have influenced his choice of subjects.
It is mainly the human figure, the type, that fascinates Warhol innocent children in staged postures, gay men and macho men with an attitude, young girls with dreaming expressions, film divas and bourgeois ladies and men in spectacles with introspective gazes. Subjects that Warhol captures in a simple, sometimes almost minimalist style. These are drawings that reflect the sensibility and empathy of a young, talented artist long before fame took hold of him, and the Warhol myth was created and took over.
The exhibition is being shown in the West Wing of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art


Mathematics and Science for Teaching
- Challenge yourself with interesting and difficult problems
- Develop your intellectual and creative capacities
- Prepare to make a difference by teaching high-need subject areas
- Faculty committed to modeling excellent teaching
- Engaging, interactive curriculum that encourages curiosity and collaboration
- Majors designed for future elementary school math and science teachers and human service professionals
Wheelock offers three* innovative Mathematics and Science majors specifically designed to give you the specialized skills needed to effectively teach mathematics and/or science subjects to elementary school students.
All of our Mathematics and Science majors feature an inquiry-based approach that will improve your capacity to solve problems, to justify your reasoning, and to com-municate that reasoning to others. You will have opportunities for field trips, internships, leadership, research, and community service that enhance the classroom experience.
You may choose from several focus areas.
- B.A in Mathematics for Teaching helps prospective teachers develop a profound understanding of fundamental mathematics ideas vital to teaching elementary school mathematics.
- B.A. in Science for Teaching helps prospective teachers develop deep knowledge of key concepts of life and physical sciences and scientific inquiry needed to teach elementary school science.
- B.A in Mathematics/Science for Teaching gives prospective teachers an interdisciplinary program balanced between mathematics and science concepts vital to teaching elementary school math and/or science.
Overview of Programs
For prospective teachers: The Mathematics for Teaching, Science for Teaching, and Mathematics/Science for Teaching majors are designed to be taken in conjunction with an Elementary Education, Special Education, or Early Childhood Education major.
* The B.A. in Environmental Studies is a fourth option for those wishing to pursue a professional degree in teaching; it can also be a standalone major.
- Algebra and Number Theory
- Animal Behavior
- History of Mathematics
- Human Physiology
- Natural Disasters
- Physics of Sports
- Probability and Statistics
Skills You'll Learn
- Confident and creative problem solving
- Constructing sound mathematical and scientific arguments
- Applying math and science to everyday life
- Integrating cutting-edge technologies
- Speaking and writing about math and science
- Elementary teacher
- Early childhood educator
- Teacher leader
This major prepares you to study mathematics education or science education at the graduate level.


Most children begin learning phonics by sounding out letters and learning what items represent that sound and that letter, i.e. A is for apple; A sounds like “aaaaaaaaaaaaaa”. Children begin learning phonics from parents, siblings, videos, and music at a very early age (2-4 years old) even before entering school.
Phonics and phonemic awareness are comingled when teaching children in this manner. Phonics involves the relationship between sounds and written symbols, whereas phonemic awareness involves sounds in spoken words. Therefore, phonics instruction focuses on teaching sound-spelling relationships and is associated with print. Most phonemic awareness tasks are oral.
Even though parents are the initial teachers, it will take a professional to instill all of the rules of phonics and to teach students decoding skills as they begin to read. Hiring a tutor with experience teaching early learners will ensure a student’s success as they begin elementary school. A professional tutor can also reinforce phonics for those students that were taught the Whole Language approach to reading and are still struggling in 2nd and 3rd grades. Hiring an Advanced Learners tutor is a guarantee that you will receive a professional tutor that can make a difference in a child’s ability to read.
Los Angeles Tutors
Known as L.A. and “The City of Angels,” Los Angeles, CA is the largest city in California and the second largest in the United States. Home of the Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, and Kodak Theatre, one might not think of their schools. However, Los Angeles is home of some of the most coveted schools in America. L.A. boasts 162 Magnet Public Schools to compete with the private school sector. There are over 20 public and private colleges in Los Angeles. These residents take their education very seriously and so do we! As a city with students of all ages, we have cultivated an elite group of tutors to help students with any subject necessary. Our highly customized service means that you determine exactly who your tutor will be, where the tutoring will take place, and for how long. Our reputation as a premium service is evident in the multitude of testimonials and referrals we have received from parents, students, and schools throughout the Los Angeles area.
View Some Of Our Phonics Tutor Profiles
Our Tutoring Service
We offer our clients only the very best selection of tutors. When you request a tutor for a certain subject, you get what you ask for. Our tutors are expertly matched to your individual needs based on the criteria you provide to us. We will provide you with the degrees, credentials, and certifications that each selected tutor holds. Equally important is the peace of mind we offer you knowing that each of our tutors has been cleared by a nation-wide criminal background check, a sexual predator check, and social security verification. We want you to have the same confidence in our tutors as we do.


Pre-K & After School
FasTracKids® – Is your child prepared to succeed in our ever-changing world? FasTracKids teaches preschool and early elementary school-aged children 3 – 8 years old to use creativity, communication, confidence, critical thinking and collaboration skills through fun, interactive activities. Using the FasTrack Learning Station®, children explore 12 subjects ranging from traditional topics such as biology, astronomy, and art as well as subjects not usually covered in early learning like economics, technology, and goals & life lessons. A 96 week program held once a week for two hours gives your child the necessary skills to succeed in school and in life. A modular curriculum allows for enrollment of a student at any time.
FasTrack® Music (4 – 6 years old) – Beethoven and Bach didn’t get these lessons as children! The advanced program for 4 – 6 year olds is based on the same concepts as the 2 – 4 year old program, but the curriculum is focused on preparing children for formal music lessons while still having a fun, positive experience. Children are introduced to composers, songs and musical styles such as classical and jazz while learning notation, new instruments and music vocabulary. Children are also introduced to the keyboard and learn basic keyboarding techniques. The advanced program can act as a precursor for formal music lessons if the child is interested. These lessons provide a solid foundation for music education and a lifelong appreciation of music and movement.
FasTrack® Discoverers – Children are naturally curious, so why not let them discover something new? Similar to FasTrack® Explorers, FasTrack Discoverers is a multi-day program that utilizes other FasTracKids programs in a subject-based curriculum. Using the FasTracKids®signature program along with developmentally appropriate activities, children 3 – 5 years old can improve their communication and language skills. Children are also introduced to activities that improve literacy, phonics, math and music knowledge while having fun. This program runs three hours a day, up to 5 days a week for 44 weeks.
FasTrack® Camps – Having trouble finding a camp that is constructive, engaging and fun? FasTracKids® has a day camp that fills all of those needs. For three hours a day, camps can be offered as a one week or one day program to provide the flexibility in length and curriculum. This is a fun, simple option for children that are on holiday break or out of school for a substantial amount of time. Schedule and age groups vary according to the center.
FasTrack® English – Can we talk? FasTracKids newest addition is an early education program that teaches English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL or EFL) to children beginning at the age of 3. By combining a communicative language approach (vocabulary and conversation exercises) and an interactive approach (opportunities in lessons for both speaking and listening), kids can start to build a basic understanding of English. A revolutionary and unique teaching method titled PIER℠ (Positive Innovative English Reinforcement) allows children to learn in a stress-free environment. FasTrack English prepares children for standard English exams through games, songs and activities.


Studying Language Helps Learning | ULM Forum 3-4-11
15:00 minutes (20.6 MB) Download
Research has proven how music education can improve test scores. Another group of studies is now showing the benefits of foreign language education, but on more than just standardized testing.
Dr. Fandal discussed the evolution of languages with the French Honor Society, and the French and Spanish clubs at West Monroe High School.
ULM students were also represented through Phi Tau Gamma, the Foreign Language Club; Sigma Delta Pi, the Spanish Honor Society; and Pi Delta Phi, the French Honor Society.
The students met in the high school library for Fandal's presentation, which covered the changes that took place as Latin spread through Europe resulting in new languages like French and Portuguese.
The presentation was followed by a buffet of foods from several cultures and a language competition. Under the supervision of ULM students, West Monroe students used their background in French and Spanish to determine the meanings of Italian and Portuguese words that were unfamiliar to them. All the students who participated received prizes from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.


Metropolitan Museum of Art
One of New York City’s most popular museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomes over 5 million visitors a year. With over two million objects under its roof, the Met is one of the largest and most eclectic cultural institutions on earth.
About the Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC: The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded on April 13, 1870, “to be located in the City of New York, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining in said city a Museum and library of art, of encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction.” This statement of purpose has guided the Museum for more than a century. The Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art have reaffirmed the statement of purpose and supplemented it with the following statement of mission: The mission of The Metropolitan Museum of Art is to collect, preserve, study, exhibit, and stimulate appreciation for and advance knowledge of works of art that collectively represent the broadest spectrum of human achievement at the highest level of quality, all in the service of the public and in accordance with the highest professional standards. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s earliest roots date back to 1866 in Paris, France, when a group of Americans agreed to create a “national institution and gallery of art” to bring art and art education to the American people. The lawyer John Jay, who proposed the idea, swiftly moved forward with the project upon his return to the United States from France. Under Jay’s presidency, the Union League Club in New York rallied civic leaders, businessmen, artists, art collectors, and philanthropists to the cause. On April 13, 1870, The Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC was incorporated, opening to the public in the Dodworth Building at 681 Fifth Avenue. On November 20th of that same year, the Museum acquired its first object, a Roman sarcophagus. 1871, 174 European paintings, including works by Anthony van Dyck, Nicolas Poussin, and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, entered the collection. On March 30, 1880, after a brief move to the Douglas Mansion at 128 West 14th Street, the Museum opened to the public at its current site on Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. The architects Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould designed the initial Ruskinian Gothic structure, the west facade of which is still visible in the Robert Lehman Wing. The building has since expanded greatly, and the various additions—built as early as 1888—now completely surround the original structure.
- 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028


Born, 1800; died, 29th August 1847.
This was one of those artists who joined the
Scottish Academy in 1830. He was a native of Dundee, and received the
rudiments of his art education under Andrew Wilson, at the Trustees'
Academy. He began his art career by painting local landscape subjects
and sea-pieces, in which he evinced great talent, but soon took to the
more lucrative branch of portrait-painting. In 1830 he exhibited at the
Royal Academy in London a Shooting-Party, consisting of a group of
portraits. His success in this line enabled him to visit Italy five
years afterwards, where he spent three years. As a result he exhibited
at the Royal Academy a Camaldolese Monk showing the Relics of his
Convent; and Cimabue and Giotto, which was purchased by Sir Robert Peel
for 150 guineas. He remained in London till his death at Chelsea,
exhibiting numerous historical and genre subjects at the Academy and the
British Institution. Among his more important works are, Columbus at the
Door of the Convent of La Rabida, the Temptation of St Anthony, Baronial
Retainers, and Salvator Rosa's first Cartoon on the wall of the Certosa.
The Scottish National Gallery contains seven of his works, among which
his landscapes show perhaps more promise in that department of art than
he afterwards fulfilled as a painter of history. His pictures, although
highly finished, well drawn, and good in colour, are at times deficient
in strength. Wilkie held his earlier works in high esteem, and probably,
had he been spared to enjoy a longer life, might have fulfilled the
anticipations of that artist.
brothers also practised art with considerable success. David, who died
on the 29th March 1874, held a good position as a Scottish
landscape-painter; and George, a portrait-painter, who died in 1862.


As a young black girl growing up in the South during the 1950s, Evelyn Coleman knew first hand the ugliness that racism brings. Though the story told in Circle of Fire is fictional, it based on real life situations at the time. Because of Colemans own racial struggles throughout her life, she felt honored to write about the topic and wanted to make sure her message got out to the youth of today. "I hope you will remember that hate is always dangerous. And that it is important to speak out when you see something wrong" Coleman states in her message to readers (149). Coleman cannot stand the idea of racism and makes it clear throughout the story, and so does Mendy Thompson, the main character in Circle of Fire.
Mendy is a young black girl living in the backwoods of Tennessee. With many of her siblings gone away for the summer because of work, she finds it tough to relate to anyone. This leads to Mendy's finding a secret spot deep in the woods that she calls her own. Only two other creatures on the planet know of Mendys secret location: Mr. Hare, her pet rabbit who she recently set free in the woods, and Jeffrey Whitehall, a white boy from the next farm over, who is Mendys best friend. In the story, Mendy and Jeffrey have not been able to play as much as they were able to in the past. Both Mendys and Jeffreys parents say that the two can no longer hang out, and that if they are caught with one another, both Mendy and Jeffrey will be in serious trouble.
Mendy does not understand, nor does she like these new "rules," but she obeys. One day while Mendy visits Mr. Hare, she notices that someone else has been to her secret hideaway. The trespasser left behind some trash, and Mendy hopes that this is the first and last time this trespasser decides to visit. A couple of visits later, however, Mendy discovers the trespasser had returned, but this time he was not alone. Evidence of more than one person is prevalent as trash litters the area. Not pleased, Mendy decides to use the trapping skills her father taught her to scare these trespassers away. What she finds because of her traps frightens her beyond what she could imagine.
Mendy realizes that these trespassers are hate-filled people, and she decides to use the clues they left behind to catch them and teach them a lesson. She keeps the secret from her mother and father as well as from Aunt Sis, an elderly black woman who survived slavery and is a friend of Mendy's mother. Mendy tells only Jeffrey about what has been going on in their secret place and asks for his help in figuring out who these people could be. Jeffrey initially declines to help because he knows it is too dangerous for them to be seen together. Mendy investigates and finds some rather shocking news. What does she find out? Who are the trespassers? What will become of her and Jeffrey's friendship? Read Circle of Fire and these questions and more will be answered.
I was impressed by how entertaining this book was. I am an elementary education major, so I felt it would be a good idea to look at what students might be reading. I also chose this story because I was not a member of the intended audience. I am a twenty-one year old male reading a story intended for younger girls, around the age of 12. I wanted to see if Colemans story could appeal to those outside her intended audience, and it did.
The way Coleman narrates Mendy's story is entertaining for any age. The manner in which Coleman describes the landscape, the people, as well as the events occurring around the characters paints a wonderful and complete mental picture for the reader. More importantly, Coleman uses racism as the foundation for the story and directly expresses her views on how destructive and wrong racism is. By doing so, she allows readers to see, as well as feel, the power and negativity that racism brings to the lives of both the victims and the perpetrators. Though the events of racism in the story may not be as harsh as they were in real life during the 1950s, Coleman shows readers some of the consequences of racism.
An additional section in the back of the book gives historical facts about racism. It explains every-day life for blacks and whites in the South at the time and does so in such a manner that younger readers can understand. This section also talks about those who fought for civil rights, both white and black Americans, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This shows readers that in the past people spoke up for what was right and should continue to do so today because racism still exists.


A course covering the essentials of How Music Works and The History of Music, appropriate for a two-semester (1 credit) study.
Self-contained on four disks, minimal internet connection useful but not a necessity.
Complete with over 100 musical examples illustrating every principle discussed.
All examples directly linked to each discussion for ease of access.
Includes interactive study-quizzes for each unit, along with four major exams with printable answer sheets and answer keys, and a link to an online score calculator.
Help and support with all aspects of the course permanently available.
How Music Works
- Properties of Sound
- Musical Form
The History of Music
- The Middle Ages
- The Renaissance
- The Baroque Era
- The Classical Era
- The Romantic Era
- Musical “Impressionism”
- “Modern” Music
Hello, and welcome to Music Appreciation for Home-Schoolers! I have designed this course specifically with the home-school student in mind, but anyone who loves music and wants to know a little more about it will benefit. I hope you’ll take a few minutes and read through the paragraphs below to see what it’s all about!
This course is the result of 36 years’ experience teaching music at all levels from middle school through university, and hundreds of hours spent developing the materials contained in it. It is suitable for students from middle school age to adults. Even though a lot of material is covered, each new concept presented is done so in a simple, easy-to-understand manner, using lots of visual aids and musical examples.
The course is presented in two sections: How Music Works and The History of Music. This approach presents the material an educated person in today’s world needs to know in order to fully enjoy the musical experiences open to him or her. The student will be exposed to the major musical eras in our Western heritage, and representative masterworks from each era. The material is appropriate for a two-semester (1 credit) course at either the high-school or middle-school level.
A Little Bit About the Compiler of Music Appreciation for Home-Schoolers: Everett Johnson, Jr. is a professional music educator with undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the Troy State University School of Music. He has been teaching for 36 years and has taught many different courses in music, but specifically Music Appreciation at the middle school, high school, community college, and university levels. Most importantly, however, he is a home-school Dad who believes very strongly in the benefits of home-education. His daughter, after attending Christian schools for several years, was home-schooled starting in the Fourth Grade. It was a decision he and his wife have never regretted. Noticing that there was a definite lack of comprehensive materials for teaching the basics of music and music history to home-schoolers, he decided to create this course to meet that need. He is not a web-designer (as should be obvious!), nor an internet expert, marketer, or salesman…..just a Dad and a music teacher wanting to be of service to other home-school families, and to support his family in doing so.
This course is being offered for $40.00 complete. Compared to other music courses and considering the amount of material included, this seems a reasonable price, and hopefully within the means of most families. I hope you will consider purchasing it. We are happy to accept checks, money orders, or you may purchase using PayPal by clicking the “Buy Now” button below. If you use PayPal, please also send me an email stating this, and specifying if you will be using a PC or Mac for the course.
To order, or if you have any questions about the course, please email us at home.school.music.course
@gmail.com and we will quickly get back to you.
Thank you so much!!!


Leckie Math Program Promotes Conceptual Learning
Dorothy Rowley | 1/30/2013, 11:51 a.m.
Jermall Wright believes that in order for students to develop a conceptual understanding of math, they need a better grasp of the fundamentals that include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
However, school officials like Wright, the principal at M.V. Leckie Elementary School in Southwest have discovered the reason many students struggle with math is because there are too many procedures involved.
"One of the reasons kids are struggling with math is because we tried to teach too many concepts and skills at each grade level, and they have walked away without a deep understanding of foundational skills," Wright said. "We've been teaching a whole bunch of stuff that the kids [don't necessarily understand]. The standards have now been [condensed], which means that each grade level concentrates on concepts to build upon their knowledge, so that when they get to the next grade they can connect what they've previously learned."
Wright's comments refer to a new partnership District public schools have with Hyundai Motor America and the MIND Research Institute (MRI), a nonprofit based in Irvine, Calif., that helps students across the country increase their math aptitude.
The cutting-edge digital program provides research-proven tools for teaching and learning math through non-language based, visual instructional software. As a result, Leckie has opened an "ST (Spatial and Temporal) Math Lab," where students have access to a blended learning math program.
"ST Math is a game that features 'Jiji the Penguin,' and what makes it unique is that it's all concept- based," Wright said. "Kids directly apply what they're learning in a game approach which gives them a visual and a conceptual way of working with math standards."
Overall, the innovative program, which has been launched locally as the DC Math Initiative, is offered at 30 other low-performing District elementary schools.
During presentations on Jan. 22, Hearst Elementary School in Northwest was also celebrated along with Leckie as new participants in the program, which also aims to put students on track to become the next generation of highly-skilled workers.
The copyrighted ST Math programs were created by MRI, and are credited with changing the way math is learned. The programs reach more than 475,000 students in hundreds of schools in 26 states.
During the Leckie presentation, Hyundai awarded a $46,000 grant to help cover costs of students in 3rd through 5th-grades.
Abby Daniels, MRI director of Brand Management, said another feature of the innovative software program entails the absence of language or symbols. She said that makes participation easy for both English-speaking and non-English-speaking students, as well as students with learning disabilities.
"It's been incredibly successful with schools across the country, and we launched the partnership with D.C. public schools this school year," said Daniels. She added that MRI's ongoing partnerships with corporations, schools and philanthropic and community organizations continue to impact ST Math's success.
"The program supplements the traditional math program," Daniels said, "with the kids going to the lab during the school day - or for about 90 minutes a week."
She further explained that in using the game software, the goal is to solve a puzzle by getting the penguin to cross the screen.
"Basically, Hyundai has paid for the program to be licensed, implemented and to be expanded next year at Leckie," Wright said. "At that time, it will involve kindergarten through second-graders . . . it's individually based and it's a great program."


Note: This message is displayed if (1) your browser is not standards-compliant or (2) you have you disabled CSS. Read our Policies for more information.
The Deaf Mentor program connects a Deaf or Hard of Hearing adult to a family with a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child.
What do the Deaf Mentor do?
- Meets with the family regularly in home or informal setting using the Ski-HI Deaf Mentor Curriculum as a guide to plan home visits.
- Teaches parents/family members American Sign Language (ASL).
- Shares life experiences as a deaf person.
- Introduces parents/families to the Deaf community.
- Acquaints family with Deaf community identity and its resources.
- Supports and enhances the child’s learning of ASL and English which promotes early language acquisition and learning.
- Focus on five areas in their home visits: Language/communication, Making the Child's home barrier-free, Deaf Culture, Literacy and Building better community.
What will Parents/Families get from a Deaf Mentor?
- Exposure to and learning to American Sign Language as well as learn about the development of communication skills (both auditory and visual).
- Learn how to connect ASL with their child’s language and literacy development.
- Access to a NATIVE American Sign Language user in order to learn how to communicate with their Deaf or Hard of Hearing child.
For more information about the Deaf Mentor program, call 317-493-0515 or email to email@example.com.


I first saw Arthur Benjamin on British TV, about 25 years ago, when he appeared on the Paul Daniels magic show, instantly squaring large numbers in his head. His very engaging personality, and his undoubted arithmetical genius, immediately won the hearts of the audience, including mine. But what of this book, co-authored with Michael Schermer?
The 230 pages, and eight chapters, cover the themes of mental addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and the very useful art of ‘guesstimation’. There is also a chapter on techniques for memorising numbers, starting with mnemonics for recalling the value of π to varying degrees of accuracy.
For example, one method of simple addition would be: 67 +28 = 87 +8 = 95, which relies on the associative property for (N, +). And the ‘trick’ for squaring numbers is shown to depend upon the algebraic result x2 – y2 = (x + y)(x – y), as follows:
1932 = (193 + 7) x (193 – 7) + 72 = (200 x 186) + 72 = 37 200 + 72 = 37 249.
In fact, the most appealing aspect of the book is that the so-called ‘magic’ nature of such methods is demystified by clear explanations that invoke the use of the algebraic properties of the natural numbers, and even modular arithmetic (for the analysis of divisibility tests).
Speaking of divisibility, most people know that a number is a multiple of 3 if its digital root is 3, 6 or 9. But there are lesser -known short-cuts to ascertain divisibility by other numbers, such as 11 or 7; here is the rule to determine whether 11 is a factor of a particular number:
A number is divisible by 11 if you arrive at 0 or a multiple of 11 when you alternately add and subtract the digits of that number
For example, 8,492 is divisible by 11, because 8 – 4 + 9 – 2 = 11. Voilà! Take a bow on national television!
Of course, ‘mental math’ usually refers to mental arithmetic, and the contents of the book conform to this limited connotation. However, there is scope to include geometrical ideas and exercises on spatial thinking, and there is also room for the inclusion of verbally given problems of a logical nature. In fact, I think it was Michael Atiyah who said that, when he was working on a problem, his method for doing so, was to wander from room to room, or stroll round the garden, mulling over various possibilities until he was ready to put pen to paper. But Atiyah’s mind would have been engaged upon a particular aspect of topological K-theory, rather than squaring numbers in his head.
The truth is, of course, that all mathematics is ‘mental’, and some people rarely resort to pencil and paper methods. One such person of my acquaintance was a stevedore, whom I met on when I worked on the Liverpool docks. He could mentally solve most of the problems on ‘Permutations and Combinations’, in Durrell’s Advanced Algebra. Equipped only with the most basic level of elementary education, he had informally acquired this expertise by means of his pre-occupation with gambling (cards, dice games, horse racing and so on).
Interestingly, many children also develop their own methods, and keep them hidden from disapproving teachers, and there are various research findings that reveal the extent and variety of such phenomena. Amongst many such instances, I remember an 8-year old girl, whose teacher found to be problematic in many ways. Amongst other ‘tricks’, this 8-year old had devised the following method for halving any natural number, which she carried out a lightning speed:
5678 → 2½ 3 3½ 4 → 2839
But, for some time now, many of the techniques explained in this book have been included in the sections on mental mathematics in the various primary mathematics curricula; and this book illustrates such processes in a most entertaining manner. As such, I would seriously recommend it for use in the training of mathematics teachers, to equip them with alternative approaches to the teaching of arithmetic, and hopefully encourage children to recognise mathematic as a creative activity.
Peter Ruane, although having taught mathematics at all levels, from kindergarten to undergraduate mathematics, has comparatively moderate ability with respect to mental arithmetic.


Classical MPR in the Classroom: Teaching composition
August 14, 2013
ST. PAUL, Minn. —
Classical MPR in the Classroom is a standards-based video series to assist elementary music teachers in the classroom. The videos and curriculum are available for free on the Classical MPR YouTube channel as well as here on classicalmpr.org.
How does one teach composition — something that came so naturally to young talents such Mozart and Beethoven — to a large class of elementary students?
Composition video, Anoka teacher Chris Martino works with a fifth-grade class to demonstrate different strategies for creating a musical composition.
Mr. Martino applies a lexicon to patterns that we hear in music all the time, showing how these patterns can be broken down and combined in order to compose a piece of music.
Each of these note patterns are defined as strategies, and throughout the lesson the students work to identify them through what Mr. Martino calls "modalities" — different ways of experiencing music.
Students discover strategies through listening, singing, improvising and more, eventually using these patterns to create their own compositions.
This video addresses benchmarks in Music Education Standards that cover composition, improvisation, knowledge of the elements of music, singing, playing instruments, reading, and notating music.
Classical MPR thanks The Sunup Foundation for generous support of this music education initiative.


Elementary School Teacher Education Requirements
Elementary school teachers must have some formal education. Learn about the degree, training and licensure requirements to see if this is the right career for you.
In order to teach elementary school, prospective teachers must complete a bachelor's degree program in education. Most colleges and universities offer these programs, which typically include courses in common school subjects and opportunities for students to gain supervised experience under a licensed teacher. Those who plan to teach in public elementary schools need to earn teacher licensure or certification.
|Other Requirements||Student-teaching internship|
|Licensure or Certification||Required for public school teachers|
|Projected Job Growth (2012 - 2022)*||12%|
|Mean Salary (2013)*||$56,320 annually|
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Pre-Major Educational Requirements for Elementary School Teachers
To be accepted as an education major, students must complete the program's prerequisites. For example, some programs may require students to complete classes on human development and childhood education. Topics may range from child psychology to fostering relationships. Students may also be required take lab courses in which they analyze different methods of education and relationship building. Students may need to complete an interview before being accepted into a teacher education program.
Because elementary school teachers typically teach all subjects to children, they may be required to take pre-major courses in a range of topics such as children's literature, language arts and elementary mathematics. Programs may also require students to take supplemental classes in art and music.
Major Education Requirements
Once accepted into an elementary teaching degree program, students begin taking advanced curriculum courses in math, science and social studies. These courses delve more deeply into teaching concepts in algebra, biology and history. Additionally, aspiring elementary teachers are required to complete professional courses in classroom management and teaching methods that prepare them to motivate children and implement an interactive curriculum.
Elementary teaching programs also train graduates to assess student performance and utilize technology in the curriculum. These programs may offer insights into conducting meetings with parents and using tools such as computers to teach children basic academic skills. Some schools may offer programs designed to prepare students for obtaining teaching licensure while earning the degree.
Student Teaching Positions
Students in an education program are generally assigned internships. Internships require students to log a minimum number of hours earning hands-on experience. These opportunities allow aspiring teachers to gain experience with planning lessons and managing a class. Once the internship is complete, students may be required to show proficiency in teacher standards of performance set by their respective state.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated that elementary school teaching jobs were predicted to grow 12% from 2012-2022, which was average. Opportunities should be better in the South and West, as well as in urban and rural areas across the country. Elementary school teachers earned mean wages of $56,320 per year as of May 2013.
Related to Elementary Teaching
- Recently Updated
Elementary school teachers mentor children at crucial points in their lives. These educators may teach children in grades 1-8....
For those desiring to become an elementary school teacher, distance learning education is widely available. Many colleges and...
Read on to learn more about what elementary school teachers do. Get details about required education and training. Find out...
Elementary school teachers instruct children from kindergarten through either fifth or eighth grade, depending on their state's...
- Elementary Spelling Teacher Job Information
- Elementary Education Teacher: Educational Requirements
- Elementary School Art Teacher Certification Information
- Driver's Ed Instructor: Job Description and Requirements
- Flash Animation Certification and Career Information
- Top Columbus Graduate School for a Human Resource Management Degree
- Customer Support Management Education and Training Programs
- Elementary School Music Teacher: Job Duties and Requirements
- Public Elementary School Teacher: Educational Requirements
- Top Ranked School for Taking Computer Science Courses - Knoxville, TN
- Top School in Sacramento for Becoming a Medical Assistant
- Clinical Biostatistics: Education and Career Information


An Oregon State University researcher has found a relationship between motor skill deficiencies and the severity of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in very young children.
The findings, believed to the be the first to show a direct relationship between motor skills and autism severity, indicate that development of fine and gross motor skills should be included in treatment plans for young children with autism, said Megan MacDonald, an assistant professor in OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences.
"Recognizing those deficits really early gives us more time to help children catch up to their peers in regards to motor skill," said MacDonald, who is an expert on the movement skills of children with autism.
The research was based on a study of the development and motor skills of 159 children ages 12 months to 33 months old, including 110 children with an autism diagnosis. Results were published this week in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly.
The motor skill deficiencies among the children with autism were not related to intellectual ability, MacDonald said. She found that the children with autism were nearly a year behind their typical peers in fine motor skills, such as holding a spoon or grasping a small toy. They also were about six months behind in their gross motor skills, including activities like running and jumping.
"It's not that big a deal if we're talking about older kids, but for kids between 1 and 3 years old, those are substantial deficits, almost one-third of their life," MacDonald said. "At that age, they're like little sponges -- we can teach them motor skills."
Most autism treatment plans for young children focus on social communication because the disability has such a significant effect in that area. Research has shown that successful social communication interventions can improve IQ, language, play skills and more for children with autism.
Incorporating fine and gross motor skill development into early interventions could provide a similar boost, MacDonald said. She also recommends that parents consider adaptive physical education programs, which are designed around a child's abilities and needs.
MacDonald said she hopes the new research will help build awareness about the importance of motor skill development and the need to include adapted physical education and physical and occupational therapy in treatment plans. Future research will look at different types of motor skill interventions to see if there are some that work better than others, she said.
- Megan MacDonald et al. Motor Skills and Calibrated Autism Severity in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, April 20124 DOI: 10.1123/apaq.2013-0068
Cite This Page:


ECE 538 Building Relationships with Diverse Families and Children. This course is an in-depth study of the relationship between families and schools in diverse communities. Topics addressed include discussions of major theories that support partnerships with parents; models for parent, school, and community partnerships; home, school, and community influences on children’s lives; parenting styles; family dynamics; parent education strategies; communicating with parents; and the rights and responsibilities of parents, children, and teachers. Experiences with young children and their families will be required.
ECE 539 Language and Literacy Development in the Young Child. A study is made of the current theories, research, and myths surrounding the development of language in the young child. Students will examine language programs and prepare appropriate language materials for preschool/primary children.
ECE 566 Growth and Development of the Young Child. An examination of theory and current research concerning the growth and development of the individual through the eighth year of life is made. The course attempts to relate theory and research to present concerns of individuals in the helping profession through the study of intellectual, psychological, and social interrelationships. Experiences in the procedures of child study is provided.
ECE 580 Theoretical Perspectives in Early Childhood Education. Study is made of the historical and philosophical roots of early childhood education from the middle ages to contemporary practice. An in-depth study of the ideas of Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget, the history of Head Start, and current trends in the field will be an integral part of the course.
ECE 581 Curriculum Development in Early Childhood Education. Study is made of the scope and sequence of learning experiences for young children. Current research on early childhood curriculum development and model programs is examined. The essential elements for kindergarten and prekindergarten are presented.
ECE 582 Current Practices in Early Childhood Settings. The course includes planning and developing materials and thematic units for use with young children. An in-depth study of the project approach is presented.


Contemporary Neuroscience and Addiction
Dr. Tim Koeltzow, left, with psychology major Brent Baker. Koeltzow began his neuroscience studies in the 1990s. Although he is interested in all areas of psychology, his primary focus is on the biological basis of behavior and mental processes.
In the 1970s, the same decade President Richard Nixon declared a “War on Drugs,” cocaine, a powerfully addictive stimulant, gained widespread popularity and was considered the champagne of illegal drugs. By the mid-1980s and the early 1990s, crack cocaine use became rampant, especially in major U.S. cities. “Crack cocaine is delivered immediately to the brain, leaving people feeling as if they want and need more,” said Dr. Tim Koeltzow, associate professor of psychology at Bradley.
Ten years ago, Koeltzow began investigating the increased vulnerability to substance abuse for adolescents with ADHD. There may be three distinct reasons why ADHD might be linked to substance abuse: (1) individuals with ADHD may take drugs to self-medicate the symptoms; (2) the drug treatment may paradoxically promote drug craving; and (3) the impulsive nature of those with ADHD may simply lead them to make bad decisions in terms of drug usage.
To address the second possibility, Koeltzow utilized a rat model with certain features of ADHD and delivered equal doses of the drug Ritalin either continuously or multiple times a day. His research indicated that taking the drug multiple times a day promoted subsequent cocaine-seeking. “If the drug was given continuously, the dopamine levels were only modestly elevated but enough to block irrelevant events from demands on attention. It appears that dopamine synapses adapt to the continuous presence of Ritalin, which actually leads to a diminished sensitivity to cocaine. This finding means that individuals taking sustained-release medications should actually be at reduced risk of addiction.”
Stress is also a factor that promotes substance abuse and relapse though Koeltzow notes there may be an important distinction between good stress and bad stress: “Initially, something may prove stressful, but just as we gather strength in subsequent physical workout sessions, so can we become impervious to subsequent stressors.”
To assess the impact of stress on drug taking and subsequent drug usage, Koeltzow studied rats reared in an enriched environment versus those reared in a standard cage. Environmental richness may include novel objects, tunnels and running wheels. He found the response to cocaine for those reared in an enriched environment was attenuated, and they were less likely to be addicted to cocaine versus those housed alone. This situation may ultimately provide insight into the mechanisms by which some people show resilience to stress or protection from addiction.
Individual responses to threat, according to Koeltzow, are a function of environmental variability times the interaction of genetics and environment. Understanding how genes and environment interact to promote addiction is a key focus of contemporary neuroscience.
Koeltzow cautions against the idea that enrichment is always good or will be the main focus of future treatment. “What we are finding in the lab is that if rats are exposed to the novelty of an enriched environment for the first time when they are also exposed to cocaine, we see an increase in the long-term sensitivity to cocaine,” he said. “Clearly, the effect of drugs has something to do with the context in which drugs are taken. We need to further study how novelty and the environment interact with drug actions, particularly in the prefrontal cortex.”
Koeltzow is representative of Bradley’s faculty in his student-centered focus in building strong foundational skills. “The primary objective of my lab is to encourage students to solve problems or do something that no one has ever done before,” he said. “That work might be designing, analyzing, or interpreting a new experiment and then presenting at a national conference or publishing a paper.”
Koeltzow’s hope for his students is to serve humankind and, ultimately, all organisms to the best of their ability. “One day, I hope that just as we can test insulin levels to detect diabetes, we have biological diagnostics that measure the physiological parameters indicative of mental health.”
By Susan Andrews
Photography by Duane Zehr


Bill would require cursive, multiplication tables
Earlier this week, a bill was introduced in the North Carolina House of Representatives that would require students to learn cursive and memorize their multiplication tables in school. The bill was sent to the education committee.
The bill, given the short title "Back to Basics," requires that students are able to write readable documents through "legible cursive handwriting" by the end of fifth grade.
Should the bill pass into law, it will not mark a change for elementary school students in the Union County Public Schools system.
"It is something we teach," Tom Bulla, director of elementary education, said.
A few years ago the department of public instruction gave the local education agencies the option of teaching cursive.
"We opted to continue teaching cursive," Bulla said. "That came before the principals and they decided that we would continue focusing on (cursive handwriting)."
It is currently taught in the third grade, then practiced in the fourth and fifth grades.
"We have a couple of programs that we recommend (teachers) use and resources to support (them)," Bulla said.
Rebekah Kelleher, an assistant professor of education at Wingate University, believes that students should know how to write in cursive and print.
"My elementary majors have to complete a handwriting course...to show proficiency in both manuscript and cursive themselves," Kelleher said.
They use the Zaner-Bloser handwriting program and their tests are graded independently. Kelleher believes the teachers have to be able to model the letters themselves.
"I think it's something that we've neglected and we have a number of students who are comping up deficient," Kelleher said. "It came from the overemphasis for many years on penmanship being perfect...instead of talking about fluency and legibility...I don't think the keyboard replaces our need to know how to write. I think both cursive and print have their place."
Kelleher said she has a 16-year-old nephew who did not learn how to write in cursive and cannot read cursive. Right now there is an emphasis on students reading primary documents, many of which are written in cursive, she pointed out.
Research found that poor handwriting costs businesses and taxpayers millions every year, Kelleher said. There are hundred of unreadable tax returns, illegibly addressed letters and medical issues due to doctor's handwriting.
"I know we're sending fewer documents...the written document is always going to be with us," Kelleher said.
However, there is some debate on when students should start to learn cursive handwriting. Some students are not ready in the second or third grade. Though, Kelleher thinks the proposed bill's requirement of writing in cursive by fifth grade is reasonable.
There is not enough research yet on whether knowing how to write in both styles impacts a student's ability to learn in other areas.
"It would seem, too, that cursive and manuscript require different parts of the brain to be used and that's why some people are so much better at one than the other," Kelleher said. "Different parts of the brain, I think, are used and I do think that writing incursive seems to fit better with creative writing...there's something about the curves and the connections of the cursive writing that fits with a certain type of thinking."
Kelleher believes that as it is instructed, the emphasis should be on legibility and fluency or fluidity. The letters should flow as the students are writing, she explained. The student should not have to think or labor over every letter, they should be able to write in cursive smoothly and quickly.
With regard to the multiplication tables, Bulla said that is part of the common core the state adapted.
"That is something that is very important," Bulla said. "We want them to develop their fluency and have accuracy and efficiency and know what to do with the numbers when they come to them."